Vintage photo collections from around the world, organized by region and country. Thousands of fascinating old photos from other cultures.
Table of contents
Photos from Europe
Americans in the Land of Lenin
750 photographs of every-day life in the Soviet Union (1919-1921 and 1930). Duke Univ. Libraries.
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Hyperinflation in Germany 1922-1923
Retronaut.
Vintage Photos of France
About 540 old photos taken in France, in the “Vintage France” collection in Flikr.
Read a biography online here at Century Past
Vintage Photos of Hungarian Women
About 1,900 photos in the “Hungarian Women 1850-1920” collection in Flikr.
Photos of Germany ca. 1920-1945
About 300 photos. “This group focuses on vintage photographs taken in Germany, or by German photographers travelling abroad, from the end of World War I and the foundation of the Weimar Republic to the end of World War II.” “Photography in Interwar and WWII Germany” collection in Flikr.
Photos of Auschwitz
About 9,000 photos. “Photos from the concentration- and extermination-camp Auschwitz in Poland. Both current and historical photos are welcome.” In the “Auschwitz” collection in Flikr.
Early Photography in Romania
About 360 photos. This group is devoted to antique photographs taken in Romania and its predecessor states, the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, from the moment when photography reached their territories in the 1840s and up to the end of World War I and the turbulent years that immediately followed it (1918-20). “Early Photography in Romania” collection in Flikr.
Vintage Photos of the Netherlands
About 2,400 vintage photographs of the Netherlands, in the “Holland before the Year 1920” collection in Flikr.
Photography in Hungary ca. 1920-1945
About 500 photos. “This group focuses on vintage photographs taken in Hungary, or by Hungarian photographers travelling abroad, from the end of World War I down to the end of World War II.” In the “Photography in Interwar and WWII Hungary” collection in Flikr.
Vintage Photos of Russia
About 2,400 photos from Russia, in the “Vintage Russia” collection in Flikr.
Early Photos in Austria-Hungary
About 5,200 photos taken from the 1840s to about 1919 in Central Europe in the “Early Photography in the Habsburg Empire and Austria-Hungary” collection in Flikr.
See our collection of vintage articles on various topics
Early Photography in France
About 1,100 photos. “This group is devoted to antique photographs taken in France (and its colonies) from the invention of photography and up to the end of World War I and the transitory years that immediately folowed it (1918-20). Photos taken by French photographers elsewhere pertain to this group.” “Early Photography in France” collection in Flikr.
Early Photography in Germany
About 7,900 old photos “taken in the German states and the German Empire, or by German photographers abroad, from the invention of photography to the end of World War One.” In the “Early Photography in Germany” collection in Flikr.
Vintage Photos of Sweden – Before 1950
About 8,200 vintage photos from Sweden, in the “Sweden before 1950” collection in Flikr.
See our Newsweek Archives 1940s
Photos of Sweden in the 1950s & 1960s
About 1,500 photos, in the “Sweden during the 50’s and 60’s” collection in Flikr.
Russia and Eastern Europe in Rare Photographs 1860-1945
From NY Public Library. About 5,000 photos assembled from various collections.
Photos from Asia and the Pacific
Asia and the Eastern Pacific Rim in Early Prints and Photographs
850 items from the 1870s to the early 20th Century. New York Public Library
Photos of Historic India
About 20,400 photos. Mostly modern photos of historic sites and structures in India. in the “Historic India” collection in Flikr.
Gertrude Bass Warner Photographs
Most photographs at this site were taken by traveler and collector Gertrude Bass Warner between 1904 and 1929 in China, Japan, Korea, and Cambodia. There are 5,500 images in the collection, and many are hand-painted. Among them are slides purchased during her travels.
Photos of Historic China
About 2,000 modern photos with mostly historical subjects from China. In the “China History” collection in Flikr. Old pictures from China.
Asian Historical Architecture: A Photographic Survey
A photographic survey of Asia’s architectural heritage. Over 30,000 photos of 1,143 sites in twenty-one countries, with background information and virtual tours.
Photos of Historic Australia 1901-1945
About 8,900 photos. “For historical buildings and places in Australia from 1901 (Federation) to 1945 (the end of WWII).” In the “Historic Australia 1901-1945” collection in Flikr.
20th Century Photos of Japan
About 5,300 photos of things and places in Japan, taken during the period 1926-1989. Many contributors. In the Flikr collection “Vintage Japan”.
See our Imperialism Literature
Historical Photographs of China
Based at the University of Bristol, the ‘Historical Photographs of China’ project “locates, digitises, and publishes online photographs of China held, largely, in private hands outside the country.” There are some 20,000 photos in numerous sub-collections. Old pictures from China.
Photos of Historic China
Over 3,000 photos in the “Old China” collection in Flikr. There were no apparent restrictions on how old these photos needed to be for inclusion, but the modern photos in the collection seem to depict only old structures. Old pictures from China.
See our free old magazines download
Historic Photos of People in Japan
This Flikr collection, called “Japanese in Yesteryear”, contains about 2,700 photos of people in Japan, taken from the 19th Century until the 1970s.
New Zealand Vintage Photos
Photos taken in New Zealand prior to about 1980, from a number of contributors. In the Flikr collection “Old New Zealand”.
Vintage Australian Photos
5,300 photos representing Australia’s history, from the 19th & 20th centuries, in the Flikr collection “Vintage Australian Photos”.
China Life – Pacific Pursuits Postcards
NY Public Library Digital Collections. Pacific Pursuits is a collection of postcards that were issued in the first two decades of the twentieth century in various countries and territories of the western Pacific. This ‘China Life’ sub-collection depicts scenes of traditional everyday life. Old pictures from China.
