Although it ceased publication in 1955, the Brooklyn Eagle, which was founded in 1841, had the good mind to give its archives over to the Brooklyn Public Library. And while people like to talk about the time we’re living in now as the Golden Era of Brooklyn, one only has to take a few minutes to look through these archives to see that there was truly no place like Brooklyn during the first half of the 20th century.
This particular part of the collection was too wonderful not to share — the photos, below, of burlesque beauties from 1954 — is just a one of many wonders you’ll find on BPL’s Tumblr. Not much is known about these women or the photographers, save for their names and where the photos were taken, but the images themselves are pretty hard to get out of your brain.
Peaches. Photo by Maurice Seymour, 1954. Courtesy Brooklyn Public Library — Brooklyn Collection
Lilly Christie. Photo by Maurice Seymour, 1947. Courtesy of Brooklyn Public Library — Brooklyn Collection.
Mickey “Go-Go” Jones. Photo by Garbo, 1953. Courtesy of the Brooklyn Public Library — Brooklyn Collection
Lili St. Cyr. Photo by Kuret Photographers, 1955. Courtesy of the Brooklyn Public Library — Brooklyn Collection
Lotus DeBois. Photo by Maurice Seymour, 1954. Courtesy of the Brooklyn Public Library — Brooklyn Collection
Ann Perri. Photo by Garbo, 1953, courtesy of the Brooklyn Public Library — Brooklyn Collection
Francine. Photo by Bruno of Hollywood, 1954. Courtesy of the Brooklyn Public Library — Brooklyn Collection