I’ve had a very long and frankly rather peculiar day but during its course I was presented with two more objects from the new boxes of Autry Family materials. Have a look:
They are 1920s vintage purses. The larger one is actually small and the smaller one is tiny, not even as big as the palm of my hand. You couldn’t put anything substantial in it. Notice it also has a ring on top, just perfect for attaching one of those little tubes. As for the tubes, I’m pretty well convinced that they are lipstick tubes. On further inspection one of them has a little bit of . . . something . . . inside it. I don’t know what hundred year old lipstick looks like but it could be that.
Bonus: I grow anxious for Christmas break.
Yes, I’m sure these were things that attached to a chatelaine (a woman’s belt that was worn kind of like jewelry, that held keys and all kinds of things). How fascinating!
>
It really is! I’m so grateful for all the help.
Also, here is a link to an article about them. (I didn’t read through the whole thing, so apologies if there is anything crazy in it.) http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/the-killer-mobile-device-for-victorian-women/
>
I suspect that the book mentioned in that Collectors Weekly article that jkh6 posted above might be useful in identifying the specifics of the Woodson items. It’s title is: “Chatelaines – Utility to Glorious Extravagance” by Genevieve E. & Nerylla D. Taunton Cummins (editions were published in 1994 and 1996) https://www.amazon.com/Chatelaines-Genevieve-Nerylla-Taunton-Cummins/dp/B001QYLGFW/?tag=colleweekl-20
Worldcat.org shows that the Hirsch Library Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts has a copy of it.
The larger one is a purse suitable for a woman to take to the opera,etc. I have one (long story) of 14 k gold from the 1920’s
Melissa——— I think the smaller one is what my grandmother called a ‘ring bag’ or ‘ring purse’……. a lady could have a ‘hankie’ or a few coins, the purse could hang from her finger while she sipped her tea……or danced. I have one very similar—— As for the little tubes…….???
Susie
>