We have been waiting for this moment for some time and yesterday afternoon it finally arrived, namely the Amsel Collection from Paris. The collection was made by Prof. George Amsel and his wife Monique during most of their married life.

Equally as remarkable as the items themselves are the detailed and fascinating stories that Monique is sharing with us about the people and crafts they had encountered collecting all of it.

A small part of the Amsel collection, being prepared for cataloguing and photographing at the TRC, 21 February 2022. Photograph: Augusta de Gunzbourg.

Packed and prepared by TRC volunteer Augusta de Gunzbourg and the owner Monique Amsel for the past few weeks, the items were then transported from Paris to Leiden over the weekend by two other TRC volunteers, Rebecca and David Hix. In it, there are over 700 textiles and garments, mainly from Hungary and Romania.

Waistcoats and coat from the Amsel collection, 21 February 2022. Photograph: Augusta de Gunzbourg.Among other miscellaneous items in this wonderful collection: pieces from China, Central Asia, India, Thailand, as well as a group of hitherto unprovenanced textiles.  So far, we have handled a lovely early 19th century hand embroidered Kashmir shawl with numerous buteh (paisley) motifs, and various examples of mola from Panama that complement the mini-exhibition on the same subject that we are currently preparing (they will be on display from March in the TRC Gallery). There are even some raffia embroideries from the Congo.

Blouses from the Amsel collection, 21 February 2022. Photograph: Augusta de Gunzbourg.A group of volunteers led by Augusta spent today starting to sort out the various groups of textiles and clothing, by tagging, numbering and hanging related items on clothing racks prior to them being fully catalogued, photographed and eventually put in the new deep freezer to prevent insect damage. A job that will take weeks to complete.

From the 1960s and '70s onwards, the Amsels regularly travelled to various regions of Hungary and Romania and deliberately collected regional costumes - from various groups such as the Csangos or Hutsuls - that reflect the diversity of Hungarian costume and its diaspora in neighbouring countries. Embroidery is certainly one of the main features of these items: numerous embroidered and beaded dresses, blouses, as well as fleece waistcoats or even belts both for men and women are all represented.

Dresses from the Amsel collection, 21 February 2022, together with one of the TRC volunteers. Photograph: Augusta de Gunzbourg.We are in contact with various groups in Hungary about this collection, such as Dr Maxim Mordovin from the Eötvös Loránd University and historian Orsolya Zay, in order to gain a deeper understanding of these items. There will be certainly be numerous embroidery charts being worked out in the following months,

One of the long-term plans is to make an online (and real-life eventually) exhibition about the Hungarian items, as well as a complete catalogue of the Hungarian pieces that will be written in conjunction with Monique Amsel. We would need about 6000 euros to make such a catalogue so if you know of a funding body that is interested in Hungarian culture, please let us know!

Over the next few months there will be a regular blog about this collection, reflecting a range of techniques, designs and functions, related to individual items or groups of objects.

Augusta de Gunzbourg and Gillian Vogelsang, 21 February 2022.