In the early 1900s, Ellis Island served as the United States' largest immigration station, processing up to 12 million immigrants between the years 1892 and 1954.
One amateur photographer by the name of Augustus Sherman, who served as Ellis Island's chief registry clerk sometime between 1906 and 1917, photographed a handful of immigrants who passed through. According to the New York Public Library, his subjects were most likely asked to wear their best holiday finery or national dress.
These stunning portraits, originally published in National Geographic in 1907, have now been brought back to life and colorized by Jordan Lloyd of Dynamichrome. Lloyd's technique includes historical research for accuracy, as well as retouching at an expert level. His book "The Paper Time Machine," includes these portraits, and is currently raising funds to be published.
All captions are by Dynamichrome.
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"Gákti is the traditional costume of the Sámi people inhabiting the arctic regions spanning from northern Norway to the Kola peninsula in Russia. Traditionally made from reindeer leather and wool, velvet and silks are also used, with the (typically blue) pullover being supplemented by contrasting colored banding of plaits, brooches and jewelry."
"The decorations are region-specific and the gákti is used in ceremonial contexts such as weddings, or signified whether or not one was single or married, but also served as working dress when herding reindeer."
"Hailing from the Germanic-speaking region of Alsace now in modern day France, the large bow known as a schlupfkàpp was worn by single women."
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