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The Paper Time Machine: Colouring the Past
The Paper Time Machine is a book that will change the way you think about the past.
It contains 124 historical black-and-white photographs, reconstructed in colour and introduced by Wolfgang Wild – creator and curator of the Retronaut website. The site has become a global phenomenon, collecting images that collapse the distance between the past and present and tear a hole in our map of time.
The Paper Time Machine goes even further. Early photographic technology lacked a crucial ingredient – colour. As early as the invention of the medium, skilled artisans applied colour to photographs by hand, attempting to convey the vibrancy and immediacy of life in vivid detail. In most cases this was crude and unconvincing. Until now. The time-bending images in The Paper Time Machine have been painstakingly restored and rendered in full and accurate colour by Jordan Lloyd of Dynamichrome, a company that has taken the craft of colour reconstruction to a new level. Each element of every photograph has been researched and colour-checked for historical authenticity.
Behold American child labourers from the early twentieth century, alongside the construction of the Statue of Liberty. Marvel at crisp photographs from the Crimean War in 1855, balanced with never-before-seen pictures from the Walt Disney archive. As the layers of colour build up, the effect is disorientingly real and the decades and centuries fall away. It is as though we are standing at the original photographer’s elbow.
This is a landmark photographic book – a collection of historical ‘remixes’ that exist alongside the original photographs but draw out qualities, textures and details that have hitherto remained hidden. Let The Paper Time Machine transport you. It is as close to time travel as we are ever likely to get.
It contains 124 historical black-and-white photographs, reconstructed in colour and introduced by Wolfgang Wild – creator and curator of the Retronaut website. The site has become a global phenomenon, collecting images that collapse the distance between the past and present and tear a hole in our map of time.
The Paper Time Machine goes even further. Early photographic technology lacked a crucial ingredient – colour. As early as the invention of the medium, skilled artisans applied colour to photographs by hand, attempting to convey the vibrancy and immediacy of life in vivid detail. In most cases this was crude and unconvincing. Until now. The time-bending images in The Paper Time Machine have been painstakingly restored and rendered in full and accurate colour by Jordan Lloyd of Dynamichrome, a company that has taken the craft of colour reconstruction to a new level. Each element of every photograph has been researched and colour-checked for historical authenticity.
Behold American child labourers from the early twentieth century, alongside the construction of the Statue of Liberty. Marvel at crisp photographs from the Crimean War in 1855, balanced with never-before-seen pictures from the Walt Disney archive. As the layers of colour build up, the effect is disorientingly real and the decades and centuries fall away. It is as though we are standing at the original photographer’s elbow.
This is a landmark photographic book – a collection of historical ‘remixes’ that exist alongside the original photographs but draw out qualities, textures and details that have hitherto remained hidden. Let The Paper Time Machine transport you. It is as close to time travel as we are ever likely to get.
284 pages, Hardcover
Published October 19, 2017
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115 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 10, 2018
I absolutely adore this book. 120-odd black and white photos, colourised, and accompanied by a brief description of the scene with a contemporaneous quote. Running down the edge of each page is a timeline with a marker, as if the reader has turned a dial to physically transport themselves to another decade.
The photos have been enhanced so expertly and with such a careful sense of light and texture that they could have been taken yesterday. So we have British army recruiting sergeants gathered on a street corner in 1877, and Emily Pankhurst being carried away from a suffragette protest on 1914 while sunlight glances from the wet ground, and early Ellis Island immigrants staring you right in the eye, all so vividly captured that it’s easy to imagine oneself stood at the photographer’s shoulder. The effect is magical, even spooky. The book’s title is perfect. Flicking through the pages is a manner of time travel.
The photos have been enhanced so expertly and with such a careful sense of light and texture that they could have been taken yesterday. So we have British army recruiting sergeants gathered on a street corner in 1877, and Emily Pankhurst being carried away from a suffragette protest on 1914 while sunlight glances from the wet ground, and early Ellis Island immigrants staring you right in the eye, all so vividly captured that it’s easy to imagine oneself stood at the photographer’s shoulder. The effect is magical, even spooky. The book’s title is perfect. Flicking through the pages is a manner of time travel.
July 28, 2018
I loved this book so much, I just went and bought my own copy (to my delight, my library had the ebook). I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys history, art, and people being really good at what they do. Wolfgang Wild and Jordan Lloyd have created a fascinating book that makes the past feel alive.
I've never put pictures in these reviews, but this book makes me feel compelled to do so.
The power of this image is striking. Each image comes with a description of the photographer and event depicted. This one said the image was from 1937 and showed a group of children, aged 10 to 15, known as the Young Pioneers demonstrating that they were ready for war.
