A trip to the Maskatorium. Via: boingboing

The Anatomy of Japanese folk monsters. Via: Pink Tentacle

The art of pipe smoking. Via: The Selvedge Yard

"The Cricket Cage Peddlar", Kiyonaga, ca. late 1700's. Via: Insects in Human Culture

Preparations for a mensur (Warsaw 2004)

"Often using little more than a pen-knife, many of these drifters pain-stakingly altered the extremely hard copper-nickel alloy, transforming the Indian's head into profile portraits of friends and loved ones (both male and female), of other hobos, or of themselves. Rare examples also feature alterations of the "buffalo," typically into donkeys or elephants. These "Hobo Nickels" were a way for the vagabonds to increase the value of the coin so that it brought a more advantageous exchange when used to barter for food and drink, or for lodging or transportation." Via: Lord-whimsy

The Smiling Geisha

The photographer is unknown, but possibly K. Ogawa or K. Tamamura.

This shot is one of at least 50, and possibly 100 or more images of the same Geisha in all kinds of poses from the ridiculous to the sublime. Her range of expressions and poses is great.

There are few postcards that give her Geisha name as "MISS TOKIMATSU". So, until more is known, that will have to do. But among Western collectors, she is generally called 'The Smiling Geisha" -- and in Japan she is now generally called "EMIKO". This name was coined by well-known Photo Collector and Historian ISHIGURO. Back in the 1990s he published a small paperback book containing several photographs of her modeling in poses such as seen above.

"EMIKO" is simply a combination of two Japanese written characters for "SMILING [or LAUGHING] CHILD [or GIRL]". Thanks to Mr. Ishiguro's book, the name "Emiko" was soon adopted by collectors throughout Japan."

Via: Okinawa Soba's photostream