Float Designs Costume Designs Invitations

The Golden Age of New Orleans Carnival (1870-1930) was ablaze with fantastic, torch-lit processions and opulent tableau balls. Ball invitations, dance cards, admit cards, exotic costumes, and elaborate floats reflected exalted themes drawn from mythology, epic literature, and whimsy.

Carnival artist and historian Henri Schindler is giving a new generation of revelers a glimpse of the Golden Age of New Orleans Carnival through a series of lavish books featuring the greatest Carnival invitation, costume, and float designs. Many of the designs in Schindler's works are taken from the extensive Carnival collection preserved by the Tulane Manuscripts Department. With almost three linear miles of documents, the Tulane Manuscripts Department is the world’s most comprehensive research archives of New Orleans society and culture. In addition to invitations, dance cards, programs, and krewe records, the Tulane Manuscripts Department preserves thousands of original float and costume designs.

In celebration of the publication of Henri Schindler's Mardi Gras Treasures series, the Tulane Manuscripts Department presents this selection of original designs from the Carnival Collection. To begin, select an image at right.

Special Collections
Howard-Tilton Memorial Library | Tulane University