Fashion Accessories
Jewelry
Lover’s Eye Brooches
Portrait miniatures mounted as brooches, pendants, or lockets were very popular items of jewelry during the 18th century. Toward the end of the century, an unusual variation became fashionable: the eye brooch, or lover's... Read More →
Georgian Hearts
Heart-shaped jewels have been around since medieval times, but the hearts in this collection have their origins in the 17th century. A popular Stuart jewel made to honor Charles I was the simple crystal heart-shaped locket... Read More →
Fans
Brisé Fans, Overview
The second most common type of folding fan is the brisé fan, consisting only of decorative sticks with no pleated leaf. The sticks are typically carved or pierced, and held together by a ribbon which is either glued to each stick or threaded through pierced openings at the top of the... Read More →
Ivory Brisé Fan with Applied Decorations
One of the most remarkable things about this fan is the decoration on the upper portion of the sticks. It appears to be a very nice design with flowers, birds, and butterflies. But a closer look reveals that the birds and butterfly wings are actually made of real feathers... Read More →
Purses & Reticules
Beaded Sovereign Purses
These tiny, flat coin purses — called sovereign purses in England — were often kept inside the larger reticule, or hung from a chatelaine. They were sometimes pretty enough to double as an evening... Read More →
Knitted and Netted Purses
Netting was a popular pastime from the mid-18th century through the early 19th century, and was practiced by both men and women. Whereas men generally worked on utilitarian nets for use in fishing, hunting, or gardening, the favorite object for women was the netted purse.... Read More →
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