Help with this Italian Raffia bag, please

[MyVintageCocktail]

Hey, all, can you help me with this bag (which I am in love with...)? Get a load of that huge, fab clasp! Would this be 1960's era? It's Italian made, with the lining being hand stitched in. Also, would it be accurate to call this "crocheted" raffia? The weaving looks like a crochet stitch to me, but I don't crochet, so I'm not sure. It has feet.

And last, the lining has me mystified. It is a rather open-weave sort of stiff fabric. Looks almost like a batiste, but is nowhere near as fine or as lightweight, but is semi-sheer like that, with a lustrous finish. I'm usually pretty good with fiber identification, but can't get this one. I thought at first it was silk, but I don't know....

Thanks!

 

[cmpollack]

Hi Anne--I do think it's 60s. I had a similar bag, of "crocheted" raffia (that description works for me!) and the exact same stuff lining it (I was stumped as to exact material, so I just called it "fabric"... ). It was labelled "Made in Italy".

The clasp on yours is AWESOME, and I love the bands of contrast color toward the bottom--very chic.

 

[MyVintageCocktail]

Thanks, Carrie; I was hoping you'd stop by! I think the "fabric" might be a linen & silk blend--there was a lot of that going around in the 60s, I'm finding out.

And in looking at the clasp closely, I think it was hand fashioned and pieced--it's a little Italian work of art!