Costumes from around the globe

Our library is expanding nicely and we have lots of new-to-us titles on the shelves. Many of them are about weaving, of course, but some are for inspiration. 

The library has some interesting volumes now and the new space for them is really useful. Already we have used the books more than we did before and our volunteer librarian, Rachel, is hard at work putting them all into order so we can easily find the book we want by subject. 

Two this week really caught the eye. We already have a book on National Costumes from Eastern Europe (see the very dapper drover from Hungary in the picture left which is one of the plates in the book.) but now we have a book on Peasant Costume in Europe. It may not be the most PC of titles but the book was published in 1931 and this the 1950 reprint. I especially like this Dutch couple...

But the piece de resistance must be a book called Nigeria in costume. Celebrating the fantastic and fantastical clothes, uniforms and costumes of the country, this book was published in 1960 to celebrate Independence, by Shell Company of Nigeria Ltd. It includes this marvellous picture of an Efik dancer wearing masquerade for the Ibom Masquerade, amongst many other images. What a wonderful book!