Description: brooch – three-dimensional, plastic, injection-moulded figure of a soldier, coloured in black and gold, with a silver machine gun; with a safety pin on the back and a martenitsa with silk tassels; hung on a white cardboard in a cellophane package.

Part of a collection of 33 martenitsas, purchased by the donor in 2020 from the March Bazaar on the central square in Rousse, from Moni Dokov – producer and trader of martenitsas. Brooches were made with moulds during socialism.

Dimensions: height fig. 3 cm; 5.5/8.8 cm.

Material: plastic, metal, synthetic silk, paper.

Donor: TsvetanaNenova, Rousse

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: the plastic brooch produced in the late 80’s, coloured and ready for sale in 2020.

Description: necklace, handmade from woollen threads with openwork pendant in the shape of an eye – in the centre crocheted plastic circle, half white, half red; around the circle – vertical “chains” – white at the red part and vice versa; below with two short tassels – white and red; the pendant is attached to a twisted red and white thread.

Size: length 46 cm.

Material: wool.

Donor: Ilina Sirakova, Rousse.

Date of donation: 2021

Description: necklace of braided white and red threads of synthetic yarn; in the lower part tightly wrapped in four belts threads in green, pink and blue; below them a bunch of tassels – 7 red, 4 white.

Size: length 53 cm.

Material: synthetic yarn.

Part of a collection containing 324 pieces of martenitsas sent from Bulgaria to France, collected by the donor in the period 60s of the XX c. – 20s of the XXI c.

Donor: Marianka Radeva de Montis, Bulgaria/France.

Date of donation: 2018

Date of production: 90s of the XX century.

Description: bracelet; in the middle – four light purple translucent stones with three red beads between them – all strung on metal wire wrapped at both ends of the ring, in the rings are strung two twisted red and white threads; placed on a factory cardboard, black on the front side, with two cuts on both narrow sides – in them fixed the ends of the threads; printed inscriptions: “Taurus/Happy Baba Marta!/White and red, smiling, they give happiness, as the sun they shine!/April 21 – May 20/Motto –“I own” / Element – Earth / Planet – Venus / Harmonic signs – Virgo, Pisces, Capricorn / Colours – pink, green / Stones – emerald / Lucky number – 6 / Flower – violet / Strengths – architecture, design, music“; image of apurple calf; packing in cellophane bag, unsealed.

Dimensions: bracelet length about 26 cm; cardboard – 4.4/23 cm.

Material: purple stones, metal, synthetic yarn, paper.

Donor: Petranka Zaharieva, Rousse.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: beginning of the XXI century.

Description: factory-twisted red-and-white threads in an intricate plait of synthetic yarn designed to be tiedatthe hand; placed on a white oblong card – on the front part a factory print in green: “Happy Baba Marta” and the logo of SSB(State Savings Bank), cellophane packaging. Not used.

Dimensions: 17.5/2.5 cm.

Material: synthetic yarn, paper.

Part of a collection containing 324 pieces of martenitsas sent from Bulgaria to France, collected by the donor in the period 60s of the XX c. – 20s of the XXI c.

Donor: Marianka Radeva de Montis, Bulgaria/France.

Date of donation: 2018

Date of production: beginning of the XXI century.

Description: factory woven thread with stringed bead – dice; designed to be worn on the hand; placed in a cellophane envelope on a card – a business card of a taxi company with printed images of a taxi meter car, the name of the company “EXPRESS” and phone numbers.

Received on March 1^st from a taxi driver in Sofia, whose services were used by the donor; first decade of the XXI century.

Dimensions: dice – cube with sides 0.6 cm; cardboard – 9/6 cm.

Donor: Silva Karalamova, Rousse.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: beginning of the XXI century.

Description: Postal, illustrated, black and white photo of a young woman with a horse. The woman’s dress, flowers and lips were retouched in pale pink. On the back is a handwritten text for the First of March: “Mika! May spring bloom forever in your soul, may a bright ray illuminate your whole life.

March 1, 1928. At the School. Yovcho. And in the morning a bird will cheerfully sing over your window and with each of its “chick, chick” bring back to you or remind you of a sweet moment. For Mika from Razgrad. “

In the middle above – a hole, probably from a martenitsa needle.Purchased by the donor from an antique shop in Nessebar.

Dimensions: 13.5/8.7 cm.

Material: paper.

Publisher: no data

Donor: Desislava Bozhidarova, Vidin.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: the 1920s.

Description: greeting card, cardboard, folding. The front page is shorter and with a printed drawing in gray-black and red, cut along the contour of the openwork: an angel rides on a clover cyclist pulled by two ladybugs. On the inside – handwritten text: “Lily, Happy Baba Marta. I wish you all the best. Stoyan. 1.III. 1938. Sofia. “

Dimensions: 11/6 cm.

Material: paper.

Publisher: no data.

Donor: Petranka Zaharieva, Rousse.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: 1938

Description: greeting card, March 1^st, foldable; of white cardboard. The front part is shorter, with a printed colour drawing: a stork with a martenitsa in its beak, in flight over a meadow with two ladybugs, two snowdrops and two clovers; in the upper right corner – a swallow. Unused.

