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A beautiful vintage silver-toned chainmail coin purse, believed to date from approximately the 1940s to early 1950s.
The purse is made from exceptionally fine, fluid metal mesh, suspended from an unusual expandable gate-style frame. When opened, the articulated frame unfolds into a wide rectangular opening, making the small purse surprisingly accessible while allowing it to collapse neatly when closed.
The outer frame is richly decorated with pressed geometric panels incorporating stylised flowers, sunbursts and diamond-shaped borders. A sliding patterned fastener and ball-shaped clasp secure the purse, with a single clear paste stone providing a subtle touch of sparkle.
Often known as gate-top purses or “beggar’s bags”, small mesh purses of this type were used for carrying coins and other tiny essentials. Similar examples were produced in Germany during the middle decades of the twentieth century, although this example does not appear to retain a visible country-of-origin or maker’s mark.
A wonderfully tactile and beautifully engineered vintage accessory, ideal for a mesh-purse collection, period display or use as a small evening coin purse.
Features
- Vintage chainmail mesh coin purse
- Approximately 1940s to early 1950s
- Silver-toned base metal (potentially silver plate)
- Fine flexible metal mesh body
- Expandable concertina gate-top frame
- Pressed floral and geometric decoration
- Sliding ball-topped fastening
- Clear paste-stone accent
- Compact unlined interior
- Unmarked
- Not tested for silver content
Measurements
- Width across closed frame: 2.5"
- Length including mesh: 3"
- Maximum width across mesh: 3.5"
- Maximum opening: 2 x 2.5"
Condition
Good vintage condition with age-related wear.
The mesh remains soft and flexible but shows some distortion, creasing and unevenness from age and storage. There appear to be a few loose, stretched or replaced attachment loops where the mesh joins the frame, together with some empty frame holes. Please inspect these areas carefully.
The frame has surface scratching, tarnishing and areas of plating wear. The clear paste stone has some age-related dulling. The articulated gate mechanism opens as shown; the security of the sliding fastening has not been confirmed.
The purse has not been aggressively polished and retains its vintage patina.
