Handbags / Purses

Ever since I attended the purse exhibit in Toledo, Ohio last month [which you can read about here] I thought they would be a fun topic for a presentation.  So I used up my Amazon gift cards that I received for Christmas on three books about purses.  I haven't had time to read them yet, but I will soon.  [I finished Sunday's presentation today.  Yay! Huge relief!]

In any presentation, props are essential.  I haven't saved my purses through the years, and neither did my mother, so I have to keep my eyes open for suitable ones at estate sales and resale shops.

In an estate sale notification yesterday that wasn't too far from my house,  I noticed some purses in the photographs.  So my hubby and I were at the sale by 8:15 this morning to get our street number for admittance.  We were #8 and #9, among the first group to be let into the house when the sale began at 9:00 a.m. 

The purse pictured below was the one I was hoping to get, but a man beat me to it.  It had a $25 price tag.  It's a vintage lucite/bakelite/or celluloid purse from the late 1940's through the 1950's.

All was not lost because I did purchase three other purses that I think will make nice props.  I liked the blue jean purse because it fits in the novelty category, and was only $5.

The other two purses that I bought were more elegant.  The needlepoint purse was $7.

The gold purse was the most expensive at $9.   The three purses totaled $21, so I'm on my way to building a collection, although I'm not going to get too carried away.  All my props are stored in totes in the basement, and labeled for quick and easy access.  Someday, when I stop doing presentations, I'll sell the props and coordinating informational books.

This is what it looks like unfolded.

Since almost all my presentations are given at a tea, it only seemed fitting that I should get a ceramic teapot in the shape of a purse.  This is an Annie Rowe teapot called, "Picadilly."  Isn't it cute?

When roaming around on E-bay I happened to see a Judith Leiber, Austrian Crystal Clutch purse for $1,950.  It won't be a part of my props collection or personal collection either!  ;-)