Victorian experts - could this be a child's purse?

Victorian experts - could this be a child\'s purse?

This is a tiny purse from the 1890s - date according to previous owner, size according to me : ) most of the handbags of this era that i have come in contact with were much better. But then of course women didn't carry cell phones back then LOL.

It is just a hair under 5" tall, the frame is 4.25" long, and it is about 6.5" at the widest point. I am a little bit more saavy when it comes to purses post 1930. I can identify handbags from the 1890s but don't know as much as i would like to, and am trying to learn more everyday about them.

Could this have been a purse for a child? It is not fancy enough to be a small vanity bag. those are tiny flowers if they don't come out clearly and a cluster or white pearlish beads set in below.

<img src="http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/patentleathershoes/victorian.jpg" width=540 height=444>



Chris

 

It looks like an adult bag to me - the dark leather and the simplicity of it. I still can't get to my purse books, but I have had purses from the late Victorian era that were quite petite - they only had to hold a few coins, maybe bill or two, a comb, a small mirror? and a house key.

No check books, no car keys with big key ring, no cell phones, no wads of credit cards, very little makeup, no palm pilots..........

Hollis

 

Pretty purse! I know nothing! sorry

Hollis you just made me wonder why they even carried purses.

 

Thanks guys!

It's not leather its felt/velvet the scan just doesn't make it look like it.....just wondered because it is soo tiny. I saw a few purses from the era that looked like you could really do some damage to someone if you hit them with it : ) Maybe similar opening size but much longer/taller. maybe all they needed was a carte de vis (sp?) unless they felt they were not so important and a key.

I am sure you are right though, it is for an adult, but just not one who was going on a long journey : ).

I don't have any books that cover victorian purses...i should look into gettinng one.

 

Chris - not Victorian but VERY Art Deco period into the 30s. Fancy little evening bags like these were very small and totally for fashion accent more than necessity. Lipstick, compact, hankie, comb......what else would a woman need? LOL. Cut little bag!

 

well....was just going by the date given to me by the original owner. Well, second owner, as owner was the original owner's great-gradndaughter......

 

I have to agree, it doesn't particularly resemble any Victorian era purses I've seen and the golden latch definately has a more 1920's/1930's look to it. Though going by your measurements it does seem quite small - though not small enough to be a chatalaine purse, which would be worn on a chatalaine pin along with other small things such as scissors, keys, and the like. That being said, most purses from the Victorian era I've come across aren't that much larger and I've seen a few that are even smaller. I'd guess that beyond some coins and maybe a tiny hand mirror there's not that much Victorian ladies would carry around.

Sorry I can't be of much more help, but it is a darling little purse.

~Tiff~

 

Velvet! Of course. And Barbara is absolutely right - I got distracted by thinking about leather. That's the disadvantage of dating from photos.
Hollis

 

See...shows what i know about victorian. Some cultural things I can say I know, but handbags not really, despite the fact that i am a handbag fiend.

The owner could have been wrong too. Selling it as a victorian felt purse. I paid next to nothing, and am not a victorian collector, just was drawn to it. When I get something from a family, I do take into account any anecdotal info that they give me about who carried it when, if i meet them. sometimes i know it can't be correct, but sometimes the info helps. This one i was not 100% sure....... some estate auctions and sales i never know who they belonged to.
there is a small bald/warn spot on the fabric, etc, but otherwise very clean. nothing like buying things that don't have that stored poorly for 100 yrs smell.

Thanks for all the info.
i learn something new every day

chris
Chris