Floral embroidered purse used by Dinah Washington
date: label: Date
content: 1940s
name: label: Created by
content: Unidentified
label: Used by
content: Dinah Washington, American, 1924 - 1963
notes: label: Description
content: This black purse with floral embroidery was used by Dinah Washington. The purse is made from black synthetic satin shaped in a rounded pouch and gathered along the straight top edge to the hinged metal opening. A pink rose is embroidered at the center of one side and surrounded by smaller flowers in blue, yellow, and white. The gold-colored hinged opening has a floral vine engraved along the side. The clasp at the center opening consists of an oval raised metal piece covered in iridescent white seed beads along the top side and a circular raised metal piece covered in iridescent white seed beads at the front side. The oval piece has a curved side that fits over a hinge on the top of the circular piece. To open the purse, the circular piece lifts from the bottom to release the oval piece from the hinge. A short loop of thin chain is attached to the hinge on either side of the clasp. The purse is lined in black synthetic satin and there is one (1) interior self-fabric side pocket. Printed in gold below the pocket opening is the text "MADE IN FRANCE / HAND MADE".
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Fashion
label: Topic
content: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
label: Topic
content: Jazz (Music)
label: Topic
content: Music
label: Topic
content: Musicians
label: Topic
content: Popular music
label: Topic
content: Rhythm and blues (Music)
label: Topic
content: Singers (Musicians)
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Fashion and Historical
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Dinah Washington's Family
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2011.87.2
objectType: label: Type
content: purses (bags)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: synthetic satin, metal, and glass beads
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 6 x 7 1/2 x 1 in. (15.2 x 19.1 x 2.5 cm)
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D (handle extended): 8 3/4 × 7 3/4 × 1 1/4 in. (22.2 × 19.7 × 3.2 cm)