Monthly Archives: July 2012

For those of you in the U.S.: Happy Independence Day! For everyone else: Happy random Wednesday!

Our week of handbags continues, in chronological order. Today is all 1940s, all the time. Clicking on any image will bring up a somewhat larger view for detail study.

Beaded handbag with plastic frame, United States, 1940s

Shoulder bag woven from banana leaves and embroidered with raffia, 1940s

Textured cordé handbag, United States, 1940s

Plaited handbag with matching shoe, Hawaii, c. 1945

Let’s talk about cordé for a minute. Advertised during the 1940s as the longest wearing of all handbag fabrics, this was an important selling point during WWII. While rationing in the U.S. wasn’t as restrictive as it was in Europe, manufacturers both here and abroad had to comply with strict limitations regarding the use of leather and metal. Cordé handbags were created by stitching geometric patterns of gimp braid to a fabric background. Clear or tortoise Lucite pulls or handles were often added to add a touch of glamour. The result was a beautiful handbag that would last for the duration, and beyond.

EDIT 7/5/2012: I found this beaded bag on Etsy today, it’s nearly identical to the beaded bag featured here.

CREDITS: Photography by Jenna Bascom and Ken Music Photography. All handbags shown here are from the collection of Tassenmuseum Hendrikje/Museum of Bags and Purses, Amsterdam.

Our week of handbags is progressing in chronological order; with today’s examples being manufactured between 1908 and 1939, although the iconic Kelly bag is still made (by hand) by Hermès to this day. And look, a nod to Olympic fever, in time for this year’s London games! Clicking on any image will bring up a somewhat larger view for detail study.

Silver and leather bag with decorative spider “spinning” an egraved web, Russia, 1908-1917

Beaded handbag made by a 14-year-old girl during the Amsterdam Olympic Games, 1928

Sac à dépêches, Hermès circa 1935 (this example from the late 20th C.)

Enameled minaudière with jeweled clasp that can be worn as a brooch, Asprey, 1939

About that Kelly bag: Introduced in 1935, Hermès’ “Sac à dépêches” is a true classic. Its nickname was adopted in 1956, when Grace Kelly was frequently photographed carrying hers. Popular history says that she used the sizable bag to conceal her pregnancy, but the photos below, taken before her marriage, show that the Sac à dépêches was already a staple in her wardrobe.

Grace Kelly: signing autographs, loading gowns into her car, announcing her engagement to Rainier III, Prince of Monaco.

CREDITS: Purse photography by Jenna Bascom and Ken Music Photography. Photos of Grace Kelly via LIFE magazine. All handbags shown here are from the collection of Tassenmuseum Hendrikje/Museum of Bags and Purses, Amsterdam.

I promised on the Tiddleywink fan page that I’d devote this week’s posts to the study of handbags, and I haven’t forgotten. My emphasis, because of my personal taste, will be on the 1940s and ’50s, but I will show a selection that spans over a century of style. However, again due to my personal tastes, they may all bear a resemblance to bags which could have been made in the ’40s and ’50s!

The week will progress in chronological order; with today’s examples being manufactured between 1810 and 1902. Clicking on any image will bring up a somewhat larger view for detail study.

Aren’t they all lovely? I’m particularly fond of the Clan Stewart tartan bag. Do you have a favorite shown here, or from this time period?

CREDITS: Photography by Jenna Bascom and Ken Music Photography. All handbags shown here are from the collection of Tassenmuseum Hendrikje/Museum of Bags and Purses, Amsterdam.