Amy Fennely of Upper Jay began collecting vintage purses when she was an art student in Northampton, Mass., in the 1980s.
The inspiration for her collection was a cool looking alligator purse she found in a thrift store that reminded her of one that belonged to her mother.
Since that time, Fennely has accumulated a large collection of mid-20th century purses made from materials ranging from textile, leather, wood, plastic, vintage license plates and even coconuts!
In addition to displaying her coolest purses in her home, Fennely uses them regularly to accessorize the vintage fashions she often wears.
The one that swings off her arm most is an elegant 1950s black taffeta purse that captured her fancy because of its interesting hexagon shape. Her oddest purse is made from a husked coconut shell that is lined with paisley fabric and has a zipper connecting the two halves. One of her snazziest purses is a creation by friend Kay Kowanko of Good Bones Studio in Upper Jay, who dressed up a classic black handbag with a vibrant array of vintage buttons.
Incidentally, the purse Fennely paid the most for, $30, is the alligator box purse that began her collecting obsession years ago. Ever the bargain hunter, she rarely pays more than $5 for a purse and continues to add to her collection by haunting thrift stores and yard sales. Of her collection of handbags, Fennely said, "I use them to accessorize my outfits, along with jewelry and lipstick. There are plenty of purses out there — millions of them made. We'll never run out of purses!"
The purse speaks volumes when a woman sets out to make a fashion statement.
Whether it be a trendy designer handbag, a flashy jeweled clutch or a conservative black pocketbook, the purse — like jewelry — is a great way to express individual taste and style.
Originally only men carried purses, thus the expression, "he holds the purse strings." They first appeared in ancient Egypt and were worn around the waist on a belt. Later, small bags to hold money were strapped across the body. Today the offspring of the medieval belt pouch is the Scottish sporren, which men still wear around the waist on a chain or hung from a kilt belt.
It wasn't until the 17th century that purses crossed gender barriers and women began using drawstring bags to hold sewing projects. A small decorative drawstring bag, called a reticule, made its appearance in the mid 1800s, big enough to hold just the basic necessities: a handkerchief, smelling salts and calling cards. By the end of the Victorian era, handbags and purses were being made in all sorts of styles and materials. Women who were skilled in needlecraft began beading fancy evening bags in an array of vibrant floral, paisley and geometric designs. Beadwork was generally done on sturdy silk fabric like grosgrain and velveteen. The bags were then lined with satin or silk in complementary colors then sewn to an ornate metal or celluloid frame.
THE ENTIRE ALLIGATOR
Crochet purses of linen, silk and cotton were also very popular around the turn of the 20th century thanks to an array of purse patterns that were published in woman's magazines such as Needlecraft.
Leather purses became popular during the 1890s when women began embracing the sporting craze. Stylish and durable, they often featured distinctive arts-and-crafts motifs and stamped metal frames embellished with dangling Turnlock clasps. Jemco and Bosco were two popular makers between 1915 and 1921. Later, in the 1950s, leather alligator purses became all the rage. They were made in a range of styles including the sleek clutch, elegant envelope purse and shaped box purse. Larger bags often featured the entire alligator, head and feet included, as part of the design. Today, the more bizarre an alligator purse, the more collector appeal it has, and those in great condition can sell for as much as $200.
PLASTIC PURSES
Mesh bags are among the most plentiful type of antique purses as they were made by a myriad of companies including Whiting and Davis, Deauville, Evans, Foster & Bailey, and Napier and Mandalian. Beginning in 1912, mesh, flat mesh and micro-mesh purses were made from sterling, silver plate, gun metal, 14 K gold, 18K gold plate, and in gold and silver tone. Enameling decorated them in a wide variety of styles ranging from colorful floral motifs to popular geometric patterns. Condition is key to value when it comes to mesh purses; beware of spending too much on those that are damaged, have tattered linings, worn decorations or missing fringe.
Trademarks were often stamped on the inside of the frame or on a small dangling metal tag attached to the inside. Values for non-precious-metal mesh purses range from $35 to $600 or more for fancy sterling enamelled examples with extension gate frames.
Plastic purses have been popular since celluloid was first used to mold ornamental frames and purse handles in France around the turn of the 20th century. After World War II, when women began wearing makeup, celluloid compact purses became popular.
Carved Bakelite plastic was also used for handles and frames during the 1930s. Examples with art deco and art nouveau designs generally outrank less ornamental motifs. Mid-20th century Lucite acrylic purses in a range of opaque, pearlized and translucent colors and often combined with glitter or fabrics to create special effects took America by storm after World War II. The best quality purses were made by Wilardy, Rialto, Llewellyn, Gilli Originals, Myles, Patricia of Miami and Maxim. Look for trademarks on metal framework or embossing on the bottom and expect to pay no less than $100 for trademarked examples with pizzazz.
Julie Robinson Robards lives in Upper Jay. An antiques appraiser, she studied at the Institute for the Study of Antiques and Collectibles in Emmaus, Penn., is an adviser for Warman's Antiques and Collectible Price Guide and is on the Board of Advisers for Schroders Antique Price Guides and is a plastics historian with two published books on the subject of Celluloid. Since 1995, she has been a writer for AntiqueWeek Newspaper, and she owns the Red Barn Antiques and Artisan Gallery in Upper Jay.
Contact her at her Web site: celluloidforever.com.
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