Ladies' Purses

Here, I have collection of ladies' purses which are made for English ladies during the Victorian era. These purses or handbags were also being used by the more anglicized of Straits Nyonyas on certain formal occasions.

Purse 1 Size : 12cm x 13.5cm
From an artistic point of view, there is perhaps nothing remarkable about this Victorian-inspired Nyonya purse. However, when you begin to scrutinize the pouch carefully, you soon realize that it is made up of a fine network of tiny, hand-made silver rings. In fact, well over thousands individually soldered miniature rings ingeniously interlocked to give flexibility to the pouch. How much time, you may ask, was expended in putting together a network of thousands tiny, interlocking silver rings like this. The purse is suspended by chains attached at the topmost end to a clip which can be inserted into the side of a silver belt.

Purse 1

Purse 2 Size : 5.5cm x 10.5cm
This purse is used by the young Nyonya girl.

Purse 2

Purse 3 Size : 17.5cm x 19.5cm
Czechoslovakia needle point purse with floral design on both sides.

Purse 4 Size : 17cm x 25cm
Genuine Italian leather, "Antico" collection Bonia purse.

Purse 4

Purse 4

Purse 5 Size : 13cm x 15cm
Victorian silver mesh drawstring purse.

Purse 5

Purse 5

Purse 6 Size : 21cm x 35cm
Victorian crocheted purse.

Purse 6

Purse 6

Purse 6

Purse 6