Dowry Collection

May Goelet (Duchess of Roxburghe) as a little girl
Miss Mary ( May ) Goelet, American heiress, who married Henry Innes-Kerr, 8th Duke of Roxburghe in 1903, becoming Duchess of Roxburghe and bringing with her a dowry of some $20 million

Dot moth, Melanchra persicalae, hummingbird hawk-moth, Macroglossum stellatarum, feeding on the greater bindweed
FLO4638759 Dot moth, Melanchra persicalae, hummingbird hawk-moth, Macroglossum stellatarum, feeding on the greater bindweed, Convolvulus species

Uitstrekker met den rooten kop and alder moth (elzen-krammetje) on a branch
FLO4562406 Uitstrekker met den rooten kop and alder moth (elzen-krammetje) on a branch. Handcoloured copperplate engraving drawn

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

A Tsunukwa at Kwaustums, c1914. Creator: Edward Sheriff Curtis
A Tsunukwa at Kwaustums, c1914. A Dzoonokwa (or Tsunukwa) totem pole measuring over 20 feet tall, depicting a figure with hands outstretched to receive dowry from the wife's family

Ada Blanche, actress, as Dick Whittington, Drury Lane. Theatrical portrait as Dick Whittington. I have come back from China's distant shore, With diamonds, rubies and with gold galore

Exchange of Gifts (Yuino), the second sheet of the series "Marriage in Brocade Prints... c. 1769
Exchange of Gifts (Yuino), the second sheet of the series " Marriage in Brocade Prints, the Carriage of the Virtuous Woman (Konrei nishiki misao-guruma)", c. 1769

Pa. German Dower Chest, c. 1938. Creator: Bernard Krieger
Pa. German Dower Chest, c. 1938

Pa. German Dower Chest, c. 1936. Creator: Bernard Krieger
Pa. German Dower Chest, c. 1936

An Arab Wedding Procession Through Cairo, (watercolour and bodycolour)
651963 An Arab Wedding Procession Through Cairo, (watercolour and bodycolour) by Crompton, James Shaw (1853-1916); 74.9x57.1 cm; Private Collection; (add.info)

Marriage necklace, late 19th century (gold)
1072593 Marriage necklace, late 19th century (gold) by Indian School, (19th century); 73.7x43.2x6.3 cm; Dallas Museum of Art, Texas, USA; (add.info.: Nattukottai Chettiar caste.); gift of David T

The Bridal Night, pub. 1797 (hand coloured engraving)
3035683 The Bridal Night, pub. 1797 (hand coloured engraving) by Gillray, James (1757-1815); Private Collection; (add.info.: Wedding night of Charlotte Augusta Matilda)

Comic postcard, Scene at a matrimonial agency Date: 20th century

Saint Nicholas of Bari (tempera on poplar wood)
BFM286775 Saint Nicholas of Bari (tempera on poplar wood) by Matteo di Giovanni di Bartolo, (c.1430-95); 43x25 cm; Lindenau Museum, Altenburg

Marriage a la Mode, Plate I, The Marriage Settlement, illustration from
STC451151 Marriage a la Mode, Plate I, The Marriage Settlement, illustration from Hogarth Restored: The Whole Works of the celebrated William Hogarth, re-engraved by Thomas Cook, pub

Her Weight in Gold (oil on canvas)
CH198792 Her Weight in Gold (oil on canvas) by Ferris, Jean Leon Gerome (1863-1930); Private Collection; Photo eChristies Images; American, out of copyright

Nothing Like Prudence (engraving)
668360 Nothing Like Prudence (engraving) by Leech, John (1817-64); Private Collection; (add.info.: Nothing Like Prudence. Illustration for John Leechs Pictures of Life and Character (c 1890)

Japanese Marriage Customs, c. 1820 (colour litho)
STC437646 Japanese Marriage Customs, c.1820 (colour litho) by Japanese School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: A plate for Illustrations of Japan by Isaac Titsingh (1745-1812)

The Marriage Contract (oil on canvas)
XIR187015 The Marriage Contract (oil on canvas) by Massys or Metsys, Quentin (c.1465-1530) (attr. to); Museu de Arte, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Netherlandish, out of copyright

The Marriage Contract, 1743 (oil on canvas)
AMO98765 The Marriage Contract, 1743 (oil on canvas) by Hogarth, William (1697-1764); 62x75 cm; Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK; eAshmolean Museum; English, out of copyright

The Brides Dowry, c. 1450-1500 (fresco)
6321746 The Brides Dowry, c.1450-1500 (fresco) by Ghirlandaio, Domenico (Domenico Bigordi) (1449-94); Oratorio dei Buonomini di San Martino, Florence, Italy; Alinari Archives, Florence

The Charity of St Nicholas of Bari (tempera on wood)
GR16104 The Charity of St Nicholas of Bari (tempera on wood) by Lorenzetti, Ambrogio (1285-c.1348); Louvre, Paris, France; eGordon Roberton Photography Archive; Italian, out of copyright

Bridal gifts (colour litho)
957864 Bridal gifts (colour litho) by German School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Bridal gifts. Illustration of Greek vase painting.); © Look and Learn

The Bridal-Night, 1797 (hand-coloured etching)
2562192 The Bridal-Night, 1797 (hand-coloured etching) by Gillray, James (1757-1815); Private Collection; (add.info.: Wedding night of Charlotte Augusta Matilda)

