Custom Collection

Maori girls rubbing noses, c1920. Illustration from Story of the British Nation, Volume IV, by Walter Hutchinson, (London, c1920s)

The May-pole, 1866. Artist: Charles Cousen
The May-pole, 1866. 19th century imagining of Elizabethans celebrating May Day, an annual European tradition thought to have originated as a pagan fertility rite

The Duk Duk society, Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea, 1920. Young men being initiated before they can marry. The Duk Duk is a secret society of the Tolai people of the Rabaul area of New

Wassailing apple trees with hot cider in Devonshire on twelfth eve, 1861. A print from The Illustrated London News, (12 January 1861)

The miraculous catch, miniature in the Sacred Bible, volume IV. New Testament. Manuscript on parchment made??, probably, in Sant Sadurni on the Roine (France) and completed in 1268

A traditional custom, Montlucon, France, 1900. An illustration from Le Petit Journal, 1st April 1900

Fortune telling with wreaths on Trinity Day in Ukraine, 1860. Creator: Timm, Wassili (George Wilhelm) (1820-1895)
Fortune telling with wreaths on Trinity Day in Ukraine, 1860. Private Collection

A Village Wedding in the Bavarian Highlands, 1876. Creator: Unknown
A Village Wedding in the Bavarian Highlands, 1876. Dowry-Waggon before the Bridegroom's House; Salting the Soup; Marriage Procession...on the eve of the complete celebration

Costumes de Différents Pays, Armenienne que lón Conduit pour la Marier, c1797
Costumes de Differents Pays, Armenienne que lon Conduit pour la Marier, c1797

Costumes de Différent Pays, Homme des Landes de Bordeaux Mettant ses Échasses, c1797
Costumes de Different Pays, Homme des Landes de Bordeaux Mettant ses Echasses, c1797

'King Ahmadou at a "Palaver."; Journey from the Senegal to the Niger, 1875. Creator: Unknown
King Ahmadou at a "Palaver."; Journey from the Senegal to the Niger, 1875. From Illustrated Travels by H.W. Bates. [Cassell, Petter, and Galpin, c1880, London] and Galpin

The Shoemakers Arbour, Shrewsbury, 1860. Creator: Unknown
The Shoemakers Arbour, Shrewsbury, 1860. Engraving from a photograph by J. Groom. In Leighton's "Guide, Descriptive and Historical, through the Town of Shrewsbury

Ancient Custom of Attacking the Concubine, 1852. Creator: Ando Hiroshige
Ancient Custom of Attacking the Concubine, 1852

The Wassail Bowl - drawn by John Gilbert, 1860. Creator: Smyth
all! welcome all! The feast is spread in the vaulted hall...The gen'rous wassail-bowl With kindness warms the soul. We quaff it to friends, we quaff it to foes

Costumes de Différents Pays, Derviches Fesant la Prierel, c1797. Creator: Jacques Grasset de Saint-Sauveur
Costumes de Differents Pays, Derviches Fesant la Prierel, c1797

Mother and Child, 1898. Creator: Ogata Gekko
Mother and Child, Late 1898. From Customs of Women. New Year's Shrine Visit

Costumes de Différents Pays, Musulmanes Fesant la Priere, c1797. Creators: Jacques Grasset de Saint-Sauveur
Costumes de Differents Pays, Musulmanes Fesant la Priere, c1797

Costumes de Différents Pays, Repas des Musulmanes, c1797. Creators: Jacques Grasset de Saint-Sauveur, LF Labrousse
Costumes de Differents Pays, Repas des Musulmanes, c1797

Costumes de Différent Pays, Homme des Landes de Bordeaux Allant à la Ville, c1797
Costumes de Different Pays, Homme des Landes de Bordeaux Allant a la Ville, c1797

The Christmas Tree - drawn by J. A. Pasquier, 1858. Creator: M. Jackson
The Christmas Tree - drawn by J. A. Pasquier, 1858....the Christmas-tree, although only lately introduced into England, performs one of the most interesting

Costumes de Différent Pays, Berger des Landes de Bordeaux, c1797. Creators: Jacques Grasset de Saint-Sauveur
Costumes de Different Pays, Berger des Landes de Bordeaux, c1797

Judah and Tamar, c.1640-c.1650. Creator: Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn
Judah and Tamar, c.1640-c.1650

"Clemening" in Staffordshire, 1857. Creator: Unknown. "Clemening" in Staffordshire, 1857
"Clemening" in Staffordshire, 1857. Old customs still work in many of our country parishes; and, ere they succumb to the progress of civilisation

