A Collection of Metal Pillow Purses
Ranked #4,614 in Hobbies, Games & Toys, #54,276 overall
Introduction
From what I've gathered, they range in age from pre-1900's right up to modern day. Most were used as handbags, change purses or necklaces, but were also used for carrying opera glasses. I have been told that the smallest ones were used when a lady went out for the evening, needing to carry only a lipstick, a handkerchief and a few coins.
I have found them in Asia, Canada, India, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, though I have a feeling that most, if not all of them were made in India. Purses I've seen from around the world, large to small, and new to old, feature the same ornate clasp. The introduction image shows the very smallest (two inches) to the very largest (nine inches) in my collection thus far.
Poll - New to you?
1996
How it All Started
My collection started in 1996 when I found a purse at a weekly (seasonal) outdoor flea market in Langford, British Columbia, Canada. I saw it on a vendor's table, and fell in love. I had never seen anything like it before, and was enchanted by its small hard pillow shape and the decorative latch with a matching hinge at the back. The purse was ten dollars however, and I had already spent most of the money I had brought with me. I didn't have the nerve to ask for a better price, so I didn't end up buying it.I thought about that little purse A LOT over the next several weeks, and when I finally returned to the weekly market, more than a month had gone by and I was sure the purse would be gone (I didn't think there was much hope the same vendor would even be there). When I arrived at the market, I made a bee-line for the area where that table had been, and lo and behold, the vendor was there, and beyond all imagination, so was the purse! I immediately paid the full asking price of ten dollars. I simply had to have it.
#01
Enchanted
She was a little beat up, and has a worn spot on the back, but I didn't care - and still don't. She is made of brass with a double band of copper around the middle, and measures 5"w X 4"h. She has lustrous red velvet lining, which makes her unique of all other purses I have since collected, she is still my only lady in red. I have a suspicion though that the red lining is not original to the purse as it is not perfectly fitted inside.When I first acquired her, she was a little dull looking, so I gave her a gentle polish until she was beautifully shining. She looked like gold. I soon learned that polishing antiques is not recommended because it destroys their patina, so I have not polished any of my purses since.
How One Became Many
Several years went by before I thought about acquiring any more of these exquisite treasures. I had been to many more flea markets and many antique stores, but had still never seen another purse like it. It wasn't until I owned a computer years later and discovered online bidding that my single purse started to become a collection.When searching for these beauties online, I quickly found that there was a vast variety of this charming pillow design. Many of these purses have designs hammered into them. Some are not made of brass and copper at all, I have seen lucite, celluloid, purses purported to be made from animal horns, and a great deal of unidentified or wrongly identified materials.
With the exception of one, none of the purses I have purchased have any kind of brand name. Some purses are obviously quite old, while some are obviously brand-new. I have a newspaper clipping from 1995 that indicates a purse without an important maker's mark is worth about $30, though I have seen the prices increase a bit over the years. I'm thankful they're not too expensive, or my collection would never be what it is today. I'm not after them for their value, for me they're almost magical. I love to look at them standing proud and pretty in their display case, and I even use them occasionally when dressing up.
Since acquiring more than twenty at this point, I have more or less decided that I will only 'allow' myself to purchase about one per year. When purchasing for the collection, I will sometimes opt for the imperfect or well-loved purses, for their good value and character.
As my collection is already well rounded, when looking to purchase a new one, I will endeavour to find one that offers something new, some kind of attribute that isn't already represented in the collection. I live in a two bedroom condo, so much as I would love to buy them all, I would quickly run out of space! Perhaps someday I will have a pillow purse gallery? What an enchanting idea...
2004
Purses Two Through Five
With the purchase of my second purse, I developed a routine that I would follow for all of my purses, in that I will cut out the return address (from the box or envelope the purse was shipped in), and put it inside the purse. On the return address I also write the date and I will assign the purse a number (and later I also began writing the amount paid). With so many in the collection, I am happy that I began doing this early on, as by now I'm sure I would have forgotten many of their individual details. #02
Medieval Maiden
The second purse I bought about eight years after finding the first one. This beauty I purchased from Greencastle, Pennsylvania, USA. She's also made of brass with a double copper band around the middle. She has dark purple velvet lining, and measures 7"w X 5"h. I absolutely love her hammered designs, she has a bit of a gothic or medieval look to her. #03
Itty Bitty Pretty
The third purse I bought from Newcastle, Ontario, Canada, and is the darling of my collection due to her diminutive size. I like to wear this one as a necklace from time to time. She always gets comments from people, it's really no wonder, she's just adorable! I'm not positive what she's made of. She's not magnetic, so definitely not made of stainless steel, could be silver or probably nickel. She has dark purple velvet lining, and measures a wee 2"w X 2"h. (Seller's Photo)Since I tend to wear this one occasionally when dressing up, I've noticed that one question people particularly like to ask is whether or not I keep anything inside it, like a locket. I found it was a bit of a disappointment to people and was usually the end of the conversation when I would reply that it didn't have anything inside, so I started carrying around two pennies. Now when I get asked that question, I pop it open, and reply "My two cents worth". Guffaw, guffaw. ;)
#04
Ooohhh Shiny...
