Ihász István - Pintér János szerk.: Történeti Muzeológiai Szemle: A Magyar Múzeumi Történész Társulat Évkönyve 8. (Budapest, 2008)

II. Közlemények - Módszertan - Műhely - Mészáros László: A nyolcvanéves Arany János Múzeum történeti tárgyi gyűjteménye

TŐRÖS László 1959. Arany János „ünneplő pipája". In: Pest Megyei Hírlap. 1959. február 4. TŐRÖS László 1978. Arany János Nagykőrösön. 2. átdolg. kiad. Nagykörös. The Collection of Historic Objects in the Eighty-Year-Old János Arany Museum László Mészáros The letter in which Mayor Kázmér Dezső suggested the creation of a town museum is dated March 1, 1928. Accepting the motion put by the mayor, the council established the museum, the foundation for which was Kázmér Dezső's private collection. In 1950 the museum was given its own building when the collection was moved to the main building of the old military stud farm, since which time it has borne the name of János Arany. At present five specialist areas can be found in the museum, among them collection of historic objects. This collection is made up of a total of 1949 pieces, many of them important from the aspect of local history. The objects have reached the museum via donations, bequests, purchase and collection. Here we present some of the most outstanding pieces in the collection in chronological order. The collection's oldest item, a Turkish cavalryman's brass stirrup, dates from the 17 century. The motif of the ash tree (in Hungarian, körisfa) which gave Nagykörös its name is easily discernable on the 1686 Nagykörös seal. The gem of the collection is a sabre from the age of the Kuruc, upon the curved blade of which can be discerned Transylvanian motifs. Among the many relics from the times of Rákóczi is a bronze-plated relief depicting the Prince on a deep red background. The brass plate with the inscription placed in the town's fire tower in the main square in 1752 is of local historic importance. The ornamental outline on the Nagykörös shoemakers' charter of incorporation depicts the silhouette of the town as it was in 1815. A nobleman's sword with a leopard's head and brass ornamentation is from 1830. During the 1848-1849 struggle for independence the museum building served as a barrack for hussars. Thanks to the generosity of Gyula Molnár, we preserve a number of objects from this period: national guard officers' weapons, maps, Kossuth banknotes and the standard of the Cegléd mounted national guard depicting the Hungarian crown coat-of-arms bordered with wolves' teeth in the national colours. The bangle carved by Captain Balázs Kalocsa during his confinement in Kufstein Castle and bearing the initials of the Martyrs of Arad is of outstanding value. János Arany taught for nine years in the Calvinist Grammar School at Nagykörös. One of the most important tasks of the museum is to collect objects attached to his name. Treasures among these include János Arany's pipe, his watch-case, Juliska Arany's bracelet, Bible bookmark and porcelain table set and Mrs. Arany's breast-pin. The ornamental memorial coin minted in honour of Arany's colleague, the historian Sándor Szilágyi, is from 1897. It is from this period that Nagykörös administrative seals, military memorial certificates, medals, school and council tableaux, numerous photographs and paintings have survived. A few from among these: A signed photo of Kossuth from 1877, the Nagykörös proprietor Ferenc B. Tóth's diploma of merit and bronze medal, the equipment of the voluntary fire brigade. The prize pieces of the costume collection include a hussar officer's shako, an officer's haversack, a hussar's pelisse and braided military tunic.