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Purse

Purse

  • Place of origin:

    England (made)

  • Date:

    ca. 1600-1625 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Unknown

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Canvas and silk, hand sewn and embroidered with silk and metal threads, with plaited silk strings

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Margaret Simeon

  • Museum number:

    T.127-1992

  • Gallery location:

    British Galleries, room 56e, case 9

  • Order this image

In the seventeenth century, needle lace and embroidery patterns were disseminated through pattern books such as The Needle's Excelency published by James Boler (1631). Many seventeenth-century embroidered purses have been collected and prized for the livelieness of their embroidery and tiny scale. They were particularly valued by Edwardian collectors, such as Lord Lever, who formed large collections of sixteenth- and seventeenth- century embroidery.

Physical description

Square flat purse of canvas with an embroidered ground of silver thread. A raised pattern of scrolling chains of silver-gilt purl surrounds honeysuckle, borage, rose, gilly flower, rosehips, grapes, peapods and a butterfly. These are embroidered with detached leaves and petals in coloured silks, silver thread, silver-gilt thread, purl and spangles. The purse is lined with salmon pink silk taffeta. Flat salmon pink silk braid forms the ties with two pear-shaped finials covered in silver thread and coloured silks.

Place of Origin

England (made)

Date

ca. 1600-1625 (made)

Artist/maker

Unknown

Materials and Techniques

Canvas and silk, hand sewn and embroidered with silk and metal threads, with plaited silk strings

Dimensions

Length: 14.5 cm
Width: 12.6 cm

Descriptive line

Canvas purse embroidered with coloured silks, silver and silver-gilt threads, English, early 17th century

Materials

Canvas; Silk thread; Metal thread; Silver thread; Silver gilt; Silk taffeta; Spangles

Techniques

Hand sewing; Hand embroidery

Categories

Accessories; Embroidery; Textiles

Collection code

T&D

Order this image
Qr_O75001
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