Marriage a la Mode: I - The Marriage Settlement, c. 1743 (oil on canvas) (detail of 62692)
REV430961 Marriage a la Mode: I - The Marriage Settlement, c.1743 (oil on canvas) (detail of 62692) by Hogarth, William (1697-1764); 69.9x90.8 cm; National Gallery, London

The dowry picture (chromolitho)
5207239 The dowry picture (chromolitho) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The dowry picture)

St. Nicholas of Bari, 16th century. Creator: Master with the Name of Jesus
St. Nicholas of Bari, 16th century

Saint Nicholas of Bari and the Three Poor Girls, 1587. Creator: Cristofano Cartaro
Saint Nicholas of Bari and the Three Poor Girls, 1587. Formerly attributed to Cornelis Cort

The Bridegroom Showing the Bride His Land, from a Canticum Canticorum... ca. 1460 / 1465
The Bridegroom Showing the Bride His Land, from a Canticum Canticorum blockbook, 1st edition, ca. 1460/1465

High Peak SK23 7 Map
Postcode Sector Map of High Peak SK23 7

Saint Nicholas Providing Dowries, 1433-35. Creator: Bicci di Lorenzo
Saint Nicholas Providing Dowries, 1433-35

Donation made by Bernat Ato IV and his wife Cecelia, viscounts of Beziers, as a dowry to their daughter Ermengardis, to the future Count of Roussillon Gausfred III in 1110

Design of an Inkstand Shaped like a Casket. (Series The Dowry of Grand Princess Maria Pavlovna), 1907-1908. Found in the collection of State Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Design of a Ewer. (Series The Dowry of Grand Princess Maria Pavlovna), 1907-1908. Artist: Carl Edvard Bolin company
Design of a Ewer. (Series The Dowry of Grand Princess Maria Pavlovna), 1907-1908. Found in the collection of State Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Design of a Wine Jug. (Series The Dowry of Grand Princess Maria Pavlovna), 1907-1908. Artist: Carl Edvard Bolin company
Design of a Wine Jug. (Series The Dowry of Grand Princess Maria Pavlovna), 1907-1908. Found in the collection of State Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Design of a Bowl for pickles. (Series The Dowry of Grand Princess Maria Pavlovna), 1907-1908. Found in the collection of State Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Design of a Bowl Decorated with the Double-Headed Eagle. (Series The Dowry of Grand Princess Maria Artist)
Design of a Bowl Decorated with the Double-Headed Eagle. (Series The Dowry of Grand Princess Maria Pavlovna), 1907-1908. Found in the collection of State Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Woman wearing dowry necklace 1898
Woman wearing dowry necklace. 1898

Loom. 19th century. Hungary
Loom for making rugs for the dowry of Hungarian women. 19th century. Ethnographic Museum. Budapest. Hungary

C16 Marriage Dowry
Germany : Before the wedding can take place, the brides dowry is brought in a cart to the grooms home Date: early 16th century

Miss May Goelet
Front cover of the Tatler - America and the Peerage - Miss Mary ( May ) Goelet, American heiress, who married Henry Innes-Kerr, 8th Duke of Roxburghe in 1903

Marriage a la Mode: I - The Marriage Settlement, c. 1743 (oil on canvas)
XOS1109256 Marriage a la Mode: I - The Marriage Settlement, c.1743 (oil on canvas) by Hogarth, William (1697-1764); 69.9x90.8 cm; National Gallery, London

PINE TREE SHILLING. A young ladys dower her weight in pine tree shillings. Wood engraving, American, late 19th century

Trousseau of the Duchess of Roxburghe
A huge stack of trunks, portmanteaux, dress baskets and suitcases representing the substantial trousseau of Miss Mary Goelet, American heiress, who married Henry Innes-Kerr

Bethlehem Bride
A young bride wearing her dowry and traditional wedding dress, Bethlehem, Jerusalem. Date: early 1930s

MAUPASSSANT / LE DOT
Jeanne in the omnibus

Dowry Chest
A bride-to-be shows off her DOWRY CHEST - linen for board and bed, for apron, bust, or head as her contribution to the future home

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"Dowry: A Journey Through Time and Cultures" From the innocence of May Goelet, Duchess of Roxburghe, as a little girl to Ada Blanche's portrayal of Dick Whittington on the grand stage of Drury Lane, it has played a significant role in human history. In the illuminated pages of Isabella of France's Psalter and Hours, we catch a glimpse of medieval society where dowries were exchanged alongside prayers for suffrage and protection. Suzuki Harunobu's "Marriage in Brocade Prints" series transports us to 18th-century Japan, showcasing the intricate rituals surrounding Yuino - the exchange of gifts between families. Moving closer to home, Bernard Krieger's Pennsylvania German Dower Chests from the 1930s offer insight into American traditions. These beautifully crafted chests symbolized a bride's financial security upon marriage. Meanwhile, an Arab Wedding Procession through Cairo captures the vibrant celebrations that accompany this ancient custom across different cultures. Jewelry has always held significance during matrimonial ceremonies. A late 19th-century marriage necklace made from gold reflects both love and wealth bestowed upon brides worldwide. The Bridal Night engraving from 1797 reminds us that even centuries ago, humor found its way into depicting marital bliss. As times changed and modernity took hold, comic postcards poking fun at matrimonial agencies emerged in the 20th century. Yet amidst all these cultural variations lies Saint Nicholas himself depicted on poplar wood – his presence reminding us that love knows no boundaries or borders. Finally, William Hogarth’s iconic painting "Marriage à la Mode" depicts societal expectations surrounding arranged marriages in Georgian England – highlighting how dowries often influenced alliances between families more than personal desires did.