Historical information

The Kew Historical Society's Fashion & Design collection includes a small and representative collection of reticules, purses and handbags, purchased, inherited or collected by members of the Society. These items date from the Nineteenth and Twentieth centuries, and conform to fashions and styles popular during the period of their use. Some of the items are handmade, while others are mass-produced commercial products.

Physical description

Hand-beaded evening purse, with silver frame and finger ring. While the note accompanying the item states that it was made and used in the 1880s, the label 'Made in France' would indicate that it was probably made in the first decade of the twentieth century.

Inscriptions & markings

Label: "Made in France / Hand-made".
A note which accompanies the item states:
"Hand beaded evening purse, 1880s. Frequently used when formal dinner dances were held in the Kew mansions." [Editor - See correct date in Physical description]