Purchased from an antique shop in Plovdiv. Discovered by a merchant in the town of Razgrad.

Dimensions: 9.9/5.1 cm.

Material: paper.

Publisher: no data.

Donor: Stanislava Georgieva, Sofia.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: 30-40s of the XX century.

Description: greeting card, for March 1^st, white cardboard with printed colour drawing of two ladybugs on a meadow, above them a blue cloud; with strokes of brocade; to the left of the drawing a vertical wide pale blue stripe; in the upper right corner stapled martenitsa with silk tassels. Unused.

Purchased from an antique shop in Plovdiv. Discovered by a merchant in the town of Razgrad.

Dimensions: 11/6.3 cm.

Material: paper, silk.

Publisher: no data.

Donor: Stanislava Georgieva, Sofia.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: 30 – 40s of the XX century.

Description: greeting card, for March 1^st, white cardboard with two printed images; on the left –a colourful drawing of a bouquet of two pink flowers, with strokes of brocade, black and white; on the right – a roundphoto, of a man and a woman (probably from a movie scene); in the upper right corner stapled martenitsa with silk tassels. Unused.

Purchased from an antique shop in Plovdiv. Discovered by a merchant in the town of Razgrad.

Dimensions: 11.4/6.7 cm.

Material: paper, silk.

Publisher: no data.

Donor: Stanislava Georgieva, Sofia.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: 30 –40s of the XX century.

Description: greeting card, forMarch 1^st, white cardboard with printed colour drawing: on a pink background blue inscription in handwritten style: “Happy Baba Marta!” Unused.

Purchased from an antique shop in Plovdiv. Discovered by a merchant in the town of Razgrad.

Dimensions: 10.5/5.9 cm.

Material: paper.

Publisher: no data.

Donor: Stanislava Georgieva, Sofia.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: 30 –40s of the XX century.

Description: greeting card, for March 1^st, hand-painted on cardboard with coloured pencils – green clover on the left and a black pot with scattered coins on the right and handwritten text: “Let Baba Marta bring you both”; on the back there is a second handwritten text: “Dear Nanyo and Mom/On the occasion of the coming spring I wish you to have only joy, happiness and merriment at home. I think that the card I drew will mean much more than if it was bought. Filko kisses you”.

There are two holes around the stem of the clover, probably a martenitsa was attached there.

Dimensions: 9.7/4.5 cm.

Material: paper.

Publisher: hand-painted by the addressee.

Bearer: Rumen Kuzov, Rousse.

Date of acquisition by RRMH: 2020

Date of production: the 1930s.

Description: greeting card, made of white cardboard, foldable, the front part much shorter, without images, with a martenitsa attached with a staple – silk tassels; on the third page printed colour drawing – poppies with wheatgrass; on the back – handwritten text: “Dear Lenche, Happy Baba Marta/I wish you all the best. Why aren’t you calling? I wrote to you a long time ago, but no one answered me. We’ve all been sick with influenza, and we’re not quite well yet. Good health to all of you. Kisses, your aunt.”

Dimensions: 11/6.6 cm.

Material: paper, silk.

Publisher: no data.

Donor: Rumen Kuzov, Rousse.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: the 1940s.

Description: greeting card, for March 1^st, handmade, foldable, colourful drawing with outlines of black ink, coloured with watercolours: a boy in a traditionalcostume plays the flute, mounted on a tree from which hang hearts, on the right – two swallows. Martenitsa with silk tassels stapled in the upper right corner. On the inside – handwritten text: “H.B.M. (Happy Baba Marta) I wish you a lot of joy and happiness, to be happy and rosy all year round. I hope Baba Marta brings you something new in your life and the boy who sings about love, as you can see from the card, comes true. Your sister Milka.”

The card is pasted in a photo album owned by Milka Ivanova– a famous pianist in the recent past of Rousse. It contains commemorative greeting cards sent on various occasions in the 1930s and 1960s.

Dimensions: 12.5/68.5 cm.

Material: paper, silk.

Publisher: no data.

Donor: Ilina Sirakova, Rousse.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: the 1940s.

Description: greeting card, for March 1^st, with a printed colourful drawing of a flying swallow carrying a letter in its beak, behind it a contour of a heart, clover on the side, with brocade effects; to the right of the drawing intertwined coloured handwritten letters: “H.B.M.”; in the upper right corner traces of piercing, probably by a martenitsa needle. On the back – handwritten text: “Dear Reny May Baba Marta bring you joy, happiness, excellent success in school and progress in all your endeavours. March greetings from Totko.

The card is pasted in a photo album owned by Milka Ivanova – a famous pianist in the recent past of Rousse. It contains greeting cards sent on various occasions from the 1930s to the 1960s.

Dimensions: 11.7/6.3 cm.

Material: paper.

Publisher: no data.

Donor: Ilina Sirakova, Rousse.

Date of donation: 2021

Date of production: the 1940s.