M293M VICTORIAN OR PRIOR BEADED & VELVET PURSE HANDSEWN.
I am calling this beautiful antique
piece a purse or clutch? It is a lady's accessory and may be a glove
holder? It
should be in a museum.
It measures 5 1/2" in width. It is 4" in height. I
will describe it to the best of my ability.
It is hand-beaded. The top (which lifts
up) is beaded around the edges and has three raised beaded flowers. The
velvet has worn off. The front has an outside row of grey and clear
metal beads. Beside the grey and metal beads is a turquoise beaded
flower on one side of the oval center and a coral beaded flower on the
other.
The center front is an oval of clear
beads..with a clear flower center. The velvet I think was at one time
mauve. The sides of the purse? are also heavily beaded in tan and coral
beads with a clear flower center. The velvet has worn off completely on
one side. The back of the item is the same as the front with worn mauve
velvet. The lining seems to be a a polished linen.
The bottom edges of the item has clear round beads which cascade in hanging circles.
Condition* Side and back hanging beads
on the underside are missing. The top does not sit perfectly level (a
space on one side) where the item has bowed a little. Velvet gone in
some areas..some staining to the inside. The handsewing is visible on
the edges of the purse. What a labour of love this old item was.
