The Contemporary ‘Art Purse’

A contemporary Metal Mesh purse

For an antique purse collector, what will tomorrow’s antique purse look like?

The rules of collecting are very simple: Buy what you love!!

I love humor, I love color, I love texture, I love imagination, and I love handmade items!

Matisse Inspired Purse by Irene Reed

Painted & Mixed Media Purse

Rubber with metal underbody

WHAT WILL THE FUTURE ANTIQUE PURSE LOOK LIKE? There are clues in the early 20th century.

SECESSIONIST ERA in the early 20th was all about change!

It was a rebellion. There were New Freedoms for women, and New Styles of Dress and Design. The most collectible purses of this era capture that rebellion.

ARTISTS CREATED the DESIGN

THE FORM OF THE BAG CHANGED

NEW PURSE STYLES = NEW FASHION

NEW TECHNOLOGY is INCORPORATED

NEW MATERIALS are USED and COMBINED

OLDER MATERIALS and FASHIONS are REINVENTED and CHANGED

THE PURSE/HANDBAG/BAG

is both FUNCTIONAL and FASHIONABLE

Chris Roberts Antique Custom Jacket & Purse 1990’s

Underskirt Pockets & Chatelaines

Before the purse, there was a Chatelaine (tool holder)

belt hook rendering of a belt hook chatelaine with multiple items

Women’s purses, handbags, bags, and their predecessors the pocket and chatelaine and hussif all share a single purpose. They hold objects that women use.

They are FUNCTIONAL OBJECTS.Their design parallels the role of the woman in society at various points in history. They reflect the owner’s status and wealth.

The materials they are made of, like any other commodity are based on cost, availability, new inventions, the style of the era.

THE WOMAN’S under skirt POCKET

These pockets were never seen. They were tied under women’s large skirts and were accessible through a long slit. They were in use from the mid 1600’s to the late 1800’s .

When styles changed in the Regency period, small purses replaced the Pocket.

Pictured below is a rare example of a double design. It has the name of the owner, and it is missing the ties that were used around the waist.

Pockets are hard find because they functional everyday objects, well worn and frequently thrown away. ‘PINTREST’ Online has examples of Pockets, including embroidered examples given as wedding gifts. Click on the Pocket to see it full size.

Purses 1700’s & The Georgian Era 1714 - 1837

Stylish Velvet Gaming Bags of the 1700s

Gaming Purse France - velvet and metal embroidery & acorn tassels

Velvet Gaming Bags 1600- 1700

In Europe, both Women and Men played cards or ‘gaming’. This one is a typical high fashion velvet embroidered draw string, acorn tasseled, flat bottomed bag. It could hold both coins and gaming counters.

This natural dyed deep purple velvet purse color is called Tyran Purple. Snails were used to create this very expensive dye. It was usually reserved for royalty. (information from Paula Higgins, author: A Passion for Purses)