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Bag

mid 19th century (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Many thousands of small purses were knitted, embroidered or crocheted in the nineteenth century, intended either for personal use or as a gift or donated to a worthy fundraising cause. Crocheting, incorporating brightly coloured beadwork, was popular in the 1830s, but it was knitting as a domestic craft that thrived as a elegant drawing-room occupation. Much time was devoted to making intricate and delicate items of fancy work without obvious use.

Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Knitted silk
Brief description
Knitted bag, mid 19th century, British, orange and yellow silk
Physical description
Orange and yellow purse, square shaped, decorated with a pattern of openwork stitches and two tassels,with a drawstring to close the top.
Dimensions
  • Length: 15.5cm
  • Width: 13.5cm
Tension: 16 stitches per inch 6 stitches per cm
Gallery label
(1985)
8. SMALL BAG
Hand-knitted silk lined with silk twill and decorated with tassels
English, mid 19th century

This rectangular-shaped bag, knitted in stripes and patterned with openwork stitches, is made in one flat piece and seamed across the bottom and at one side. It closes with a drawstring at the top.

Bequeathed by Captain H.B. Murray
T.397-1910
Credit line
Bequeathed by Captain H.B. Murray
Summary
Many thousands of small purses were knitted, embroidered or crocheted in the nineteenth century, intended either for personal use or as a gift or donated to a worthy fundraising cause. Crocheting, incorporating brightly coloured beadwork, was popular in the 1830s, but it was knitting as a domestic craft that thrived as a elegant drawing-room occupation. Much time was devoted to making intricate and delicate items of fancy work without obvious use.
Collection
Accession number
T.397-1910

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Record createdFebruary 26, 2003
Record URL
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