Fashion Over Function

Although women try to balance function with style when we accessorize, function seems to have won out in the purse and handbag category. This is especially evident when compared with the way women used to carry their necessities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For an elegant lady of that period, every accessory was part of her ensemble and had to measure up to the standard of the jewelry that she wore. In fact, in many cases a handbag, coin purse, compact or lipstick case was itself capable of being the center of attention.

This is obviously the case with this marvelous little ‘coin purse’ circa 1890’s. It is just 3 inches wide and is made entirely of 18k gold with an embossed clasp frame adorned with old mine cut diamonds and both faceted and cabochon sapphires. Bejeweled evening bags were typical of this period, and the swirly design surrounding the gems on this particular bag hints to the developing Art Nouveau movement. It also serves as a precursor to the approaching Art Deco period, when highly embellished evening bags really took off. This purse has the unusual characteristic of a small hook on the back. The hook leads us to believe that it may have been attached to a larger bag which one could only assume would have been just as adorned and beautiful as its smaller companion. This tiny satchel was clearly designed to make a statement that the woman who used it was magnificent down to her smallest accoutrements. Print this post