A notice in the newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad about Costumes of our Ancestors exhibition led to an exceptional donation to the quickly growing collection of the Centraal Museum in 1936. Mrs Van Hunsel from Ommen wrote to Lady de Jonge in January of that year about her wish to donate a "black wool reformation dress". She had, in her own words, somewhere between 1900 and 1910, had the dress made by Mrs Ottens, who lived on Willemstraat in The Hague. Mrs Van Hunsel further noted that she had rarely worn the dress. In her opinion it was too heavy and cumbersome due to its bulky train. Although Lady de Jonge gladly accepted the dress she replied that, due to lack of space in the exhibition room, it would have to be kept in storage. Also, the collection was growing so rapidly that choices had to be made: the dress and a corset were accepted but a "jacket was regretfully turned down Mrs Van Hunsel.