Browse Items (13 total)

This dark tortoiseshell comb once belonged to the Connecticut-born artist Nina Greenleaf, who lived much of her life abroad in England, France, and Spain. This comb is from Spain, and it probably dates from the 1920s or 1930s. The Spanish word for…

This comb has a 2" upper section with a central flower motif. It should have twenty-one teeth, but one is broken. In Spanish, such combs are known as "peineta," and they are worn to support lace mantillas. Tortoiseshell was a popular material for…

The donor information collected with this handwoven and handsewn bag indicates that it belonged to a member of the donor's family in Philadelphia and was used to hold personal items. The small blue and white plaid fabric is in good condition and…

This artifact is a small round bag intended to be held in the hand by ribbons attached to each end. The ribbons end in bows. The bag has an opening across its length to access the contents. The handbag’s outer fabric is a light brown silk taffeta, a…

Human's fascination and obsession with curls as symbols of divinity is long recorded in history and across a range of ancient cultures. An important aspect of beauty and prestige, depictions in paintings and representations of gods and goddesses…

These are a simple pair of glasses with small lenses set within a coin silver frame, with extendable bows (or ear pieces) able to be adjusted to the user's preferred length. These spectacles likely date to the early 19th century, possibly between…

These spectacles, made with French or blue steel frames and tinted lenses, have a crank-style bridge and ladies-style temples or ear pieces. Their small size, oval-shaped lenses and tinted glass suggest they were worn by a woman in the mid-19th…

Gloves were a social necessity in the Victorian Era. At this time, having feet and hands that appeared small was considered fashionable, so gloves worn at this time were very tight-fitting. People owned numerous pairs to keep up with the various…

This object is identified as a miser bag. This label tells us both its function, as a bag for holding items, specifically coins, and style, oblong with a slit near the middle and a pair of rings to secure the coins. Contemporaneously called a "short…

Within the Victorian Era spectacles became popular due to the development of opthalmology, changing environments, and fascination with the eye in general. An increase in the social practices of reading for leisure, and compulsory education also…