Korea A-Z – Pacific Pursuits Postcards
Korea Life – Pacific Pursuits Postcards
Korea Seoul – Pacific Pursuits Postcards
NY Public Library Digital Collections. Pacific Pursuits is a collection of postcards that were issued in the first two decades of the twentieth century in various countries and territories of the western Pacific. These three Korea sub-collections depict buildings, city street scenes, and scenes of traditional everyday life.
Australia on Historypin
1,775 old and not-so-old photos from various locations and events, in the map/photo application “Historypin”. National Archives of Australia
Indonesia – Java
Indonesia – Bali
NY Public Library Digital Collections. Pacific Pursuits is a collection of postcards that were issued in the first two decades of the twentieth century in various countries and territories of the western Pacific. These two Indonesia sub-collections depict some aspects of traditional culture.
China, 1898 – 1908
287 photos by Robert Henry Chandless, at Univ. of Washington Libraries. Old pictures from China.
See our links to historic photo & image collections of war
Photographs of Indonesia
From NY Public Library. The photographs were chiefly taken by scholar Claire Holt (1901-1970) during her visits to Indonesia in 1930-1938, 1955-1957, and 1969 to visually document the plastic and performing arts for her research. Many of the photos cover a wide range of dance forms from different ethnic and linguistic groups, and are accompanied with field notes. The collection also contains photos of ancient Hindu and Buddhist architecture and sculpture, principally from Java.
The People of India 1868-1875
From NY Public Library Collection of Customs and Costume. About 480 photos from a multi-volume book published by the colonial government of India from 1868 to 1875 entitled, “The People of India: A series of Photographic Illustrations, with Descriptive Letterpress, of The Races and Tribes of Hindustan”.
Photographs of Japan
Hand-colored photos of scenes from daily life, from the 1870s to the early 20th century. NY Public Library.
Mongolia, ca 1920
Assortment of color photos at the end of an article entitled “In the Land of Kublai Khan” in a 1922 issue of National Geographic magazine.
The Middle East in Early Prints and Photos
From NY Public Library. A collection of about 5,800 images assembled from various collections.
Photos from Africa
Century of Egyptian photography
13 photos from the mid-20th C to the 21st C. The Guardian. Old African photos.
Colonialism and the African Diaspora in Picture Postcards
The digital collection Colonialism and African Diaspora on Picture Postcards comprises 3027 postcards showing Africans and African-Americans in the period of colonialism. It is hosted by the University of Koln. “The collection serves the scientific research of the colonial period and its reception and is shown exclusively for this reason on the pages of the UCL Cologne. Nevertheless, from today’s perspective, the representations are racist and degrading. This applies in particular to the display of undressed persons, including children.” Old African photos.
Africa Focus: Sights and Sounds of a Continent
“This collection contains more than 3000 slides, 500 photographs, and 50 hours of sounds from forty-five different countries. It is hoped that the search features of the collection will be a convenient aid to scholarship, study, and teaching of these disciplines.” Hosted by the University of Wisconsin. Old African photos.
Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives Materials
The Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives is a research and reference center devoted to the collection, preservation and dissemination of visual materials that encourage and support the study of the arts, cultures and history of Africa. The page contains 26,800 photographs, postcards and archival materials. Old African photos.
Art Objects at the National Museum of African Art
Photos of about 3,500 objects at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art, in Washington, DC. Old African photos.
Winterton Collection of East African Photographs
This collection portrays African life and European life in East Africa from 1860-1960, documenting the African colonial era to the dawn of independence. Images are from 76 separate photo albums. Old African photos.
Vernon McKay Photographs of African Daily Life
“These images of African daily life date from the mid-20th century. Photographs come from the following countries and territories: Basutoland, Belgian Congo, Dahomey, French Equatorial Africa, French Guinea, French Togoland, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger (French), Nigeria, Northern Rhodesia, Ruanda-Urundi, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Southern Rhodesia, Southwest Africa, Tanganyika, and Tunisia.” Old African photos.
Photos from Latin America
Vintage Latin American Photos
Nearly 1,000 photographs, mostly from the early 20th century, in the Flikr collection “Vintage Latin American Photographs”. Many contributors.
Mexico Vintage Photos
321 photos taken in Mexico, including many from the early 20th Century. “Mexico Vintage” collection in Flikr, from many contributors.
The Luso-Hispanic New World in Early Prints and Photographs
Photos and illustrations from books about Latin America published in the 19th & early 20th centuries. NY Public Library.
Photos from Various Places
Early Photography in the British Empire
About 2,000 photos. “This group is devoted to antique photographs taken in the British Empire (Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and all other dominions and colonies) from the invention of photography and up to the end of World War I and the transitory years that immediately followed it (1918-20). Photos taken by British photographers elsewhere pertain to this group.” In the “Early Photography in the British Empire” collection in Flikr.
Carpenter Collection
From U.S. Library of Congress. Photographs produced and gathered by Frank G. Carpenter (1855-1924) and his daughter Frances (1890-1972) to illustrate his writings on travel and world geography. Carpenter’s works helped popularize cultural anthropology and geography in the early years of the twentieth century.
Pakistan, Egypt, and European Locations
From NY Public Library. About 37 photos created approximately 1870-1919.
Labadie Photograph Collection
A collection of nearly 1,500 photos documenting the history of social protest movements and marginalized political communities from the 19th century to the present. Univ. of Michigan.
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