The fourth pillow purse in my collection came to me from Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA. I got a good deal on her as her front latch is crooked. She's not magnetic, and weighs almost nothing - about the same weight as the 2" one above that I wear as a necklace, though she's more than double the size at 7"w X 4.5"h. The walls of this purse are also very thin - perhaps aluminum? She has the same dark purple velvet lining as most of my other purses. #05
Dark & Darling
The fifth purse in my collection I purchased from Elmira, New York, USA. Her clasp isn't quite as ornate as most of the others, and she is one of only three in my collection that indicate they're made in India. This one was marketed as being made out of some kind of animal horn, though I don't know that for sure, it could also be celluloid. On quick inspection, she appears to be solid black, but if you look closely in the light, she has striations and depth. She has only a single band around the middle, the band is attached to the bottom half of the purse. She measures 5"w X 4"h and has dark purple velvet lining. She has holes in the brass fittings at the top and bottom corners, which leads me to believe she may have had something like tassels hanging from the bottom corners at some point. 2006
Purses Six Through Fifteen
#06
Floral Spirals
The sixth purse to join my collection came to me from Buna, Texas, USA. She is made of brass with the double band in copper, has a lovely circular floral pattern, with dark purple velvet lining, and measures 7"w X 5"h. She has an attractive hammered border around the edges, offsetting the designs on the front and back. This one is my favourite out of my three purses that have the floral spirals, as the hammering is very high quality. #07
Flowers from India
Purse number seven has four attributes that were a first to my collection; it has holes hammered into the wonderful design, it has black velvet instead of the red or purple, the opening is around the opposite circumference to my other purses, and her chain is attached near the opening instead of at the tips. She measures 6"w X 7.5"h. This one is definitely brand-new and has a "Made in India" sticker around the chain, though I purchased it from Dillon, Colorado, USA. She's simply gorgeous - how could you not love her?
#08
Classy Old Gal
Purse number eight hailed from Claypool, Arizona, USA. This one is especially unique, and is most definitely vintage. She is made entirely of brass, with no copper band around the middle. The opening of this purse is at the top third, giving it a slightly different pillow shape that is less bulbous. It does not have the same ornate closure as my other purses, closing with a simple hook and eye, but does feature the same dark purple velvet lining. There was no chain on the purse when I acquired it, having only a black shoe-lace string which I removed. It still has the little brass key-rings attached to the knots at the top corners where the chain would have been. I got a really great deal on this one, and I suspect it may be the oldest in my collection thus far. #09
Dragon Lady
Purse number nine is honestly one of my favourites, with her gorgeous scales, she is very ornate and decorative. She came to me from San Antonio, Texas, USA, and is made of the usual brass and copper with the dark purple velvet lining. She is 5"w X 4"h, the same size as my very first purse I found at the flea market. This one was another 'must have', she is a beautiful and unique decoration proudly displayed on my fireplace mantle.
#10
Display Model
Hailing from Fenwick, Michigan, USA, purse number ten is nearly identical to purse number three, a tiny 2" X 2" beauty that is worn as a necklace. This one has a very slight imperfection on her clasp. I use her as a 'placeholder' in the display case because purse number three is kept with my jewellery. I didn't buy her with this purpose, I find the tiny ones so adorable, I really just couldn't resist. (Seller's photo) #11
Big & Beautiful
Purse number eleven I purchased as my largest so far, measuring 9.5"w X 6.5"h, most of my other purses can fit inside this one. I purchased this one from Dundee, Florida, USA. She is made of the usual brass and copper with the dark purple velvet lining. It has a floral design very similar to my purse number six and fifteen, in my experience this is the most popular design for pillow purses. Poll - What's your pleasure?
#12
Doppelganger
Purse number twelve is nearly identical to purse number one, but this time with the dark purple lining instead of red. This one was purchased from Kenyon, Minnesota, USA. She came with a newspaper clipping that has "05-95" written on it. The person quoted in the newspaper clipping indicates that pillow purses are from the 1940's (though it is unknown who is being quoted). #13
Asian Inspired
Purse number thirteen was impossible to resist for its juxtaposition between the ornate Victorian-looking clasp, and the Asian inspired dragons. I purchased this one from Los Angeles, California, USA. She is made of brass and copper, though I'm unsure about the dragons. She has the same dark purple lining and measures 7"w X 5"h.
