In the 1980s, Jan Wein was scavenging in NYC when he came across a stash of Kodachromes – it was a wonderful find

One day, Jan Wein found some photographs.”For those of you who may not know the back story,”  he tells us, “I lived in Manhattan in the 1980s when Ed Koch was mayor, before decamping to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I remain to this day.At that time you could find many discarded treasures on trash day. One day I scored a cache of Kodachrome slides of NYC shot in the 1950s. The slides are unmarked, so the photographer is unknown.”

Jan’s been sharing some of the many highlights from the collections for ages. And now we can share them with you…

Times Square, 1958, found Kodachrome transparency, photographer unknown, personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

First Street and First Avenue

Al’s Bar – March 27, 1954 – location unknown. Found image, photographer unknown. From the personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

36th Street and 7th Avenue

“I lived in Manhattan in the 80s and always loved how a demolished building left a schematic layout on the side of the adjacent surviving building – imagining people moving within those spaces, up and down the stairs.”

Financial District and *Ferry* St being the cross street, view south on Cliff St 1967

Sullivan Street celebrating the Festival of St Anthony

Loews Movie Theater, 72nd Street, 1960. Kodachrome transparency rescued in 1980s – photographer unknown. From the personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Fifth Avenue at 44th Street – found Kodachrome transparency, date unknown, photographer unknown, personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Modern Art. Guggenheim Museum soon after it opened – 1960. Kodachrome transparency found in the trash in the 1980s. Photographer unknown. From the personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Midtown at 5-00 PM. Early 1980s. Photo- Jan Wein

Another river view. USS Stockham, Navy Destroyer. Year unknown. Original photographer unknown. From the personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Schmattes – W 36th Street, Found Kodachrome Transparency, Photographer unknown, Date unknown, Personal:private collection of Jan Wein

Sunday painter of a plein air composition of the pond in in Central Park. Found Kodachrome, photographer unknown, date likely the 1950s, personal, private collection of Jan Wein.

Riverview of Manhattan, found Kodachrome transparency, photographer unknown, date unknown, personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

The Lehigh Salvage Co. Salvaged slide, photographer unknown, location unknown. From the personal/private collection of Jan Wein.

Winter – Murphy Memorial Flagpole, Union Place, Found Kodachrome transparency, photographer unknown, date unknown, likely mid to late 1950s, personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

New York World Telegram – found Kodachrome transparency, date unknown, location unknown, photographer unknown, personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Fifth Avenue – Midtown. Date unknown, found Kodachrome transparency, photographer unknown, personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Ice Skating at 30 Rockefeller Center, Hanan Linen Shop in background – circa 1958, found Kodachrome transparency, photographer unknown, person:private collection of Jan Wein

Rockefeller Center – circa 1958, Found Kodachrome transparency, photographer unknown, personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Rockefeller Center – Fifth Avenue at 50th Street circa 1958 – found Kodachrome transparency, photographer unknown – personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Construction site of Canada House at 680 Fifth Avenue, 1956. Found Kodachrome transparency, photographer unknown. Personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Coming Here! New York Savings Bank. 1958. Location unknown. Kodachrome transparency, photographer unknown. Personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Under the Manhattan Bridge – date unknown, photographer unknown (found Kodachrome transparency) – Personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Cobblestone. Location- you tell me. Year- leave this to the car guys. Photographer- unknown. Personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Winter in NYC 1961. Found Kodachrome slide. Photographer unknown. From the personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Out with old, in with new. Location unknown, year unknown, photographer unknown. Kodachrome transparency personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

One of many transparencies found in the trash in Manhattan in the early 1980s. Photographer unknown. Personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

Engine House 31 at Lafayette Street 1961 – still there apparently. Kodachrome transparency. Photographer unknown. Personal:private collection of Jan Wein.

The Great White Way.

118 Orchard Street in the Lower East Side