Personal Accessories Group of evening and handbags dating from 1930s, approx 30 incl. suede and brocaded satin evening bags, novelty handbags of embroidered felt, plastic, Above & Below: Group of evening purses & bags, pierced metal with lucite lid, embroidered felt by mainly 1930s and later, incl. black suede bags with A silvered-metal and paste-mounted velvet evening Lulu Guinness and others. (qty) Jun 09 sold £130 enamelled, marquisite and mother of pearl inset bag apparently unmarked, late 29thC, mount hammer. Courtesy of Kerry Taylor Auctions. frames; 2 with celluloid mounts, a large Viennese applied on one side with pastes, other side with petit point example and a 1930s example with openwork flower motifs, bag 6in high. Jun 07 price elaborate landscape scenes, large crochet bag with realized: £720 incl, buyers premium. Courtesy of perspex handles, largest 16in. (8) Jun 09 sold £100 Christie’s Images Ltd. 2009. hammer. Courtesy of Kerry Taylor Auctions. Reticules and the development of the evening bag There’s money in purses! by Zita Thornton ntil the end of the eighteenth century women carried all their essential items in removable pockets Uhidden under the folds of their voluminous skirts. However, the fashion from the 1790s for high waisted dresses in clinging fabrics meant that an alternative had to be found. The answer was the reticule, taking its name from the Roman reticulum or lady’s net bag. In the eighteenth century this was a highly decorative small bag with long carrying handles that enhanced the elongated, slim silhouette of the dress. Made from fine fabrics such as velvet and silk, it was decorated with embroidery or the newly fashionable beading and often included drawstrings and tassels. You can date these early beaded bags by the small size of the beads used. During the early years of the nineteenth century the reticule in many different styles became an indispensable fashion accessory. Hexagonal or lozenge shapes were a popular vehicle for embroidered butterflies, flowers, Art Deco black suede evening bag by birds, bows, fruit or neo-classical images and lace or metallic thread edgings were shown to great Cartier, black suede clutch bag to the advantage against the plain fabrics of the dresses. Around the 1820s and 1830s rigid shapes such as a scalloped rock crystal clasp with cabochon emerald, blue enamel and clam shell, made from papier maché or card were overlaid with fabrics and suspended from a decorative rose-cut diamond detail, brown silk metal frame and clasp. A flat pochette would sometimes be covered with Berlin woolwork designs or interior with separate pocket divider, layered with different types of fabric or embroidered with satin or chenille threads. Reticules were used c1925, 18 x 11.5cm, French assay during the day or evening to carry fans, scent bottles, calling cards and paper packets of face powder or mark for gold, interior signed rouge. They were the forerunners of the evening bag, used for the same purpose from the late Victorian Cartier, No. 3219. (on clasp) Jun 09 era. price realized: £3,125 incl. buyer’s premium. Courtesy of Christie’s From this time the handbag, normally a piece of luggage used by men whose capacity for travel had Images Ltd. 2009. increased with the new railways, found their way into a lady’s vocabulary and daytime attire. Smaller versions of the male handbag, they contained different compartments, metal fastenings and locks and were fashioned from leather. For evening, a small, more decorative bag was needed. Theatre bags, which could carry opera glasses, resembled reticules with their tassels and drawstrings but in the twentieth century there were many different influences on the style of evening bag. As with reticules, they were highly decorative, enhancing the look of the evening outfit. Some reflected Paul Poiret’s exotic Ballet Russe colours and designs. Others showed the popular Oriental look with Chinese embroidery or fabric attached to a bone frame carved with Chinese motifs. At the start of the century, jewelled or decorated frames supported full, gathered pouches in a rich fabric such as brocade which, in the 1920s might be heavily beaded or embroidered. In 1922 the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb, which saw an Egyptian influence on all things decorative, did not escape bags. Realising that newly liberated women carried their own money and possessions now and make up was A 'Melone' evening bag by Bulgari, worn blatantly, major jewellers, such as Cartier, Tiffany, Van Cleef and Arpels created vanity bags fitted oval ribbed design with cabochon sapphire pushpiece and seven inter- with compartments for a mirror, compact, lipstick or comb. These had a semi-precious base such as changable coloured silk tassels, lapis lazuli or onyx, set in gold or silver and were bedecked with precious gems. They were ornamented mirror deficient, gross weight 490 with Oriental scenes, floral motifs or geometric Art Deco patterns. They were miniature works of art, gms, 15.5cm long, signed Bulgari. more jewellery than