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| This beautiful metal mesh purse belonged to Anne Crowe McMurtrie 1907 - 1998. She lived in Seattle and Bellingham WA. This incredible, historic Whiting and Davis bag was among her all time most prized possessions. When she was out on the town this was on her wrist as she thoroughly enjoyed the clubbing and fun activities of the roaring '20's, and beyond. Thank you so much to her daughter and also her granddaughter, Karen Richstad, who also treasured this fabulous Whiting and Davis family heirloom. If you've never felt a mesh bag, it is truly a treat - soft, smooth, almost silky yet a shiny metal surface that is so flexible in the palm of your hand that it puddles. Whiting and Davis is the genius artistic company for these purses, beginning as a company in 1876 and still in gorgeous business today with purses and also jewelry. Their high quality purses in the 1920's were the coveted accessory of flappers, actresses and well-dressed women everywhere. |
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| The chain mail inspired bags associated with the flapper fashioons of the 1920's were luxury products of jewellers and silversmiths. It was the technical advances of the Whiting and Davis Company that made these more widely available. Early collaborations of Whiting and Davis with eminent fashion names Paul Poiret and Elsa Schiaparelli and continual celebrity endorsements made these bags the forefront of fashion. Anne Crowe McMurtrie's bag is a perfect example of the 1900's coin bag or vanity compact hand bag. The top is a very detailed, round silver. The Chain attached is meant to loop around your fingers, your wrist, or attach to your belt. When opened each came with a very small mirror. As a modern woman you may be thinking, where would I carry all my stuff? There's room with the mirror for small compact, lipstick, perfume, handkerchier, money and a little room left over for whatever else that says - you. |
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| Look at the incredible artistry and detail that still jumps out at you on the top of the hinged lid of this beautifully preserved purse. |
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| What a glorious sparkling accessory. It measures 5" tall and tapers to the top from a bottom width of 4 1/2". The chain hangs almost 5" long. In this shot the hinged gop is flipped open. Dance bags such as Anne McMurtrie's were designed to hang from the wrist so fingers can touch dance partner's fingers. How delightful! Until 1912 this gorgeous mesh was handmade, after that a machine was invented to automate the mesh making process. It's made of small, precious metal rings and are unpainted for the most part, like Anne McMurtrie's. This striking design comes from a mixture of metal colors, artfully joined rings and metal fringe. By the end of the 1920's flat armour mesh painted in bold Deco designs and Dresden mesh, with tiny rings silkscreened by hand in dreamy Impressionistic shades were created. |
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| Were you wondering how this cute bag opens? With the lid flipped up then the crowning top can expand in a crown that measures just over 3" across |
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| Here's a look at the linen lined interior |
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| Timeless - A bag expresses you to others and to yourself There are three levels that measure a person's reaction to a purse: Physical Properties Performance/Functionality Reflective/Emotional tie |
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| Can't you visualize clubbing in 1920's Seattle with your friend Anne, with a shining accessory dangling from your wrist, a sophisticated accent to your flapper ensemble. |
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| The original Whiting and Davis tag inside this beautifully preserved treasure. |
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| Anne Crowe McMurtrie in 1948. Now she's carrying a very vogue purse of this era. By the end of the 1940's bag design had become more structured and leathers were dyed in fashionable hues to tone with the fashions of the period. The 1940's bags were made with clasps that are more discreet, and had wide, soft handles. |
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| Anne and Doris in 1951 in downtown Seattle |
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| In the 1920's women dressed with so much fun - shimmering jewels and rich feathers. There was a freedom in the 1920's; a certain liberty and evolution of women. From the 1920's to the 1950's neon-lit streets pulsed with visual excitement. Thank You so much granddaughter Karen Richstad, for sharing a chapter of the treasure of this Whiting and Davis purse's personal story - in tribute to Anne Crowe McMurtrie |
