Edwardian Sterling Silver Bag
These edwardian sterling silver bag examples combine precious metal with silk, chain link, and crocodile skin for evening wear.
Edwardian Sterling Silver Bag
An edwardian sterling silver bag is a small accessory designed for evening use, carrying coinage, calling cards, or small necessities. These pieces appear in forms ranging from simple mesh pouches to structured frames with textile or leather bodies.
The versions most commonly met on this page span the late nineteenth century through to the 1920s, incorporating Victorian, Edwardian, and George V aesthetics. Makers utilised styles including Art Nouveau alongside traditional decorative engraving.
Objects on this page take various designations such as evening purses, cocktail purses, and coin purses. Continental imports and French chain link designs sit alongside British hallmarked pieces from London, Chester, and Birmingham.
Materials and construction
Construction relies upon sterling silver for frames, mesh, and chain mail, paired with soft components like textile linings, petit point panels, and crocodile skin. Metalwork involves techniques such as stamping, link assembly, and blue guilloché enamel applied over a patterned metal base.
British pieces carry hallmarks indicating town assay offices like Chester and Birmingham alongside maker marks, while continental and French imports feature alternative standard marks. Textile and skin sections are secured directly into hinged metal frames or suspended from chain links.
Edwardian Sterling Silver Bag Retail Price Guide 2026
Typical asking prices for edwardian sterling silver bag among the pieces listed under this phrase on Sellingantiques today, from the lower quarter to the upper quarter. They describe what is for sale here now, not the wider market.
Listings on this page span the years 1890 to 1920, capturing Victorian, Edwardian, and George V periods through silver, crocodile skin, textile, and enamel materials.
Distinctions in quality
Quality in an edwardian sterling silver bag rests upon the crispness of the chased or engraved decoration on the frame and the integrity of the mesh or chain link construction. Pieces featuring detailed pictorial scenes, such as repoussé figures, demonstrate higher artisanal investment than plain polished surfaces.
The incorporation of complex materials like blue guilloché enamel or genuine crocodile skin elevates a piece above standard silver plate or simpler textile pouches. Hallmark clarity and the reputation of makers like John Collard Vickery provide further indication of workshop standard.
John Collard Vickery·The Boots Company·Robert Cawley·G. Norman
The Edwardian Sterling Silver Bag Glossary
- Sterling silver
- A silver alloy containing 92.5 percent pure silver and 7.5 percent other metals, usually copper. This standard is indicated on British pieces by the lion passant hallmark.
- Guilloché enamel
- A decorative technique where a precise geometric pattern is engine-turned into metal and covered with translucent enamel. It provides a coloured, lustrous surface on purse frames.
- Chain mail
- Interlinked metal rings forming a flexible fabric. Evening purses from this era frequently utilise fine silver rings to create a fluid, draping body.
- Petit point
- A form of tent stitch embroidery executed on single-thread canvas using fine wool or silk. These panels form the decorative body of specific Victorian and Edwardian evening purses.
- Repoussé
- A metalworking method where the design is hammered into relief from the reverse side. This technique creates three-dimensional pictorial scenes on silver frames.
Edwardian Sterling Silver Bag: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an edwardian sterling silver bag?
An edwardian sterling silver bag is a compact evening accessory created to hold small personal items during social engagements. They combine precious metal frames with flexible pouches made of chain mail, mesh, textile, or crocodile skin.
These accessories reflect the shifting decorative tastes of the early twentieth century, incorporating styles from Art Nouveau floral motifs to classic George V engraving. They were designed to be carried in the hand or suspended from the wrist by a delicate chain.
How were these bags used?
These pieces served as functional accessories for elite women attending evening events, dinners, and cocktail parties. Their interiors were sized specifically for coins, handkerchiefs, calling cards, and small cosmetics.
The inclusion of specialised coin purses and cocktail purses indicates their role in specific social rituals of the Edwardian and post-war periods. The delicate nature of silk linings and chain links restricted their use to formal occasions rather than everyday travel.
How do I care for silver mesh?
Silver mesh and chain link require gentle handling to prevent individual links from catching, kinking, or pulling apart. Storage should involve flat placement in soft pouches rather than hanging by the delicate chains.
Cleaning should avoid aggressive chemical dips, particularly on pieces containing enamel, textiles, or crocodile skin. A soft microfibre cloth removes surface tarnish without abrading the stamped or engraved details on the metal frame.
How do I identify the period?
Dating relies upon a combination of British hallmarks, import marks, maker stamps, and stylistic indicators. Assay office marks and date letters stamped on the silver frame provide precise years of manufacture for British pieces.
Stilistic cues such as sinuous Art Nouveau lines or geometric George V forms help narrow down the era. Continental and French pieces often utilise distinct regional purity marks rather than standard British leopard heads and lion symbols.