Micro beaded evening bag with courting couple

Evening Bags

Evening bags are small handbags made of rich fabric. They are often beaded or decorated with embroidery or other methods. Some can be novelty shaped, such as in the shapes…
1920s satin purse

Satin Purses / Bags

Satin Purses / Bags. High quality satin is made of silk threads but it can also be made of nylon or polyester. It was a popular fabric during the Art…
Hide beaded pipe bag

Hide Bags

Hide Bags. Hide is treated animal skin and is the foundation for most Native American beadwork. The most common hides used are buffalo and deer. Below are some examples of…
Beaded purse with coastal scene

Pictorial Beaded Bags

Some of the most collectible bags and purses are pictorial beaded bags. These were made in both America and Europe and each had their own styles. European bags would often…
A translucent red-bred brown, faintly striated,

Translucent Beads

Translucent beads are those where the light goes through them. They have more of a sparkle than opaque, which often appear matt. Translucent beads allow background colors and threads to…
Glass eye bead ca. 4th century B.C. Greek, Eastern Mediterranean

Opaque Beads

Opaque beads are those where the light does not go through them. They appear solid and the background color will not show through except within the gaps between beads. Below…
A SIOUX QUILLED AND BEADED PIPE BAG

Quill Work

Quill work, in relation to bags and purses, is a form of textile embellishment traditionally practiced by Native Americans that employs the quills of porcupines as an aesthetic element. Quills…