Antique late 1800 to early 1900s leather wristlet chatelaine bag, or reticule purse with a lovely art nouveau etchings around the gold metal frame, a gorgeous lid, and a tassel. The dark brown leather of the purse has been textured with deep furrows evocative of tree bark. Attached to the fabric-lined interior is a small change purse that snaps close and a compact mirror attached to the lid. It opens by pushing the arrow-etched button to the right.

The purse presents in lovely condition, having survived over 100 years! There is some fraying on the edges of the strap and cracking on the underside (that can't be seen). Light scratches to the metal on top and minor fraying to some of the tassel. There is a small dark spot on the lower-left corner of the mirror (anything else you see is shadow). Slightly tactile feeling to the lining, which is free of holes or stains. All of these things are incidental, in our opinion, considering the age of the item.

Quite popular in the dawn of the twentieth century, leather chatelaine bags like this were worn clipped to a belt and, with a leather-covered or plated metal frame and usually sold in a dry goods or department store. A beautiful, one of a kind addition to your collection of antique purses.

The body of the bag is 6" long
12" in circumference at widest point
17. 5" long from strap to tassel
brand/maker: n/a
condition: very good

Near Mint - The vintage piece shows only the slightest signs of being worn.
Excellent - The piece shows typical, although minor, signs of wear.
Very Good - The vintage piece is considered wearable but has some surface flaws i. e. staining, soiling or color damage.
Poor - The item is wearable but shows significant signs of wear, although in many cases, some of these pieces can be restored.

This item is sold from a vintage boutique in New York, New Jersey.