Film of a garden party in Alexandria, Egypt c1920s
A lifestyle now lost captured on a film that cannot be watched
Samandal comic book, debut issue, 2008, Beirut, Lebanon
An eclectic mix of graphic styles and languages that captures the cultural mixed-up-ness of Beirut
Diabolik fumetto ‘Il Morto che Ritorna’, Italy, 1995
Italian comic books await a Quentin Tarantino to make them cool again
Chocolat Pupier Asian cultures album, France, 1936
A 1936 collectible album for children, embedded with the politics of its age
Letter from Japan the day WWII ended
My grandfather’s firsthand account of the destruction of Japanese cities
French diary from WWII
The cramped hand suggests a shortage of paper, the mysterious letters and numbers hint at a code
An evocative group portrait at a cafe in Egypt, 1934
A moment captured during an outing to Roda island in the 1930s
My grandfather’s sketch of the home he’d found in Cairo in 1956
Part of an effort to entice his family to join him in Egypt in the aftermath of the 1956 war
Little Red Book by Mao Tse-tung, second edition, 1967
The rare second edition of Mao’s famous book, with a foreword by Lin Biao before he fell from grace
Chemistry notebook, People’s Republic of China, 1976
A 1976 notebook found in Xiamen begins with Maoist political slogans and ends with chemistry notes
Teenager’s songbook, France, early-1960s
A handwritten record of a French teenager’s musical passions in the early-1960s
What is in Gaddafi’s Green Book, Part One
In his infamous Green Book, Gaddafi offers his unorthodox solutions to the problem of democracy
What is in Gaddafi’s Green Book, Part Two
In his infamous Green Book, Gaddafi offers his unorthodox solutions on socialism and society
New Year’s surprise: Paris, France, c2006
A gift from Paris that came each New Year’s setting the tenor of the year ahead
Blue Guide to Yugoslavia: Paris, France, 1970
A travel guide to Yugoslavia, before war tore it apart
Tincture of cacao bean: Lyon, France, date unknown
Tincture of cacao, an antiquated medicine best taken with vodka
Fluid extract bottle: Paris, France, c1870s
The story of a 19th century medicine bottle, from the Marais in Paris
Guerlain container: Paris, late-19th century
A 19th C container by Guerlain, the French perfume house, ends up on the Bowery in New York
Extract for Eucalyptus Syrup: Melun, France, date unknown
An antique bottle of eucalyptus extract for the relief of respiratory ailments
