1926 photos in color (yes they exist)

[outlander]

Hello.

 

Any particular car models you can make out in this photo?

 

It was taken in 1926 in Calgary, Canada.

Yes it was taken as a color photograph, a so-called "autochrome". Not colorized later.

 

There is a large collection of color photos - not artificially colorized photos - from around the world from the early 20th century. They are known as les Archives de la Planète (Archives of the Planet). There are no photos from the US there, but there are photos from Canada in 1926 - and there are cars in some of them.

 

The site is in the world's international language... French  A bigger problem is that searching is cumbersome, if you click on the map, you can only browse through thumbnails - if you accidentally find an interesting photo there and want to see it full-size, note down its ID (like "A 49 308") and try to find it the right way. BUT: I strongly recommend browsing images the right way from the beginning.

 

The right way is: ignore the map and use only the menu of the left: Lieu -> Amerique -> Canada. You will then have a scrollable stream of photos *under* the map.

 

There are two scrollbars, the outer one is for the webpage and the inner one is for the stream of photos. You should find about 1000 photos from Canada there, if you see much less, you probably missed one of the scrollbars. "Telecharger" means "download" (the image).

Edited March 1, 2020 by outlander
added a question (see edit history)

[John_Mereness]

As a sidenote: in the left hand corner is the mark of Albert Kahn - they designed such as car dealerships and also car manufacturing buildings

[Brass is Best]

5 hours ago, John_Mereness said:

As a sidenote: in the left hand corner is the mark of Albert Kahn - they designed such as car dealerships and also car manufacturing buildings

 

Kahn Designed most of the factories in Detroit as well. I have seen a few models they built of buildings in order to show clients the end result. One was of the Ford Rouge Power Plant. It was a spectacular model.

Edited June 10, 2020 by Brass is Best (see edit history)

[Larry Schramm]

Albert Kahn also designed the old General Motors Building (now Cadillac Place) in Detroit.   Kahn also designed the Fisher Building across the street.  Kahn's offices were in the Albert Kahn Building about one block from the old GM Building.  All three buildings are connected by above ground tubes by way of the New Center One Building. 

 

I had an office on the 13th floor of the GM building at one time and an office on the 6th floor of the New Center One building during my years at General Motors  

 

Here is a map of the area.   https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cadillac+Place/@42.3695172,-83.0774167,385m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x8824d29c584a276b:0x3b4c1050076f0de5!8m2!3d42.3687766!4d-83.0758452

[30sclassics]

First car on right: 1923 or early 1924 Chevrolet;  big blue roadster: 1918-1920 Buick.  Touring car in center with no top:  Chevrolet.

[outlander]

Thank you.

 

By the way, Albert Kahn the architect and Albert Kahn the photo collector were two different people.

 

Albert Kahn, 1869-1942, was an American architect whose buildings you can see in Detroit.

Albert Kahn, 1860-1940, was a French banker and photo collector whose collection is known as the Archives of the Planet

 

The color photo I posted is from the French banker's collection, that's why it has his name in the bottom left corner.

[8E45E]

General Supplies Limited is still in business today, selling Chevrolet:  https://www.gslgmcity.com/about-us/

 

Craig

[mike6024]

Very interesting, great resource, thank you

 

World War I, I suppose

 

Edited March 30, 2021 by mike6024 (see edit history)