Historical information
Shell purses became popular in late Victorian times and were made to go into a pocket or a larger purse. Many were made from freshwater molluscs.
Significance
This item has no known local provenance but is of interest as an example of a personal item used in late Victorian times and will be useful for display
Physical description
This is an oval-shaped purse with the outer case made from a shell which is opalescent with brown and cream mottled markings. The clasp is gold-coloured metal with an ornate catch and attachments. Inside there are three compartments made of blue cloth trimmed with cream paper. It is damaged on the top near the metal hinge.