Treasury of folk art

Carved distaffs, mangle boards and furniture reveal how much decoration went into everyday objects. Wood forms the largest group in this collection, alongside wicker, straw, leather, horn, metal, clay and textiles. The objects date from the second half of the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century. Grouping them by material brings order to their different uses.

Dates, names and initials appear on wooden pieces. Some, including plant supports, were gifts for a loved one. Others served household or religious purposes, such as sculptures brought back from pilgrimages. Decorated furniture includes a tulip chest and chairs.

Metal accessories for clothing include silver and brass buttons, clasps and pins. They demonstrate filigree, granulation and twisted-wire decoration. Pottery comes from workshops in Slovakia and Transdanubia and includes cooking pots, jugs, bowls and plates. Embroidered and woven textiles were used for clothing, furnishings and ceremonies, from bonnets and aprons to tablecloths and baptismal coverings.