The first women’s purse appeared in the mid 18th century. Before that, women carried their things in their pockets, hidden in the folds of broad skirts. One of the first women’s handbags, the pompadour, as it was called, was intended mainly for handmade things. A similar handbag, called a reticule, came to be a classic for many years. The handbags carried letters, photographs, jewelry, perfume, a powder box, a mirror, cosmetics and much more. The smaller the bag, the more prosperous the woman was considered, since it was believed that next to her was a man or a servant who carried the rest of her things. Over time, women’s purses grew in size, and apart from odds and ends, they were able to carry books and other things.

Various purses were passed on from mother to daughter, through generations. Purses were both purchased and sewn at home. Craftswomen used different materials: silk and satin, cotton and tapestry, leather and straw, wood and iron. Wealthy ladies adorned bags with beads made of Venetian or Bohemian glass, semi-precious stones and gems, bronze figures, embroidery, applique and cameos. Beaded purses came into style 200 years ago. Keeping their color is a unique quality that the masters used when sewing various designs.
The women’s purse exhibited in the Decembrists in YalUtorovsk, joined the museum’s collection in 2010. It was donated to the museum by a resident of the city of YalUtorovsk, Margarita Chizh, along with several other items. This small beaded bag belonged to her grandmother, ZinaIda Pervushina. ZinaIda Pervushina was born in SemipalAtinsk in 1868. From her young age, she was a skilled craftswoman. Its creator decorated a rectangular purse with colored beads the same pattern was applied to both sides. In the center you can see two yellow-red flowers with stems facing in different directions, lower down there are three blue-lilac flowers with leaves. The lining of the bag is made of a soft beige fabric. The bag snaps shut using a metal ball clasp.