RARE ANTIQUE EARLY BRAIDED LACE SWEET BAG GIFT PURSE, METAL THREADS & SPANGLES C. 1600s

A very rare Sweet Bag or Purse, made from one of the earliest Old English coloured and braided Laces. The decorative lace is made from red and yellow silks, with a Silver wrapped thread running though, and adorned with expensive Silver Spangles. The pattern is typical of Tudor and Elizabethan style trimmings, and the old hand cut Spangles can be seen in many museum pieces, used on trimmings such as Elizabethan Gloves, Jackets and Women's Embroidered Coif edgings. The pretty little purse was most probably made as a Sweet Bag. The SWEETE BAGGE, was a very fashionable accessory, filled with sweet scented herbs, and worn suspended from the waist girdle of a Lady. It may also have been used as a gift purse, to hold silver or gold coins for a favour or possibly a Bride. The rich colours are naturally aged now, and the second photograph is best for colour accuracy. The purse has a pale blue silk lining which is now fragile and splitting as shown, and some Spangles have probably been lost over time. The little Bag measures about 3 1/4 inches across the top, and 3 1/4 inches down from the top to the bottom, with ribbon strings which measure around 5 1/2 inches in height. I have tried to show the condition of the purse clearly in the photographs but I have had to be very careful to limit handling, as it is now rather old and delicate. A scarce and a very charming museum piece.