Beaded Purse

Beaded purses were essential accessories for women during the Victorian era and remain popular today. In the late 19th century, many Americans applied for patents for metal purse frames, which could be highly decorative, with faux gems or floral designs. Shops sold these purses readymade, but amateurs could also obtain patterns from fashion publishers. Floral patterns were one of the most cherished. Line and form are stylized according to aesthetic principles of the period, but many blooms are recognizable, such as these flowers, which may be Clivia (natal or bush lily) or fritillaria imperial lily (also called Crown Imperial Lily).