Doll's Miser Purse

Dollhouses were a popular pastime for wealthy adult women in the 19th-century and they were often custom replicas of their homes, made by the same cabinet makers, upholsterers and other craftsman that produced the life-size version. A way in which to signal their wealth and taste, these dollhouses also inspired a means of control, power and agency for women who otherwise had to conform to societal expectations of submission and obedience. 

Miser purses were also very en vogue in England during the late 18th to early 20th-century. Long and stocking-like with a cinched middle, the purses were fashionable for men and women alike. These particularly exquisite miniature miser purses were made for one such opulent dollhouse, made of gossamer-like netted silk, brass and glass beads. 

Year: c. 1820-1840

Material: Netted silk, glass, brass beads

Dimensions: W 1/2 x H 4 in