It's strange how colour brought out so many details my eyes glazed over in the original b&w. Take this recreation of French workers building the Statute of Liberty for instance:
The book contains so many fascinating images of key historic moments -- the construction of the presidents on Mt Rushmore, the building of the Eiffel Tower, the arrest of Emmeline Pankhurst, the hanging of the Lincoln assassination conspirators (including of Mary Surratt, the first woman executed by the US federal government). But likewise, it's interesting just to see everyday life -- the architecture, roads, clothing. I don't want to say too much, because part of the joy of this book is discovering unexpected details of levity in the past.
These images made me connect to the subjects, and often I wished we knew more about them. There's a moving series of portraits of immigrants entering Ellis Island. I particularly enjoyed (enjoyed?) seeing POC fit into their surroundings -- take this 1939 photo of a country store on a dirt road.
I also want to point out the skill involved in colouring these images.
The lighting on the metal, the muscles, his sweat; the texture of his trousers. I watched a video on the degree of knowledge one has to have about light and colour to create these images. I really enjoyed these images from an artistic perspective as well. (Also, there is an immense amount of research that goes into deciding which colours to apply, which is impressive on its own).
I saw that Wild and Lloyd have another book in the works, in association with the Bassetlaw Museum. Like The Paper Time Machine, it's also being crowdfunded. I'm very intrigued by this project.
I liked Wild's quote in the crowdfunding explanation video that he's looking for ways to replicate the experience of time travel -- that's what this book felt like: a new perspective on and way of experiencing history.
I've never put pictures in these reviews, but this book makes me feel compelled to do so.
The power of this image is striking. Each image comes with a description of the photographer and event depicted. This one said the image was from 1937 and showed a group of children, aged 10 to 15, known as the Young Pioneers demonstrating that they were ready for war.
It's strange how colour brought out so many details my eyes glazed over in the original b&w. Take this recreation of French workers building the Statute of Liberty for instance:
The book contains so many fascinating images of key historic moments -- the construction of the presidents on Mt Rushmore, the building of the Eiffel Tower, the arrest of Emmeline Pankhurst, the hanging of the Lincoln assassination conspirators (including of Mary Surratt, the first woman executed by the US federal government). But likewise, it's interesting just to see everyday life -- the architecture, roads, clothing. I don't want to say too much, because part of the joy of this book is discovering unexpected details of levity in the past.
These images made me connect to the subjects, and often I wished we knew more about them. There's a moving series of portraits of immigrants entering Ellis Island. I particularly enjoyed (enjoyed?) seeing POC fit into their surroundings -- take this 1939 photo of a country store on a dirt road.
I also want to point out the skill involved in colouring these images.
The lighting on the metal, the muscles, his sweat; the texture of his trousers. I watched a video on the degree of knowledge one has to have about light and colour to create these images. I really enjoyed these images from an artistic perspective as well. (Also, there is an immense amount of research that goes into deciding which colours to apply, which is impressive on its own).
I saw that Wild and Lloyd have another book in the works, in association with the Bassetlaw Museum. Like The Paper Time Machine, it's also being crowdfunded. I'm very intrigued by this project.
I liked Wild's quote in the crowdfunding explanation video that he's looking for ways to replicate the experience of time travel -- that's what this book felt like: a new perspective on and way of experiencing history.
February 18, 2018
My initial impression was that this book was way too big but it all helps to immerse yourself in these beautifully colourised photographs. My particular favourites are the country store in North Carolina and the Dynasphere being tested at Brean Sands in Somerset.
September 30, 2018
Really excellent colourised images, with historical detail and contemporaneous notes on each photo. Fascinating stuff...
January 5, 2026
This book is a collection of historical photographs that have been painstakingly colorized, bringing them to life in a way that feels fresh and immediate. The book is a collaboration between Wolfgang Wild, the creator of the Retronaut website, and Jordan Lloyd, a digital artist known for his meticulous approach to colorizing historical images. Together, they’ve created something that doesn’t just showcase the past - it revives it.
Colorization is one of those things that can be hit or miss. Done poorly, it can feel artificial, like a bad Instagram filter slapped onto an old photograph. But that’s not what’s happening here. The images in The Paper Time Machine are meticulously researched, with colors that reflect the reality of the time rather than modern assumptions. The attention to detail is impressive - fabrics, skin tones, sky hues, even tiny elements like the particular shades of paint used in historical buildings have been carefully reconstructed.
What struck me most was how much more real these moments in history feel in color. Black-and-white photography, for all its artistic beauty, creates a certain detachment. We tend to view the past as something distant, almost mythological. But when you see a full-color image of Abraham Lincoln, for example, or a street scene from Victorian London, it suddenly feels contemporary - like something you could step into. It’s a subtle but powerful shift in perception.
One of the strengths of this book is that it doesn’t just present beautiful images - it also provides context. Each photograph is accompanied by background information, helping to ground the reader in the time period and significance of the moment being captured. This isn’t just a book to flip through casually (though you can do that, and it’s still enjoyable). It’s a book that invites you to slow down, to read, to absorb history in a way that feels both informative and deeply human.
