Reticule
PeriodCirca 1832
Place MadePossibly New Jersey, U.S.A.
MediumSilk, pasteboard, silk braid
Dimensions6 × 3 in. (15.2 × 7.6 cm)
ClassificationsCostume, Women's
Credit LineMuseum Collection
Object number2024.515
DescriptionA small reticule or woman's purse, constructed of five cardboard or pasteboard panels cut in a navette shape, or an ovoid with tapered, pointed ends. Each panel is covered with a portion of a fine off-white silk ribbon, printed with George Washington's face in oval, with the inscription "Centennial / Anniversary / of the birthday of / Washington / 1832 / Tiller & Winship" above and below the central oval. The inside of the reticule is lined with plain silk. Each join is covered with brown or dull rust red twisted silk guimpe, with a narrow wrist strap of the same guimpe still attached to the top and bottom points of the reticule. When the points are gently squeezed, one of the seams opens to gain access to the interior.NotesThis charming little reticule, worn around the wrist of its owner, was made from silk ribbons printed for the centennial of George Washington's birth. Small tension-style reticules, workbags, and purses were popular novelty accessories, often decorated with silk, satin, braids, and tassels. A small purse of this type would have contained a woman's handkerchief, a small mirror, pins, and other lightweight little items. This would have been a very popular and timely accessory around 1832, when numerous parades, speeches, festivals, and related events were held throughout the young United States to commemorate the birth year of the nation's first president. The printed ribbons themselves, of which there were a number of similar variations, would have been cut and pinned to a person's lapel or coat during one of the celebrations. The purse is well-constructed, and may have been made by an unknown Monmouth woman to celebrate the events.
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