Carla de Jonge obtained her very first acquisition for the Centraal Museum's collection in 1920: two dresses from about 1878, including this ensemble. The dresses originated from her own family and were donated by her and her sister, Lady Wilhelmina Aricie Caroline de Jonge (1885-1959). After this launch, Carla de Jonge extensively increased the collection with more than 200 garments during her time at the museum. These were mainly obtained through legacies or by loan, money was only very occasionally available to purchase an object. [text 2017]