Kulich Julianna - Török Róbert: „A good merchant is the benefactor of the world”. Two centuries of Hungarian trade (Budapest, 2016)
3 Foreword “A good merchant is the benefactor of the world” – Two centuries in the history of Hungarian trade Our recent permanent trade history exhibition was completed in two phases in 2013-2014, with an opening of the second part in January 2014. ?e exhibition had widespread popularity from the start, but it was our major deficiency that we had not been able to publish a brochure related to the exhibit, neither at the opening nor in the following years. ?is year, the 50-year-old Hungarian Museum of Trade and Tourism set a goal to fill this gap in connection with both permanent exhibitions to celebrate its 50th birthday in a proper way. ?is current historical trade exhibition relies heavily on former permanent museum exhibitions. After the Hungarian Museum of Catering was complemented by a department on trade history in 1970, it was able to open – for the very first time – a permanent exhibition titled “Scenes of Hungarian Trade History” in 1973. ?is was followed by a new permanent exhibition titled “?e Evolution of Commercial Professions in the 19th Century” in 1978. ?e permanent exhibition was renewed on two more occasions in the museum on Fortuna Street: “?e Situation of Hungarian Trade in the First Half of this Century” was opened in 1985, and “Hungarian Trade during the First Half of this Century” was launched in 1998. In 2005, this exhibition closed, since the museum moved to a new location (Szent István tér, Budapest), where due to uncertain conditions no permanent exhibitions were built. Only the present location of the museum at Korona tér in Óbuda gave a new opportunity to build one again. ◆ Haranghy Jenő: László Kardos’s Linen and trousseau shop, jubilee poster, 1920s