#14
Good Old Days
Purse number fourteen is a bit of a wall flower, but once you get to know her she's loaded with character. She's been well loved her long life as she's showing her age a bit, but her mesh-like exterior is very unique, purforated with about a million tiny holes. She was purchased from Englewood, Florida, USA, is made of brass and copper, with dark purple lining, and measures 5"w X 4"h. #15
Orphan Finds a Home
Purse number fifteen doesn't offer much in the way of a unique characteristic that isn't already in the collection, but I felt for her because her chain was broken and she was so cheap I knew that the seller was 'just trying to get rid of her'. I knew I could give her a good home where she'd be appreciated. She was acquired from Naples, Florida, USA, is made of brass and copper, with the dark purple lining, measuring 5"w X 4"h. She has a hammered floral design similar to purses six and eleven. 2007
The Spending Spree Wanes
#16
Brass Caps
Purse number sixteen is a real beauty. I already had one black pillow purse (number five), but it didn't have the lovely little caps on the corners. Like number five, it also has holes in all four copper tips, suggesting something may have dangled from the bottom corners at some time. It is unknown what material she's made of, she came from Laurel Springs, New Jersey, USA, and measures 6.5"w X 5"h, and has dark blue lining. I absolutely adore how elegant she is, I can picture her being carried by a sophisticated woman in a sleek black satin evening gown.
2008
Purses Seventeen Through Twenty
#17
Intricate Ornament
Purse number seventeen is an absolute treasure. She was purchased from an estate sale in Yorkville, Illinois, USA, she was being sold as a Christmas tree ornament. She has a unique half-pillow shape with the same ornate clasp. Instead of having designs hammered into the surface, she has been decorated with cloth, beads, and embroidery, with an elaborate green trim around her opening. She also features a short beaded chain and four strings of beads that dangle from her bottom edge. She is the only one in my collection with a green velvet interior, she measures 3"w X 2"h. As I find her a bit heavy for hanging on a tree, I imagine that she could have been used as a doll's purse for a very privileged young girl.
#18
Little Figures
Purse number eighteen is certainly unique to my collection. She is heavy, very well constructed entirely of brass, and does not have a chain or a clasp and hinge, her two halves come completely apart. She is decorated with a floral top and bottom with hammered figures that the seller thought were images of Buddha - but they don't look like Buddha to me - those bellies just aren't big enough! She was purchased from Monmouth, United Kingdom, she has no lining, and is among the smaller purses in my collection, measuring 4"w X 3"h. Little Figures - Close Up
What do you 'figure'?
Do you have an idea what these little figures might represent?
Buddha (I agree with the seller)
Deadicated says:
Looks like Buddha to me.
malzeke says:
It looks like Buddha. Your collection is very impressive. Thank you so much for writing this wonderful article. I had no idea about these little treasures and I am really big into antiquing and flea market shopping.
GabStar says:
Definately looks like Buddha
Burningwoodarts says:
I think it looks like a young Buddha.
MoiraCrochetsPlarn says:
Maybe this is Buddha when he was younger.. LOL!
Not Buddha (I'll tell you what I think)
Loveyourshoes says:
It could be Buddhist or a Hindu deity, different types of Buddha just like there are different forms of Buddhism , Theraveda Buddhism and Mahayanna Buddhism are just two . The fat round Buddhas are often Chinese in origin.
intermarks says:
The middle character look more like a king and at the side are the two servant that serving him.
mowug1776 says:
indian or oriental defiantly but he usualy has a more plump body
newbizmau says:
Actually now that I've read skiesgreen's comment: "It looks to me like the female Mother God on whom most religions are based." I think I agree with skiesgreen. Looking closer at the symbols should give more clues.
newbizmau says:
I believe they are Thai. Traditional dancers in Thailand wear similar dress. The figure in the middle looks female to me. The head dress is what gave me the clue. Thailand is a very Buddhist culture.
#19
Neiman-Marcus
Purse number nineteen is the only purse in my collection so far that has any kind of maker's mark; the orange fabric lining (feels like silk) has a label that reads "Made in India especially for Neiman-Marcus", though I purchased her from Bedford, Texas, USA. She has a similar configuration to purse number eight, in that she opens at the top third and has a hook and eye closure instead of the decorative clasp. She has a short but thick chain where each ring in the chain appears to have been individually handmade. She is 7"w X 5"h and appears to be plated with a very shiny gold layer (perhaps over brass?), as some areas of the purse have a bit of wear. I was excited to own this one, being that it's a Neiman-Marcus, but I haven't been able to find any more information about her, such as when she was made.
