Beaded bag

Beaded items of all kinds were extremely popular in the 1820s and 1830s. Women could purchase ready-made beaded items, such as drawstring bags (called reticules), matching sweater and cap sets for babies, bracelets, and even parasols, all generally made in Germany. Alternatively, they could make their own items, such as this bag, with beads imported from Bohemia. This reticule is worked with the inscription “Almira H. White Hartford 1833.”