Bag
1600-1650 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In the 17th century, decorative purses such as this one were rarely used to carry money. Their wealthy owners engaged in few commercial exchanges requiring cash. Some were used as 'sweet bags', holding perfumed powder or dried flowers to cover body odours in an age before regular bathing. Other purses served as a form of 'gift wrapping' for small presents or gifts of money. Purses could contain mirrors for grooming or function as sewing kits which held needles, thread and tiny scissors.
Most English embroidery designs of this period are inspired by flowers and plants, often copied from illustrated botanical books and herbals which were very popular at the time.
The thick application of the metal thread and extensive use of metal purl gives the purse a very rich three-dimensional texture.
Most English embroidery designs of this period are inspired by flowers and plants, often copied from illustrated botanical books and herbals which were very popular at the time.
The thick application of the metal thread and extensive use of metal purl gives the purse a very rich three-dimensional texture.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Linen, silk, silver, gold; hand woven, braided, hand embroidered |
| Brief description | Bag of embroidered canvas, 1625-50c, English; Silk with raised metal embroidery on metal ground |
| Physical description | Bag of coarse canvas embroidered semi-detached buttonhole stitch and plaited braid stitch in coloured silks and silver filé, purl and spangles in a design of honeysuckle, foxglove, carnation, rose and butterfly against a tent-stitched silver filé ground on both sides. The bag is flat and square, lined with carnation silk taffeta and has a flat braided drawstring of pink silk floss and silver filé, with a shaped tassel covered with green and pink silk floss and silver filé. Each corner has a silver filé loop and small silver and silver tassels. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Admiral Sir Robert and Lady Prendergast |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | In the 17th century, decorative purses such as this one were rarely used to carry money. Their wealthy owners engaged in few commercial exchanges requiring cash. Some were used as 'sweet bags', holding perfumed powder or dried flowers to cover body odours in an age before regular bathing. Other purses served as a form of 'gift wrapping' for small presents or gifts of money. Purses could contain mirrors for grooming or function as sewing kits which held needles, thread and tiny scissors. Most English embroidery designs of this period are inspired by flowers and plants, often copied from illustrated botanical books and herbals which were very popular at the time. The thick application of the metal thread and extensive use of metal purl gives the purse a very rich three-dimensional texture. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.17-1957 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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