Many Christmas moons ago, I opened a gift from my mother and inside the pretty box was an unexpected treasure – a tooled leather handbag, circa 1915.
During WWI, after years of delicate handbags made of beads, mesh, or fabric, leather purses were in vogue. Since women stepped up to work (and picket for the right to vote) while men went to fight, a sturdier slightly larger handbag was needed.
But I love the fact that beauty was still in play. My leather bag has an Art Nouveau design in the tooled leather and on the metal frame. The frame, by the way, was made by frame manufacturer JEMCO.
A very special gift that remains the prize of my collection. Sometime later my mother gave me a vintage style Shafer pen, which she thought went well with the purse.
OverDressedforLife wishes readers a Merry (and safe) Christmas. Check back tomorrow for Day Two of The Twelve Days of Vintage Handbags.
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