I. Frame Purses
The Museum of London has many medieval purse frames in their online collection, although I could not find any dated to the 16th century. The number of different styles is impressive.
Silk purse with iron frame. German? 16th Century. The Met. |
Purse Frame, Italian, late 16th century. From The Met. |
Velvet purse, German, 16th century. In The Met. |
Leather purse with iron frame. 15th-16th Century. The Met. |
"Game Bag" with iron frame, drawstring closure, and tassels. 15th-16th century. The Met. |
And an English example (again, slightly earlier):
Purse Frame. English. Late 15th century. In the VAM. |
II. Drawstring Purses.
First, a nice, simple leather purse:
Leather Purse, British, 16th Century. From The Met. |
And then there are the host of lovely embroidered purses:
Embroidered Heraldic Purse, c.1540. Victoria and Albert Museum. They have a French purse similar shape, dated c.1600. |
Embroidered purse or "sweet bag", late 16th century. British. In The Met. The VAM has a few similar ones dated c. 1600. |
Spanish
"Gaming Purse" with drawstring closure. c. 1575-1625.
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Woman's embroidered drawstring purse,
16th century.
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"Hit or Miss" beaded drawstring purse, c.1628. VAM. See also the "Gift of a Friend" purse. |
III. Other.
This purse belonging to Cardinal Wolsley's purse is rather different from the others. It has a front flap, a lock, and belt loops:
Purse own by Cardinal Wolsley, c.1500-1529. UK National Trust |
Thank you. Very good resources. I have a modern one very much like the leather one, but without the very impressive sculpture on the frame. A few friends are very much into embroidering sweet bags.
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