A frame purse tracked down

When I started all this purse madness, I wasn't very diligent about keeping track of my sources.. at least online sources. This proved to be quite aggravating, because after a year or so of staring at a few images that I had taken from SOMEONE's webpage SOMEWHERE.. I essentially gave up and filed them under "Well I hope I run across it in a museum one day."

Fortunately, one such mystery was solved tonight, after browsing around the Historické kostýmy a střihy site.. which looks like it was just updated today(?).

It's this little beauty right here. There are a few other purses scattered about the extant accessories section, as well as some nice belts, shoes, gloves, and other tidbits.

P.S. I still haven't tracked down the mystery purse from my first post, anyone out there have any clues?

A new old book for me!

Got my hands on a copy Boudet and Gomond's La Passementerie. Now it is time to brush up on my français.

More good pictures

Another good one from the Royal Institute for the Study and Conservation of Belgium's Artistic Heritage webpage: An embroidered trapezoidal ring-framed purse (object 40752). Check out all the additional images; there are pictures of the individual pieces of textile (did they deconstruct it?!) and also a shot of the drawstring mouth (usually hidden under the flap). A close-up of the embroidery is included as well. All good pictures; just wish they were larger.

The internet IS still useful!

Royal Institute for the Study and Conservation of Belgium's Artistic Heritage

Object search for beurs reveals many many interesting finds, particularly this gem: Object 10359

The photographer (bless him!) took a picture of the side of the piece:


Take a look at the frontal pictures, particularly the drawstrings. I wonder if those large turks-head knops are not in fact part of the drawstring, but there to aid opening the bag.. in which case the drawstrings appear to pass through a hole in the center of each.

Go out and buy...

...Olaf Goubitz's Purses in Pieces: Archaeological Finds of Late Medieval and 16th-century Leather Purses, Pouches, Bags and Cases in the Netherlands.