About the Book:

Covering the period from 1600 to the present day, Bags and Purses is a concise history of the bags and purses used by men and women for carrying their money and personal belongings, a subject barely touched on in previous histories of costume.

Examples in Bags and Purses range from the tiny, lavishly embroidered gift purses of the seventeenth century, through the embroidered 'ridicules' of the late eighteenth century and the leather 'hand bags' of the Victorian railway traveller, to the Art Deco bags of the twenties, the classic bags of the 1950s and the unisex styles in the 1970s. Bags and purses have been made in almost every material known to man, from rich silk or silver tissue to paper, shell and PVC, and their variety in construction and appearance, often strikingly beautiful, is fully reflected in the book's illustrations, which are given detailed captions, an important feature. The items shown in Bags and Purses include many never before photographed or displayed to the public.

Bags and Purses will be of value to designer, restorer, collector, and student alike.

What people say:

"...authoritatively written and informative ... can be strongly recommended." — Apollo

"Very well researched and written." — Embroidery

About the Author:

Vanda Foster is an English specialist in historic clothing and textiles. During her career, she has been the Senior Assistant Keeper of Costume and Textiles in The Museum of London as well as the Secretary of The Costume Society, Secretary of The Group for Costume and Textile Specialists in Museums, Treasurer of the West London Museums Group and a trustee of both the Howard Trust and of the William Hogarth Trust.