Silver niello purse embellished with diamonds

Purses employing traditional techniques were preferred gifts from Queen Sirikit to first ladies of the United States. One early example, given to First Lady “Lady Bird” Johnson was made of silver nielloware, while subsequent versions displayed the yan lipao basketry weaving that Her Majesty’s SUPPORT Foundation had revitalized. The yan lipao fern vine grows in abundance in the provinces of Nakhon Si Thammarat and Narathiwat, and baskets made from the material were popular during the reign of King Chulalongkorn. Their usage dwindled in the early twentieth century, along with the knowledge of their manufacture. Queen Sirikit, recognizing the importance of this traditional art to Thai culture, established workshops to train new artisans in the difficult and time-intensive process. -
Gift from Queen Sirikit to First Lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, 1966