Miser Bag
Subject
Accessories
Title
Miser Bag
Date
ca. 1860 - 1880
Description
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 purse" or "long purse," these items are now most commonly referred to as "miser's purses" in museum collections.
Three colors of silk yarn - a deep green, brown and cream - are crocheted to compose the body of the bag. Metal beads embellish the design throughout. Planed metal rings secure the opening near the center of the miser bag.
Miser bags were one form of bag available in much of the 19th century, used specifically to hold coinage. As the century progressed, they became increasingly decorative and served as markers of their female makers' skill and taste. Both men and women employed the use of miser bags. Men's were generally longer to accommodate more coins, leading to their moniker as "long purses." In contrast, women's tended to be shorter and so were called "short purses."
The popularity of steel beading, popular after steel became massed produced in the late 1850's, could be indicative of the spirit of progress in the period which coincides with the endof the industrial revolution. The intricacy of design also speaks to the leisure time women perhaps gained through advances during the industrial revolution, or secured during a period of growing financial prosperity.
From a brief survey of museum examples, the double layer design of this miser bag appears to be unique and merits further study. If genuinely rare or unique, this sample speaks to the artistry and ingenuity of its maker.
Three colors of silk yarn - a deep green, brown and cream - are crocheted to compose the body of the bag. Metal beads embellish the design throughout. Planed metal rings secure the opening near the center of the miser bag.
Miser bags were one form of bag available in much of the 19th century, used specifically to hold coinage. As the century progressed, they became increasingly decorative and served as markers of their female makers' skill and taste. Both men and women employed the use of miser bags. Men's were generally longer to accommodate more coins, leading to their moniker as "long purses." In contrast, women's tended to be shorter and so were called "short purses."
The popularity of steel beading, popular after steel became massed produced in the late 1850's, could be indicative of the spirit of progress in the period which coincides with the endof the industrial revolution. The intricacy of design also speaks to the leisure time women perhaps gained through advances during the industrial revolution, or secured during a period of growing financial prosperity.
From a brief survey of museum examples, the double layer design of this miser bag appears to be unique and merits further study. If genuinely rare or unique, this sample speaks to the artistry and ingenuity of its maker.
Source
Donor: Mrs. Mervin Miller
Identifier
URI 1956.03.173
Contributor
Michelle Leung
Collection
Citation
“Miser Bag,” Historic Textile and Costume Collection, accessed May 2, 2024, https://uritextilecollection.omeka.net/items/show/287.