Calling all vintage/antique purse experts!

[glitterata]

I''m hoping there are some purse fans out there who can help me!

I bought recently this black beaded purse at an antique show. It''s made of crocheted cotton, I believe, worked with black glass beads and lined with black silk satin. The lady said it was from the late 19th century. It was extremely dusty and looked very old. Perhaps foolishly, I rinsed it in cold water to get the dust out. Lots of rusty-looking, strong-smelling black dye ran, but it dried very nicely and now looks brand new.

My question is: How old is this purse, in fact? I just can''t tell! It could be from anywhere between 1800 and 1960, as far as I know.

Any experts out there who have a better guess?

I''m really just curious. I only paid $20, which I consider well worth it even if it was made yesterday.

Thanks, everybody!

 

[glitterata]

Another photo.

 

[glitterata]

One more.

 

[~*Alexis*~]

My grandmother has one like that only its like a off white...or could have been white for all I know....I think she said it was her mothers...

my guess would be from 1900-1930''s possibly earlier.

Have you tried asking on the Purse forum?

 

[glitterata]

Thank you, Alexis!

I would love to ask on the purse forum--where is it? Can you direct me there?

 

[crown1]

Date: 1/12/2009 2:02:17 PM
Author: glitterata
Thank you, Alexis!


I would love to ask on the purse forum--where is it? Can you direct me there?

i play some on the purse forum and i haven''t read anything (that i recall) about this type of bag. if you just google the purse forum it will get you there.

i have read that the closeness of the beads, so many per inch, indicated an early age period. there is quite a bit of info online about antique beaded purses. have you tried that? interesting find!

 

[~*Alexis*~]

Similar Purse


This one is just like it but a different color, it says its from the 20''s....
Red Flapper Purse


Does that help???

 

[glitterata]

Thank you so much, ladies!

Does the beads-per-inch rule work for crocheted purses as well as woven/embroidered ones?

My gut feeling is that mine is too bulbous to be from the 20s, because of the shape of the dresses at the time, but really, I know nothing about purses.

 

[crown1]

i really do not know if it applies to both. i do believe that the number per inch may have been the older ones in the late 1800's but i may be mistaken.

i enjoyed alexis pics and info but your purse looks very different from the red one to me. it may be that i am just not seeing it well.

eta: your strap looks stationary, is it? the two examples shown look like drawstring. the whole shape just seems different to me.

 

[glitterata]

Yes, my strap is stationary, and there''s no way to open the top of the purse wider or close it--it has no clasp or drawstring.

 

[LD]

My mother had several similar bags and they were from the 1950s I think.