i found this purse a while ago, i've been looking at it, and i have no idea (but i'm super curious) about how old it may be! i was thinking about 1920s? i may probably be way off but they have some sticks on the top area and has tassels on each end.
That is lovely. It's a bit difficult to date this one as it is made up of three different fabrics, not including the fringe, tassel and cord handle. I can see why you are thinking 1920s. The main piece looks like an early brocade possibly French, the green embroidered piece looks like it may be from a piece of a shawl that would have come from China and then you also have the yellow woven piece which again looks quite early. I think it may be a little older than 20s, let's see what others have to say.
I think it's earlier than the 1920's also, and agree that the main piece is probably a French brocade and could be quite early. The darker green flap on top is Chinese embroidery and could be a fragment of anything from sleeve bands to matched aprons to a robe. The yellow backing the flap looks like it is tapestry-woven ("kesi" if Chinese) and maybe was covered over because it became damaged. Love the knotted fringe and tassels. Any metallic threads?
there are some "gold" metallic threads on the details of the pink flowers and very slightly on the tassels, the inner flap also have some "metallic" or shiny thread embroidery
also i'm not sure if it matters but the frills at the bottom and at the bottom of the flap have some pink and brown threads and the tassels are plain brown with only a bit of shimmery threads, and on the flap there are some gold threading as the flowers' stem
The stems are gold-wrapped threads couched/attached with red silk, and it does look like there are some metallics on the tassels. My guess is that this was made from various Chinese and other 19th Century (or maybe earlier in the case of the brocade) pieces gathered from damaged items and made into this bag sometime around the turn-of-the-century. The protruding hard white pieces look like ivory or bone.
