Physical description
Embroidered silk handbag with metal and semi-precious stone fittings. The bag is a clutch bag with no handle or strap.
The main part of the bag is made from either a Chinese sleeveband or a section of a Chinese woman's skirt. This is embroidered on a yellow silk ground with peacocks, flowers and butterflies in seed stitch and with gold couched outlines. Down the sides of the bag, and attached to the embroidery, is a blue Chinese woven ribbon. The Chinese silk is incorporated into the bag by means of a metal handbag frame. This frame has a clasp at the top, made from one large pinky stone and two smaller green ones; this clasp slides to the left to open the bag. The bag is lined on the inside with yellow silk satin and there is a central compartment with a metal frame, a small metal clasp and two satin pockets on either side.
There is no Asprey label.
Place of Origin
China (embroidered)
Great Britain (possibly, made)
Date
1920 (made)
Artist/maker
Asprey plc (maker)
Materials and Techniques
Embroidered silk, with metal and semi-precious stone fittings
Dimensions
Length: 22 cm, Height: 15 cm
Object history note
There is no Asprey label and this provenance comes from the donor.
Descriptive line
Embroidered silk handbag, possibly made by Asprey plc, embroidered in China and possibly made in Great Britain, 1920
Production Note
The embroidery is Chinese, and was possibly made into a bag in the UK
Materials
Silk (textile); Metal; Semi-precious stone
Techniques
Embroidered
Subjects depicted
Peacocks; Floral patterns
Categories
Accessories; Textiles; Embroidery; Fashion; Women's clothes
Collection
East Asia Collection