Vigo County Historical Society

Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - August 10, 1986
by Deborah Curtis
Vigo County Historical Society

Bags both handy, ornamental

The carrying of handbags by women for both practical and ornamental reasons goes back centuries.

Saxon women (460-1066 A.D.) generally were buried in full dress. Their remains have been discovered with small purses attached to their belts. From the time of the Crusades, it was customary for ladies of means to carry coins to give to the poor. The coins were carried in small bags of silk and leather hung by strings at the waist.

In the later Middle Ages, embroidering of various accessories of dress became very fashionable. While many ladies were skilled enough to do their own embellishments, the wealthy hired professional embroiderers for such work. By the 13th century, embroiderers were included in craft guilds, showing that the demand for such work was great.

Many bags of this period, embroidered with fine silk threads in elaborate designs, were shaped and sized to accommodate prayer books.

Over the years, various names have been applied to this accessory, among them amoniere, bag, pouch and purse. Purse, which come from the French bourse, is now the most generally used term, dating back to Chaucer's time:

"And by hire girdel heng a purs of lether
"Tasseled with grene and perled with latoun." --from "The Miller's Tale."

The phrase, "perled with latoun," suggests a kind of beadwork in pearls.

By the beginning of the 17th century, pockets were widely used in men's breeches and in women's skirts. The pockets did not, however, replace the ornamental handbags so highly prices by ladies of fashion.

During the 18th century, the finest and most expensive materials were used to make purses, which were decorated with silk and metal threads. Beaded bags became the height of fashion, with colored beads arranged in design, often floral.

The bags were either drawn closed with long cords or set in metal frames with elaborate clasps. Flat, pouch-like purses of leather or beads were commonly called chatelaines and were used to carry a lady's fan, handkerchief, money and fragrance.

The leathers commonly used were calf, deer, kangaroo, seal, walrus, pigeon, alligator, lizard and snakeskin. The favored fabrics were silk, satin and crepe de chine.

This week's historical treasure, a beaded purse dating from the late 19th century, is a wonderful example of the beauty and richness created by elaborate beadwork. The bag, which is lined with green silk, is completely covered on the exterior with thousands of tiny beads arranged by color to create a lovely floral design featuring rose and blue-colored flowers and various shades of green leaves.

The drawstring handle is a flexible metal cord. The bag measures 7 inches by 11 inches, making it spacious enough to carry quite a load of personal accessories.

This beaded purse was a recent gift to the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley from William P. Ijams II. He believes the purse belong to Sallie Warren Ijams (1950-1925) of Terre Haute.

While fashion trends come and go, modern handbags, while sometimes crafted of a few new materials along with all the old ones, are still basically a continuance of the ancient tradition. Their function is still both practical and ornamental. It is hard to imagine that tradition changing very much in the near future.

The Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley, 1411 S. Sixth St., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday.