questions on two purses

P

Patentleathershoes

VFG Veteran
VFG Past President
Hi all :)

I have had this handbag for awhile. It is sort of a lily green. Anyway, back when I got it, my gut was sort mid 60s-ish or maybe give or take a few years. Just a basic style of a pebbled leather purse - not strikingly mod, or not any other distinctive fashion style. I got it from an estate of someone who bought a purse at every destination in the 40s- rightup to 1970.

Anyway, I was looking at it again and the inside made me do one of those "it feels older" double takes. Its got a vogue zipper, and then just the material looks like older bags that I have had.

I know I am probably smoking something thinking its older than that but thought I would ask what you thought. (there are little feet on the bottom too)

The second question is when exactly did those telephone cord purses come into play? (obviously not about this purse). I have a white clutch - and I have always seen then labelled anywhere from the 40s through the 60s. What is the rule of thumb on those? I'll have to show a picture later.
 
I think the telephone cord purses are '50's although I have seen them attributed to the '40's. If anyone knows for sure I would like to know as well.

The main reason I think they are later is that I tried researching them and discovered that the colors of cord were not used by Western Electric until 1953 and 1954.

http://members.dslextreme.com/~zuperdee/telephones/500_history/we_500_history.html

I have a fun cord purse that is green, blue, red, ivory and yellow so I don't think it could be earlier than 1954.

Linn
 
So my original gut was right - I should listen to it.

My BF who is quite mechanically inclined looked at my phone purse and said he didn't think they are phone cords at all because they were stiff and not flexible like a phone cord. They have no wire inside them either, so he thinks they are plastic produced to LOOK like them. perhaps phone cords were not as flexible back then, but don't think so because my grandparents had phones FOREVER so I think i used one that old. dunno though. or maybe they were rejects lol. Any thoughts on that?

(my purse is white -but i have seen earthtones and red white and blue)
 
phone cord purses are NOT 40s at all. I hate seeing people list them as such! Depending on the shape of the purse they are from the 50s -60s. the patten for phone cord purses was not given till late 40s in 49 i believe???, however its not till post WWII that the high abundance of plastics allowed for it to be used more in fashion. you can look them up on the bag lady university http://www.bagladyemporium.com/BLU/

here's one page but there's more on the bags on the site
http://www.bagladyemporium.com/BLU/index.php?n=Main.PlasticFashionsInc

hope that helps!
 
yea I concur , phone purses were from the mid-late 50's through the 60's...Ive see a couple that were worn and the active leads inside had been striped out, so I believe many were made from the plastic but not the actual used cord.

Im after a good one for my collection if any are for sale btw.

love the soft green bag, its 50's bag, the silver metal was considered more atomic looking than gold tone during the space age period.
 
Thanks for the great links. I am not sure exactly when this was made since the link shows the colors available in 1949, but I think mine looks more like the ones made in 1955. I think these bags are such fun!
Telephone%20Coil%20Handbag%20II.jpg


Linn
 
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