Happy New Year!

[Swerdlof Wedding], 1946, V1991.11.100.17; Harry Kalmus papers and photographs, ARC.046; Brooklyn Historical Society.

Now that the holidays are behind us, the focus has shifted to the season of glitter, champagne, and the midnight ball drop. In Brooklyn, there are hundreds of events and parties to ring in the New Year. Whether you’re prepping for a festive night on the town or a low-key evening at home, there’s so much to celebrate. All of us at Brooklyn Historical Society wish you a very happy and healthy New Year. Cheers to you!

In that festive spirit, the photo of the week depicts family and friends lifting their glasses at the Swerdlof wedding in 1946 at an unknown location in Brooklyn. This photograph comes from the Harry Kalmus papers and photographs collection. Harry Kalmus grew up in the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn. After serving in World War II, he returned to Brooklyn and began a career in professional photography, particularly documenting weddings and Bar Mitzvahs.  The collection contains approximately 13,339 black-and-white negatives, 108 prints, 880 slides, 186 stereoscopic slides, and a stereoscopic viewer spanning the years 1938 to 1987. This collection includes a range of personal, documentary, event, and portrait photography that offer a unique perspective of Brooklyn in the mid-20^th century. Come visit the library to view other images from this collection.

Interested in seeing more photos from BHS’s collection? Visit our online image gallery, which includes a selection of our images. Interested in seeing even more historic Brooklyn images? Visit our Brooklyn Visual Heritage website here. To search BHS’s entire collection of images, archives, maps, and special collections visit BHS’s Othmer Library Wed-Sat, 1:00-5:00 p.m. library@brooklynhistory.org