Many people enjoy thrift store shopping, even though they rarely find items like this purse. The small handbag has a crocheted base sewn onto molded plastic handles. When she saw it, Britt knew it was old, but she was unaware of its fascinating history. When she began researching the origins of the evening bag, she discovered the rich history of her five-dollar purchase.
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The purse is unique, and Britt discovers a treasure hidden in the inside pocket. While checking the purse, Britt discovered a pristine ticket dated June 13, 1939! The ticket was for the commencement ceremony for Baltimore City College held at the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute Auditorium that year. WOW!
Britt noticed the purse’s beautiful hand-stitching. The handle was attached to the bag portion with embroidered stitching. Additional research led her to an original sales advertisement for the purse. The retail price at the time was just 79 cents. The handbag was sold as a kit with yarn (gimp) and the molded plastic handles. The handles were available in a variety of color choices. Britt’s bag has a cream-colored handle.
Joining a vintage group on social media, Britt learned a lot about this hand-made evening bag. For a few minutes, she perused the thrift store to find this purse and uncovered a treasure trove of Americana. Brock’s, which began as a “general mercantile” store in Canada in the 1880s, marketed the original bag design. One person even supplied Britt with a vintage photograph of a woman carrying the evening bag.
Imagine going into a thrift store and finding a treasure like this purse. If this thrifting adventure made you smile, please share it with your friends.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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