Pouch

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This early-19th century bag is in its original condition; its miniscule copper beads intact. The size is worth noting as beads tended to get larger as the 19th century progressed. The central flower and vine motif is a standard element but the border decorations are somewhat unusual. Margaret S. Bedell (1861-1932) donated, by gift or bequest, over 500 objects to the Brooklyn Museum, including furniture, quilts, samplers, costume and Native American beadwork. Her collection of American and European beaded bags includes examples from Philadelphia and the Catskill Mountain region of New York State, as well as Italy, Austria, Germany, and Holland.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art