Bakalite Brass & Bead Fre-Mor Clutch Bag
I picked up this bag in a charity shop in Ireland. I thought it looked vintage and liked the weight of it and the brass balls smelled brassy. There was no damage to the beadwork and only a few minor scuffs, no dents of scratches to the bad itself. The beads are black with a rainbow sheen. Width 15.5cm. Height 18cm. With brass closure 20cm. Strap length 39cm. I think the lining is silk but I may well be wrong and the little pockets inside are piped with gold. The kisslock closure works well and is good and tight. The bottom hinges are perfect. Unfortunately you can see that 1 of the brass strap hinges are missing. The link chain zip says STAR on it.
None as purchased in charity shop for £4
Other
Maybe
The appraised work appears to be a vintage beaded Harlem handbag, possibly c. 1940s. The bag features black seed beads with a tortoise Lucite shell, a beaded strap and gold-tone accents. The style is similar to DuBonnette clutches from around the same time period, but this bag appears to be unbranded. The estimate provided is based on comparables offered and sold at auction. The appraised work’s size, style and condition (based on photographs and information provided) were taken into consideration when determining the estimate. In many cases, pricing for similar examples available on the primary (retail) market vary, and are often higher than secondary (auction) market examples.