bag. Some even complemented bracelets or brooches. Jun 08 price realized: £17,500 incl. Other ‘vanities’ were cylindrical or rectangular, hanging from a silken wrist cord. Inexpensive but buyer’s premium. Courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd. 2009. handsome versions were created from plastic and decorated with paste jewels, diamante or marcasite or ANTIQUES INFO - November/December 09 Personal Accessories enamelled base metal. With the craze for but, as with everything, women used their exuberant dancing in the second half of the initiative when it came to bags. Old bags 1920s and the popularity of the Charleston were remodelled using existing frames. and the Black Bottom women wanted a Drawstring bags re-emerged, hand made dance bag that would enhance rather than from scraps of fabric, with rigid circular hinder their movements. bases. Manufacturers used plastic, wood and Fluid mesh bags arrived from the United synthetic fabrics such as Rayon. States. They had been made by hand in After the deprivations of the war evening silver by Whiting and Davis since the 1820s bags once again found their place as women but a newly invented mesh making machine re-emerged for cocktails and dinner dances. Diamond-set evening bag by Chanteloup. Two- coloured basketweave design, hinged cover decor- in 1912 allowed mass production using gold Black fabrics such as satin, suede and ated with a brilliant-cut diamond scrolling line and silver as well as steel and gunmetal. The grosgrain were most popular as a opening to reveal a mirror, c1960, 16.2 x 9cm, gross latest versions displayed designs by Paul background for understated embroidered weight 359.3g, French assay marks for platinum Poiret and Elsa Schiaparelli and could also floral posies. The look was completed with a and gold, original black suede carrying case with be screen printed. In keeping with the decor- fancy frame and clasp, with perhaps a chain applied monogram, signed Chanteloup Paris, No. ative Art Deco style they were supported by handle that could be tucked away inside the 3802. Jun 09 price realized: £9,375 incl. buyer’s premium. Courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd. 2009. zig zag enamelled frames and clasps. bag. A rigid box shape with a clasp on top Beaded and fringed dance bags shimmered was also popular. Inside was the all from wrist straps and echoed the movement important internal pocket holding a vanity and style of Flapper’s dresses. mirror used to reapply lipstick. The 1930s saw simpler, more sophisticated, There was also room for sparkle in the form elegant fashions for instance, backless of gold and silver lurex and brocades, gold gowns, draped in satin. Bags echoed this vinyl, sparkly beaded or sequinned evening style and were smoother and plainer, more bags, even solid metal examples. Today streamlined. Sequins and industrial materials there are many styles of evening bag which reflected Hollywood glamour, such as shiny echo those mentioned here. Obviously rare chrome, plastics and glass. The handleless original examples from top class designers clutch bag which had been popular for day or set with precious gems and metals, bags, moved to the evening. Elegant petit command high prices, but as you can see A gold and purple reticule, English, c1800-1815, point embroidered bags had chain handles vintage bags are available for around the of fine gilt metal thread and purple silk mesh, with drawcords and tassel embellishment, 5 x 3in. and fancy clasps. cost of a modern copy. October 08 sold: £1,625 incl. buyer’s premium. Materials were scarce during the war years See following Price Guide. Courtesy of Christie’s Images Ltd. 2009. Above & Below: A group of bags and evening purses, mainly 1950s-early 60s, including large Viennese petit point example, the others mainly black, silver or white beaded; and a 1930s Above & Below: Ten assorted bags and tan pigskin clutch bag, the largest purses dating from the 1930s, including 27cm, 10.5in. (12) June 09 unsold. gold sequinned, black silk examples and Courtesy of Kerry Taylor Auctions. a 1930s snakeskin clutch bag, largest 11in. (10) June 09. Sold £150 hammer. Courtesy of Kerry Taylor Auctions. ANTIQUES INFO - November/December 09 Personal Accessories Selection of handbags from our Database at www.antiques-info.co.uk 14 6 1 10 Kurdish bag, pair of Afghan bags and Lady’s Cartier clutch bag, 1930s, a pair of Kurdish flatweave bags. (5) beige suede exterior, black enamelled, Rosebery’s, London. Mar 08. HP: diamond and cabochon ruby set Quantity of lady’s handbags dating £70. ABP: £82. clasp, suede interior, central comp- mainly from the 1960s to incl. brown artment & 3 further smaller pockets crocodile handbag, a brown snakeskin 15 with 2 smaller purses and mirror, bag, a Couregess bag, a black stamped in gold ‘Cartier Ltd, Made beaded evening bag, a black hard in France’, 22cm wide, 14cm high, 1980s Gucci handbag, beige ‘G’ plastic clutch bag, and further bags, Cartier red covered case, silk monogram fabric, chocolate brown with scarves, fans, and lady’s hats.