The King of the Bean - drawn by Edmond Morin, 1857. Creator: Unknown
The King of the Bean - drawn by Edmond Morin, 1857. On the day of the Epiphany in Normandy...after the family dinner, the cake is brought in...[It] has been previously cut in equal pieces

Reception of the Siamese Ambassadors, with Presents, by Her Majesty, at Windsor Castle, 1857. Creator: Unknown
Reception of the Siamese Ambassadors, with Presents, by Her Majesty, at Windsor Castle, 1857. The Queen and the Court were assembled in state;

"The Jordan" Epiphany Custom at St. Petersburg, 1856. Creator: Henry Duff Linton
"The Jordan" Epiphany Custom at St. Petersburg, 1856. Ceremony...in commemoration of the baptism of Christ, on the 6th of January, on the ice of the Neva

The Twelfth-Night Wassail-Bowl, 1856. Creator: Sir John Gilbert
The Twelfth-Night Wassail-Bowl, 1856. 17th century scene: peasants visiting the lord and lady of the manor at Christmas....the bowl was filled with spiced wine

Winter in Norway - from a picture by Adolphe Tidemand, 1856. Creator: Henry Duff Linton
Winter in Norway - from a picture by Adolphe Tidemand, 1856. With Christmas begin the national festivals...During this season all work is stopped...and the feasts are celebrated with the hospitality

'A Curious Custom in Brittany, 1891. Creator: Adrien Marie
'A Curious Custom in Brittany, 1891. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 44. July to December, 1891

Un usage d'Inde, 19th century. Creator: Honore Daumier
Un usage d'Inde, 19th century. Comment on the Hindu custom of suttee: My dear friend, I have just paid you the sincerest compliment...our prince is good and dead

La visite inattendue, 1774. The Unexpected Visit. Creator: Nicolas-Joseph Voyez
La visite inattendue, 1774. The Unexpected Visit

La toilette, 1774. Creator: Nicolas-Joseph Voyez
La toilette, 1774

'The May-Day Festivities at St.Mary Cray, Kent, 1890. Creator: Unknown
The May-Day Festivities at St.Mary Cray, Kent, 1890. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 41. January to June, 1890

'Jack-In-The-Green'--A May-Day Scene Sixty Years Ago, 1830, 1890. Creator: Unknown
'Jack-In-The-Green'--A May-Day Scene Sixty Years Ago, 1890. From "The Graphic. An Illustrated Weekly Newspaper", Volume 41. January to June, 1890

Christmas in the Olden Time; Drawing in the Yule log, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Christmas in the Olden Time; Drawing in the Yule log, 1854. From "Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper; London Weekly 31 Dec 1853 to 30 Dec 1854"

The Christmas Dole, 1854. Creator: M. Jackson
The Christmas Dole, 1854. People gathered in a church for the traditional custom of handing out money to the poor. At the village of Tichborne in Hampshire

Agriculture: Sketch for the school in rue Chateau-Landon, 10th arrondissement of Paris, 1881. Creator: Jules Didier
Agriculture: Sketch for the school in rue Chateau-Landon, 10th arrondissement of Paris, 1881

Agriculture: Sketch for the school in rue Chateau-Landon, 10th arrondissement of Paris, 1881. Creator: Jules Didier
Agriculture: Sketch for the school in rue Chateau-Landon, 10th arrondissement of Paris, 1881

Christmas in Brittany: The Sonneurs, or Waits, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Christmas in Brittany: The Sonneurs, or Waits, 1854. From "Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper; London Weekly 31 Dec 1853 to 30 Dec 1854"

Leadenhall Market on Christmas Eve, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Leadenhall Market on Christmas Eve, 1854. From "Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper; London Weekly 31 Dec 1853 to 30 Dec 1854"

Christmas in Rome : The Pifferari, or Calabrian Minstrels, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Christmas in Rome : The Pifferari, or Calabrian Minstrels, 1854. From "Cassell's Illustrated Family Paper; London Weekly 31 Dec 1853 to 30 Dec 1854"

Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911
Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911

Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911
Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911

Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911
Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911

Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911. Creator: Harris & Ewing. Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911
Easter Egg Rolling, White House, 1911

A Suttee, 1845. Creator: D Roberts
A Suttee, 1845. Mourners on the ghats by the River Ganges, India. Suttee or sati was a Hindu funeral practice in which the widow immolated herself on her husband's funeral pyre

Placing kedan, c1905. Creator: Edward Sheriff Curtis
Placing kedan, c1905. Navajo man impersonating Yeibichai, placing feather sticks around the sweat

Preparing the sweat, c1905. Creator: Edward Sheriff Curtis
Preparing the sweat, c1905. Four Navajo Indians preparing hot embers, covering them with brush and weeds on second day of Yebichai ceremony

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