#20
Hanging Basket
Purse number twenty brings a number of unique attributes to my overall collection. Purchased from Conroe, Texas, USA, she is made from brass with a brass band that is around the bottom half of the purse. She has a woven basket design, she does not have a clasp of any kind, nor does she have a chain. She has three rings on each side (two on the bottom half, one on the top) that a tasselled rope is threaded through, my only purse with a rope and tassels instead of a chain. She opens by sliding her top half up the rope. She has a strange black velvet-like paper lining, which I don't believe is original to the purse due to the crude manner in which the paper was cut and fitted. 2009
Purse Twenty-One
#21
Merry from the Glen
Purse number twenty-one was purchased from Glen Burnie, Maryland, USA, she has a similar construction to purse number seven, in that her opening is around the opposite circumference from most of my other purses. She has a slightly different clasp on the front, as the top and bottom of the clasp are not symmetrical, similar to my tiny necklace purses. She measures 5"w X 6"h, with the dark purple velvet lining, and has some age blemishes that add to her character. She has the similar floral swirls as some of my other purses, but featured in a band down the middle. 2011
Purse Twenty-Two
#22
Spanish Silver
Purchased in February 2011, this little lady is the most recent addition to my collection. She appears to be silver plate over copper due to the bright copper that is showing through where the two halves of the purse come together. She was purchased from Malaga, Andalusia, Spain, and measures a wee 3.5"w X 2.5"h, with dark blue velvet lining. She is the only silver-coloured purse in my collection that is smooth without any designs. A bit too big to wear as a necklace, I imagine this to be the size of purse that ladies would use to carry a lipstick, coins, and handkerchief. The Non-Pillow Purse
This is an interesting purse that I purchased for my mother in 2008. I mention it here as it has the same decorative clasp as my other purses, although it is not shaped like a pillow. It is approximately six inches from top to bottom, and has black velvet lining. I think this purse is really great, it makes me think of gypsies or belly dancers. My mum loves the ornate designs of silver filigree (and her birthstone is emerald), so I knew she would love it too. (Seller's photos)
Poll - Which one?
World Travellers
I knew that most of my purses were from the US, but I was curious to see what it would look like on a map, so I plotted out where each of my purses were purchased from. As I've said, I have a feeling all of these purses could have been made in India, so I've plotted out where they were purchased from, not where they were made. The map would be pretty boring with all the pins in one place! :)
I have used different pin colours to indicate broad geographical areas. You can see that two purses came to me from Canada (green), two purses came to me from Europe (yellow) and the rest were all purchased from the United States (red).
The Un-Collection
This section is dedicated to the ones that got away between 2004 and 2006. Over the years there were many purses that I didn't purchase for various reasons - mostly because I simply can't have them all!! :(Provided purely for educational purposes, these images give you a very informative glimpse into the enormous variety of these designs.
(Each of these were listed on eBay, though their original listings having long since expired.)
Animal Theme
Brand Names
Brass Caps
Brass Caps with Zebra Pattern
Classics
Classic pillow-shaped purses matched with that fabulous clasp.
Depicted with the purse's original purpose of carrying opera glasses.
The Clasp
That same clasp featured on purses that are not pillow-shaped.
Pillow Shaped
Pillow shaped purses that do not feature the same clasp.
The bottom half of the clasp is the same as we've seen, but the top half has a four-panel design that I have only seen once before.
Stripes
Silver tone with copper bands.
Pillow Halves
Although more rare than the full pillow design, there are also purses that have only a pillow shape on the bottom, with a rounded top.
Poll - Would you...?
Shopping for Metal Pillow Purses
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Could it be??
Well there you have it!
Thanks for Visiting
:(manic-nymph:)
Glimmering Pillow-Shaped Guestbook
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Bartukas Mar 16, 2012 @ 1:22 am | delete
- Interesting topic thank you
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MelonyVaughan
Feb 19, 2012 @ 12:13 pm | delete
- Stunning and very creative!
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TheArtLibrarian
Feb 18, 2012 @ 1:08 pm | delete
- Beautiful. Thank you!
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rayray131
Feb 13, 2012 @ 7:29 pm | delete
- They are really quite beautiful.
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signa_strom
Feb 13, 2012 @ 3:29 pm | delete
- I have never seen anything like these in my life -- but it's easy to understand how it could become an obsession -- they are spectacular, unique, and fun. Makes me think of hidden treasure, only the purse is the treasure instead of what's inside. very nice!
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by manicnymph
I've been collecting metal pillow purses on and off for sixteen years. Perhaps you'll love them as much as I do?
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