The images cover a wide range of subjects - portraits of historical figures, famous events, everyday street life, architecture, and even early aviation and exploration. There’s something fascinating about seeing, for example, a 19th-century factory worker in full color. It’s a reminder that history isn’t just about kings, queens, and major battles; it’s also about ordinary people living their lives, people who, when seen in color, don’t seem so different from us.
Beyond the content itself, the book is just beautifully made. The paper quality is excellent, and the layout is clean and inviting. This is the kind of book that feels good in your hands, something you’d proudly leave out on a coffee table but also want to return to again and again. It has that rare quality of being both a reference book and a work of art.
If you love history but find traditional textbooks a little dry, this book offers a more engaging way to explore the past. It’s also great for people who appreciate photography and visual storytelling. I could see it appealing to artists, designers, and even educators looking for a unique way to bring history to life for students.
That said, this isn’t a book for someone looking for deep historical analysis. The text is informative but brief; the focus is primarily on the images themselves. If you’re the type of reader who wants exhaustive detail on every photo, you might find yourself wanting more. But as a visual experience, it’s pretty remarkable.
The Paper Time Machine does something special - it bridges the gap between past and present in a way that feels effortless. It’s a book that makes history feel less like a collection of distant events and more like something living and breathing. While I’ve seen other attempts at colorizing historical photos, few have been done with this level of care and authenticity.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. It’s one of those books that you can pick up anytime and find something new to appreciate. Whether you’re flipping through it for a few minutes or diving into the historical details, it’s a rewarding experience. If you’ve ever wished you could see history with fresh eyes, this book offers exactly that.
Colorization is one of those things that can be hit or miss. Done poorly, it can feel artificial, like a bad Instagram filter slapped onto an old photograph. But that’s not what’s happening here. The images in The Paper Time Machine are meticulously researched, with colors that reflect the reality of the time rather than modern assumptions. The attention to detail is impressive - fabrics, skin tones, sky hues, even tiny elements like the particular shades of paint used in historical buildings have been carefully reconstructed.
What struck me most was how much more real these moments in history feel in color. Black-and-white photography, for all its artistic beauty, creates a certain detachment. We tend to view the past as something distant, almost mythological. But when you see a full-color image of Abraham Lincoln, for example, or a street scene from Victorian London, it suddenly feels contemporary - like something you could step into. It’s a subtle but powerful shift in perception.
One of the strengths of this book is that it doesn’t just present beautiful images - it also provides context. Each photograph is accompanied by background information, helping to ground the reader in the time period and significance of the moment being captured. This isn’t just a book to flip through casually (though you can do that, and it’s still enjoyable). It’s a book that invites you to slow down, to read, to absorb history in a way that feels both informative and deeply human.
The images cover a wide range of subjects - portraits of historical figures, famous events, everyday street life, architecture, and even early aviation and exploration. There’s something fascinating about seeing, for example, a 19th-century factory worker in full color. It’s a reminder that history isn’t just about kings, queens, and major battles; it’s also about ordinary people living their lives, people who, when seen in color, don’t seem so different from us.
Beyond the content itself, the book is just beautifully made. The paper quality is excellent, and the layout is clean and inviting. This is the kind of book that feels good in your hands, something you’d proudly leave out on a coffee table but also want to return to again and again. It has that rare quality of being both a reference book and a work of art.
If you love history but find traditional textbooks a little dry, this book offers a more engaging way to explore the past. It’s also great for people who appreciate photography and visual storytelling. I could see it appealing to artists, designers, and even educators looking for a unique way to bring history to life for students.
That said, this isn’t a book for someone looking for deep historical analysis. The text is informative but brief; the focus is primarily on the images themselves. If you’re the type of reader who wants exhaustive detail on every photo, you might find yourself wanting more. But as a visual experience, it’s pretty remarkable.
The Paper Time Machine does something special - it bridges the gap between past and present in a way that feels effortless. It’s a book that makes history feel less like a collection of distant events and more like something living and breathing. While I’ve seen other attempts at colorizing historical photos, few have been done with this level of care and authenticity.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely. It’s one of those books that you can pick up anytime and find something new to appreciate. Whether you’re flipping through it for a few minutes or diving into the historical details, it’s a rewarding experience. If you’ve ever wished you could see history with fresh eyes, this book offers exactly that.
August 14, 2021
Quite possibly the ne plus ultra of coffee table books, and one which will literally change the way you view the past. Over 100 meticulously (and that's a gross understatement) restored and colorized old photos presented in reverse chronological order, from the middle of the 20th century to images from the early decades of the 19th. And, as if to make the work even more impressive, the author includes the original photographs at the book's end with short blurbs explaining the research and work he (they, actually - it appears to be a two-person effort, though all of the text is written by only one of the men involved) needed to do to present the photograph in its finished form.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews