The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-18
The BEAD BAG HERE AGAIN
AND AT PRICES RANGING FROM
75 CENTS TO SIsJ.

me Latter Antiques Mounted I'm silver Set
with Jewels IN Pretty I'm CoIOrinE
The Assortment This Year More
Varied and Comprehensive Than Ever.
An illustration Of the law of oompensa-
ton Is found in the pooketbooks n hand
bags now spread out temptingly In the
h cases of jewellers and silversmiths,
in department stores, ir shops which deal
chiefly in leather goHds.
In the old days women had pockets in
their gowns and jackets, but they certainly
did not have the tremendous assortment
OF hand receptacles for money; samples
and the other odds and end a woman loves
to carry in a handbag. now placed at their
disposal-an assortment this year larger,
more beautiful, more costly and also cheaper
than ever before.
Given the choice between a pocket in
her dress and one Of the newer handbags
there is no question which the New York
m would prefer. She might like to
have both. but in making a choice the dress
pocket wouldn't nave a chance.
A remarkable feature OF this seasons
display Is bead chatelaine bags and card
cases. which in price run from rs cents to
eAtJ' iOttlltI pTlCt Woulu puTCtarc q
card case or a tiny bag Of domestic make
and pressed beads, mounted in imitation
gold or silver. For SITS you can buy an
imported antique bag, beautiful as a pic
ture, anywhere from seven to ten inches
in diameter, mounted in sterling silver.
gilded and studded with water pearls and
limitations Of fancy stones.
At SIS the mounting has no jewels and the
bag is not always an antique. although
equally beautiful. In fact, many purchas-
ers prefer the moderns to the antiques. be-
cause a trife fresher in coloring.
At one store an antique bead bag was
displayed with pride by the wholesale buyer
who had picked up a few in Paris. IL was
about nine inches long and almost as wide
at the lower edge. which had rounded cor
ners. The upper edge was fitted to a slightly
bow shaped mounting and was perhaps a
trifle less than eight inches wide
Roth sides Of the bag were worked in a
pattern Of deep pink roses and green leaves
on a cream white ground and finished with
a bead fringe one inch deep. The mounting
of the bag, it was explained, was new,
although the carving and jewel finish were
a reproduction Of old styles, az was also the
gold chain and the chatelaine hook.
The thing was very dainty and effective.
and worn with a carriage, theatre or lunch
con gown would be very smart-but sl55'
When the buyer was asked II he expected
to sell the bag at that price his answer
was:
"W Q have sold several already and indica-
tons are that the supply Of the handsomer,
imported, bead bags will fall short Of the
demand
bark rich colors in conventional designs
are shown in the high grade lead bags,
as well as highest shades, some Of which
combine pale pink, white and gold. One
bag has the upper half of black and gold
beads in irregular blocks and the lower
part in pink roses on a white ground.
Still another very elective pattern sug-
gests the japanese. with its minglinG of gay
flowers on a bright blue ground. Again.
some of the most popular are self toned.
For instance, at a Fifth avenue silveTsmith's
there are exquisite examples OF mauve
touched up with n tracery Of white, of soft
green relieved with an outlining OF gold
beads and Of a reddish tint, which is the
outcome OF a flower design Ion by mingling
beads Of almost every shade of pink and red
from the palest TO the deepest. At this
place $40 would purchase a 7 by s inch
bead bag Of fine quality. and smaller sizes
could he had at corresponding figures.
Bead card cases 1T the same store cost
from s. up TO S2S. for a a.? by ga inch or
a 4 by 3 inch, which are the correct sizes.
An exquisite example was of nale green,
white and gold heads combined in a small
leaf design and lined with white silk. The
price WIS S22.
As the various dealers point out, the
work on the imported bead bags and card
Cases is all done by hand, some of the more
intricate designs taking several months to
finish. because the workers must often stop
for three or four days at a time in order
to rest their eyes. This accounts for the
high prices.
A close second to the bead bags in cost and
p-icturesqueness are Bags of tapestry, of
silk, of satin and Of suede embroidered in
beads apd mounted with a chatelaine or
with a chain without the chatelaine.
In the tapestry variety narrow stripes
separated by a small floral design are heavily
outlined near the mounting or down either
side of the front of the bag, or across the
lower edge with bead appliques agreeing in
color with the tapestry. In these there are
dozens of varieties from which to choose.
Similarly the suede and the satin bags are
ornamented with bead embroidery in many
degrees Of elaboration. and the combinations
which sell the most readily are cream color
embroidered in silver, in steel and in gold,
the palest gray and a delicate ecru en-
broidered in steel beads and mounted in
silver. Nothing more beautiful than some
OF the silk tapestry bags, embroidered
lavishly with gold beads and mounted in