About Me
I'm Ali, a London based
creator, curator, hoarder
and explorer.
Kuriosas is my portal for
cherishing, celebrating and
archiving oddball artefacts
and vintage graphics I
come across, documenting
unusual people and places,
and musing over visual
culture past and present.
My work as an artist,
photographer and
illustrator can be found here:
www.aliwinstanley.com
More about me>>
Say hello:
aliwinstanley@gmail.comSign up to Kuriosas!
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Studio visit: Jurri Arrak
Lithuanian Children’s Books
Surreal 1970’s Hungarian Book Covers
1960’s psychedelic illustration
East German 1970’s geometry book
Lviv Book Market: Soviet children’s books
1950’s Swedish songbook
Lviv Book Market, Ukraine – Soviet Book Covers
Soviet graphic design
Soviet building postcards
Latvian puppet postcards
East German cat brooches
Soviet pin badges / Tallinn Russian market
1930’s Portugese illustration
1920’s German silent film making book
Schminke Modernist House, Germany
1940’s Jumping Gnome illustration
Soviet Christmas postcards
1960’s Latvian illustration
1950’s interior design article
1915 Czech pig riding postcard
Estonian Abstract Art
1960’s psychedelic poetry books
Romanian puppet postcard
Early 20th century surreal postcards
1970’s czech greetings card
1960’s Japanese plastic dog brooch
Lviv Book Market, Ukraine – More Soviet book covers
Soviet illustration postcards
1960’s psychedelic bib
Author Archives: kuriosas
Alexandrowka, Russian Colony, Postdam, Berlin
I was in Berlin a while back now to put on an exhibition alongside artist friend Rachael Macarthur at the super Scottish bar and venue Das Gift. Berlin was -10 at the time with thick snow but crisp blue skies, … Continue reading
Posted in ARCHITECTURE, EASTERN EUROPE, TRAVEL
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Jested Tower Space Age TV Transmitter, Czech Republic
Many moons back now (but have just rediscovered pictures) I drove with friends from Berlin to see this Space Age wonder, the Jested Tower in Liberec in the Czech Republic. Designed by Czech architect Karel Hubáček it was built as … Continue reading
Posted in ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, EASTERN EUROPE, TRAVEL
Tagged architecture, coldwar, czech, design, easterneurope, spaceage
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Space Age Soviet buildings and murals
Dug out some pictures of some sensual Soviet buildings and murals I found quite a while back now on my first trip to Eastern Europe, tripping round Latvia and Lithuania and thought it was worth doing a quick retrospective post … Continue reading
Posted in ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, EASTERN EUROPE, TRAVEL
Tagged eastern europe, latvia, lithuania, travel
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1960s Soviet pin badges
Was so thrilled to find these stunning psychedelic pin badges from the USSR on a recent trip back to Tallinn, Estonia. Found at a Russian market there, the colour schemes and design look so contemporary. I love the folk tale … Continue reading
Posted in ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN, EASTERN EUROPE, ILLUSTRATION, TRAVEL
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1950s – 1970s Folk Festival posters & 1970s Folklore book covers

I was interested to find myself at Cecil Sharp House for a meeting recently in Camden, London. The only dedicated folk arts centre in the world, Cecil Sharp House is the home of English Folk Dance and Song Society and opened in … Continue reading
Posted in DESIGN, ILLUSTRATION
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Finnish vintage ceramics design – Birger Kaipiainen

When in Helsinki in Finland a while back I came across the fantastic EMMA museum of modern art in nearby Espoo and loved stumbling upon an exhibition by Finnish ceramicist Birger Kaipiainen (1915-1988)
1970s Gaelic Book cover illustration

Beautiful book cover illustration from 1970 ‘Gaelic without Groans’ by John Mackechnie. Love these strong purples, magenta and turquoise, the late 60s / early 70s had the best colour schemes. Found in a second hand bookshop in Edinburgh, visiting lovely … Continue reading
Posted in ART, BOOK COVERS, DESIGN, ILLUSTRATION
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