Can anyone tell me anything about this bag I picked up at a thrift store today? Is it vintage, modern? I literally have no clue but I saw it an loved it! There are no marks or labels or anything. Thanks - I'm so grateful for all of your wonderful help
I have seen similar handmade bags, is it paper? plastic? They are often made from old magazines, covered in clear plastic, though I think the same technique is used for other materials too. Anyway, probably not vintage. Here's an etsy search for similar bags: https://www.etsy.com/uk/search?q=recycled+woven+magazine+bag&ship_to=ZZ ETA: I think they are sometimes made as part of fair trade projects, giving an income to communities in developing countries.
I don't know the age of your purse, however, a lot of this 'gum wrapper' type art or origami was big in the 70's.
With the colors I would say 70s also. I do have 2 1940s similar made purses made from cigarette wrappers. Camels is one. I also have a booklet from the 30s on how to make these cellophane purse and belts.
It looks like a lot of the modern versions of this kind of bag are made from recycled juice cartons. It looks that there's a small image or a figure between the green and red on your bag - possibly a Sumo wrestler? A close-up of that might help determine the age.
Thanks all Here is a close-up of the sumo. I have tried to figure out what the writing says (the red on the bag is letters) and have done searches to try and find products with the logo, but I've been unsuccessful! He seems to be sitting in the letter U. I *think* that the first three letters are SUK, maybe an I, but I don't want to unfold the pieces in order to find out!
I think your bag is modern but the tradition can go back decades and decades. We have one in our shop from the 1970s, made by a prisoner with saved cigarette packs. But I've seen some, called 'tramp art,' from the 1930s.
