Crocheted Bags and Purses. From early times, crochet has been a popular pastime for young girls and ladies. Reticules, purses and bags were often crocheted and some used bead crocheting techniques.
Below are some examples and price guides of crocheted bags and purses including an Americana bead crocheted purse and a crocheted mourning bag.
This drawstring bag worked in Irish crochet is part of a collection of lace first made in Ireland in the early to mid 1800s that has been added to through successive generations of a family with a heritage in traditional lacemaking. As a treasured heirloom, this drawstring bag symbolises the intrinsic value and emotional connection that becomes imbedded in an object over successive generations. Lace in particular, evokes important memories connecting one generation to another to become part of a family’s cherished heritage.
Reference: Museum of Applied Art and Sciences
Crocheted purse English19th century
Crocheted purse, lower part beadwork, peacock on one side, flower(?) on other side, ground beadwork white; pink, orange, green, blue, black, and white beads in design, crocheted bands yellow and green, with black beads making small figure on yellow ground, tied with cord terminating in two tassels, decorated with white, pink, and blue beads, small bead tassel on bottom of bag.
Reference: Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Stocking Purse 1800-1870 (made) Crocheted silk and steel beads, embellished with steel rings, tassel and fringe
Wallet or stocking purses were very popular up to the 1860s, and they survive in great numbers, although examples of frame-knitted (machine) purses are rare. Many stocking purses were netted in silk and had steel beads, spangles and paillettes with steel, gilt, silver or gold sliders and tassels; their decoration varied from the minimal to highly patterned. Often they were inscribed and dated, many, like this one, were made as gifts for gentlemen.
Reference: © Victoria and Albert Museum
A LIMITED EDITION CROCHET CAMELIA FLAP BAG WITH BRUSHED CHAMPAGNE HARDWARE CHANEL, 2010 GRADE: 2.5
Sold for GBP 1,625 at Christie’s in 2019
Rare 19th C. Crocheted Drawstring Cotton Purse, a combination of black Americana and Pennsylvania Dutch motifs.
Sold for $325 at Material Culture in 2018
A large black mourning handbag or purse. Beautifully crocheted. With talon zipper. Circular Finger pull attached to zipper. Museum quality. Circa 1920’s
Sold for $100 at Orange County Estate Liquidators in 2020
