Show us your handbags!

[PrettySquareGal]

I am now in the market for a vintage handbag or two. Please post pics if you have some!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Here's a few. My taste in bags generally runs to the simple and functional, but it'll give you an idea of different styles...

A very traditional black leather daytime bag for those shopping jaunts downtown.

This is actually my regular everyday bag -- it's a reproduction of a WW2 WAC issued brown leather shoulder bag. The strap is removable and can be reconfigured as a handbag. I like it for daily use because it's a lot more spacious inside than it looks, and comfortably holds all my junk -- uh -- necessities.

This is kind of a fun, casual fabric forties-era daytime bag -- not real roomy, but wicked cute.

My evening bag, dahling. Black silk with a rhinestone encrusted clasp. Last carried at the Oscar weekend festivities at the theatre, and is best accompanied by long white gloves...

I've had some more -- unusual -- bags, including one with a finely tooled image of a Mayan king, and another manufactured from the hide of an armadillo -- but they have disappeared into the depths of my closet. To be honest, the armadillo one is kind of scary looking, so it's just as well.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Wonderful! :eusa_clap The top bag is exactly the kind I am seeking, and if I could swing it, maybe a gator bag.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Thank you, handbag fairy

What luck I've had with finding things I want. I just got all of these handbags for only $5 each! The dealer had just brought them in. Timing is everything when collecting. I also got a vintage hankie.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Well now! Very nice! A good variety there -- now it's time to start looking for shoes to match...

(Can you tell I'm looking forward to us going shopping together??)

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Well now! Very nice! A good variety there -- now it's time to start looking for shoes to match...

(Can you tell I'm looking forward to us going shopping together??)

Thanks!

But given my foot troubles and recent physical therpay for it, I'm stuck with modern "comfortable" shoes.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

1940s handbags are one of my favorite things to collect! I don't have many pictures of my collection, but this is one of my favorites:

A Whiting & Davis Alumesh purse with a Bakelite handle:

 

[ladyk]

jitterbugdoll, that is just stunning!

xx

 

[decodoll]

I have one almost exactly like that, Jitterbugdoll. Just a slightly different shape. It's one of my favourites too.

 

[Rosie]

What luck I've had with finding things I want. I just got all of these handbags for only $5 each! The dealer had just brought them in. Timing is everything when collecting. I also got a vintage hankie.

:eusa_clap Really nice, I LOVE that little black patent leather kind of doctor baggish one. My everyday bag, which isn't vintage but kind of looks vintage-y is similar to this. Great buys.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

:eusa_clap Really nice, I LOVE that little black patent leather kind of doctor baggish one. My everyday bag, which isn't vintage but kind of looks vintage-y is similar to this. Great buys.

Thanks!

 

[Rebecca D]

Does anyone make their handbags?

I have a bunch of vintage fabric that I think would look great as handbags, and I recently discovered timtex

http://www.timtexstore.com/cgi-bin/...d=3518183.29479.s0&lastmenu=&product=tim_main

So, soon I'm going to have a collection of really huge 1940s clutch bags. Does anyone else make their own? I'd love to see them.

 

[Rosie]

I'm thinking of making my own, especially clutches, which seem sort of simple to make. I've been on this huge "I can make that" trip lately.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

I have not, but have seen a seller on eBay that does, and her bags are adorable! I do have a couple of 1940s purses that were definitely handmade. Also, I have a large crocheted clutch (with matching hat and hat pin), and I think it would be fun to learn how to make something similar (I've seen a ton of darling crochet purse and hat patterns.)

These patterns are quite neat:

 

[decodoll]

Here they are...

I finally took pictures of my handbags...

1940's black corde clutch with lucite clasp.

1930's black leather handbag.

1940's navy corde with lucite handles.

1940's brown corde.

1940's Whiting and Davis purses. The gold one was my Gramma's.

1940's black corde, faille with lucite clasp, 1950's evening purse, and 1920's crocheted and wooden beaded bag.

1950's gold and black basket purse.

Listed as 1930's (doubtful) not sure of age, olive handbag.

And the Tiki purse.

 

[jitterbugdoll]

Ooh, the olive one is my fave!

 

[decodoll]

Ooh, the olive one is my fave!

I wish I had something perfect to wear with it! I've never actually carried it. I got it to go with an outfit for Gatsby because in the auction picture it looked more of a kelly green, but when it came was definitely olive. Any thoughts on age? As I said, the seller said 30's, but the lining just doesn't seem right for that age. It is definitely a synthetic, possibly acetate. Which I suppose could be 30's since it was introduced in 1924, but it's just unusual.

Also, does anyone know when the first plastic zippers were available, not nylon, but plastic. The 1940's clutch bag at the top just arrived in the mail yesterday. It has two zippers. Both are very usual. The first is a Nu-Zip metal coil zipper. The other is a chunky plastic zipper with a little rectangular pull that says Talon on it attached by a little cord. It doesn't appear to be replacement zipper.

 

[Lauren]

hmm... I have a purse with an early plastic zipper- the teeth are rather rounded at the ends. I'm guessing the early plastic zippers were late 30's-early 40's, but don't quote me on it.

Here's a pretty cool page on the history of the zipper.

BTW, adorable purses!!

 

[decodoll]

Very interesting site! Thanks, Lauren.

 

[BlancheDubois]

Vintage - the one in the center was my Grandmama's:

Not vintage, but I like these when I'm not wearing yellow gold jewelry:

Black evening bags:

More black evening bags:

Lighter evening bags -- the beaded clutch was a gift from my aunt who purchased it in China in the 1960s:

Evening bags -- the one with the rhinestone clasp was a gift from a friend of my mother's. She bought it as a teenager in the 1940s.