South County Museum:

South County Museum
Rhode Island's Coastal Legacy

Pocket
to
Purse

Kathy Bossy, assistant curator of the Museum, traced the development, from the 1700s to the early years of the last century, of things that carry things, in Pocket to Purse: The History of the Handbag.

After Ms. Bossy's talk, a small crowd gathered in front
of one of several displays of "selected handbags from the
collection" to learn more about some of the items.

The same panel, unobstructed. Short descriptions
of displayed items appear below. (Click on the photos for a closer look.)

Upper row, from the left: Art Nouveau German Silver ring mesh handbag, c.1890-1910	Homemade loop-woven bag with plastic Scotty handlex, 1940s	Gold-tooled leather bag by C-F Co., 3 compartments, c. 1915	Hand-crocheted cotton bag on hinged celluloid frame, 1930s	Silver-plated framed bag with bugle and pearlized beads, 1950s
Lower row, from the left:Shaggy metallic purse with gilded filigree frame, 19820-1915	Rose velvet reticule with gilt lace panels and bobbles, 1870s-90s.	Native American deep-blue velveteen bag with looped beaded flowers, probably Mohawk from Montreal region, 1825-1899.	Petit point with gilt push-button frame, perhaps French. C.1910	Silk bag on Gorham Art Nouveau sterling frame, c. 1900.