Miser's Purse
date: label: date made
content: 1840-1870
notes: label: Description
content: The miser purse gained popularity during the 19th century and was widely used until the 1920s. One end of the crocheted purse has twisted steel bead tassels and the other has looped fringe, allowing users to differentiate which end they needed to access. The center of the purse has two rings; separating the rings gave access to the small slit that served as the purse’s opening. The small slit and difficult access gave the purse its “miser” moniker, as it discouraged reckless spending.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Costume
label: See more items in
content: Clothing & Accessories
label: See more items in
content: American Enterprise
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Mrs. S. E. Cummings
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: CS.014391
label: catalog number
content: 014391
label: accession number
content: 055589
objectType: label: Object Name
content: bag, miser
label: Object Type
content: Accessories Carried
label: Object Type
content: Woman
label: Object Type
content: Bag, Miser
label: Object Type
content: Bags
label: Other Terms
content: bag, miser; Bags; Accessories Carried; Female
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: silk (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: steel beads (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 15 in; x 38.1 cm