April, 1914 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
U9 
Bead Bags 
By Jennie Young Chandler 
Photographs by the Author 
ME FASHION having decreed the revival 
f the bead bag, forth from ancient chests, 
runks and boxes lucky possessors are 
ringing genuine old-time examples laid 
way when silk, velvet and leather hand- 
tags came into vogue more than half a 
century ago. The beaded bags or "reticules” of early days, 
dating back many of them to 1770, were very different from 
the machine woven ones of to-day. About that time women 
first began to carry purses. The bead reticules were de- 
signed to hold them and take the place of the handkerchief 
pockets of embroidered silk and linen previously worn. It 
was possible to buy very few manufactured personal articles 
of the sort in those days. Women made all their own 
triHes of dress and the early bead bags were all hand-made, 
'i'hey were fashioned of the minutest of beads, the patterns 
being crocheted on the finest of silk. Patterns were elabo- 
rate and difficult to copy as they were done by formula. 
Though frequently grotesque in design the coloring of the 
beads and skilful workmanship made these bags really 
beautiful and they were among the most highly prized of 
our great-grandmothers' small possessions. Patterns were 
as zealously guarded, we are told, as the secret processes 
of lost arts. To lend one was considered the strongest 
mark of friendship between women. Very few early bags 
had metal mountings. Even the handsomest were finished 
with a binding of black velvet, black or colored silk drawn 
up with ribbons or draw-strings of the same. Sometimes 
silk tops closing in a ruffle were added, d’he head bags here 
illustrated are from the collection of Mrs. 1 homas A. 
Lawton, of Newport, Rhode Island, d he bag with metal 
mounts shown in the reproduction on this page is a very rare 
example. I'he bead work is early American, floral in de- 
sign with the Initials M. IL W., but the silver mounting 
which is very beautiful, is French, and dates back to about 
1784. The other bags pictured below are fine speeijuens of 
combination floral and landscape pattern belonging to Mrs. 
George B. Coggeshall, also of Newport. At the top of the 
page on the left is shown an heirloom owned by Mrs. 1 lenry 
Robinson of Andover, Mass. It is notable for its exquisite 
iridescent gold-fleeted foundation beads ami clearness and 
perfection of design. ;V plaid silk top and quaint archi- 
tectural pattern give interesting character to the bag shown 
on the right at the top owned by Miss I lattie I'.rving, of 
Andover. This bag and Mrs. Robinson’s as well, were 
made in 1820. 
There is one advantage in bead bags as objects for col- 
lecting. They are most easily taken care of and take up 
comparatively little room. An ideal way, of course, where 
one has a small collection is to display them in a small, 
dainty table case. Where an oUi bead bag is not too 
greatly injured it can be repaired by a skilful bead worker. 
