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Gift of Mrs. Richard Koopman and Mrs. Bernard Schiro, 1980.87.15  © 2009 The Connecticut Histor…
Woman's Handbag
Gift of Mrs. Richard Koopman and Mrs. Bernard Schiro, 1980.87.15 © 2009 The Connecticut Historical Society.

Woman's Handbag

Date1920-1930s
MediumExotic leather (may be Crocodile or Alligator) with brass hardware and calfskin and silk damask lining
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (length x width x depth): 10 x 6 x 1/2in. (25.4 x 15.2 x 1.3cm)
ClassificationsCostume
Credit LineGift of Mrs. Richard Koopman and Mrs. Bernard Schiro
DescriptionLeather handbag with a single handle and snap front closure. Interior is divided into compartments lined with floral silk damask woven in pinks and greens on an ecru background with an Iris flowers woven into the silk.

A handwritten grocery list was found folded into an interior pocket; the list was written in pencil on a small sheet of paper and reads: "Vanilla Extract/ Lemons/ Potatoes/ Celery/ Lettuce/ Grapes/ Pineapple/ Oranges/ Bananas/ Cauliflower/ Strawberries/ Peanuts/ Beets/ Party Cups/ 1 Fresh Calves Tongue/ Coffee / Filet Mignon."
Object number1980.87.15
NotesHistorical Note: An important development in handbag design was the introduction of the "pochette," a flat, rectangular bag often without a handle or with a single handle to loop over the wrist for security. By the mid-twenties the most popular style of handbag was the flapped rectangular bag (per Vanda Foster, author of BAGS AND PURSES, p. 69,1982)
On View
Not on view
Collections
Gift of Mrs. Elisha H. Cooper, 1957.49.4  © 2009 The Connecticut Historical Society.
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Gift of Kathy Finaldi, 2016.95.2 © 2016 The Connecticut Historical Society.
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