Vivid colorized images have revealed the evolution of the automobile and motorcycle throughout history.
The re-imagined pictures show the first woman to obtain a motorcycle license in Washington DC in 1937, a Maxwell car in 1916 and the first official Austrian Formula 1 mechanic in his custom-made motor. Other shots also show an Alfa Romeo race car in 1922, men observing a car wreck in America in 1923 and a postman using a motorbike in 1915.
The original black and white images were colorized over a period of 40 to 50 hours by Austrian photographer Mario Unger.
“Color reduces the time distance to the photographed object I think,” he said. “It also adds mood and feeling while black and white somehow reduces this. I thought this would be a very nice and interesting project.”
The history of the motorcycle begins in the second half of the 19th century. Motorcycles are descended from the “safety bicycle,” a bicycle with front and rear wheels of the same size and a pedal crank mechanism to drive the rear wheel.
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| Senator Wetmore in "horseless Carriage," 1905. |
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| Otto Loesche and Mechanic in the "Lexington Minute Man SIx," 1920. |
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| Raffaele “Ralph” De Palma, 1915. |
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| Onlookers stand by the site of a car crash in 1923. |
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| Businessmen pose with an early Maxwell car in 1916. |
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| The first official Austrian F1 mechanic with his motor. |
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| Hispano Suiza at the 1912 French Grand Prix at Dieppe. |
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| ntonio Ascari and Ugo Sivocci in Alfa Romeo 20-30 ES at the 1922 Targa Florio. |
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| Postman and his flying Merkel, 1915. |
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| Sally Halterman was the first woman to obtain a motorbike licence in Washington D.C. in 1937. |
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| Lawrence Ray Weishaar was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame after his death. |
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| Jack Brabham at 1966 Dutch Grand_Prix. |
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| Eslie Williams, the officer and his Henderson. Washington D.C., August 1922. |
(Photos: Mario Unger / Media Drum World)
