miser's purses en

Knitted or crocheted bags popular from the 19th century. They are often tube-like and narrower in the middle, with rounded or squared ends. Miser’s purses were usually gender-specific in the first half of the 19th century. Short purses 4 to 6 inches in length were for women and long purses 7 to 10 inches long for men. By the mid-19th century, all were the larger size to accommodate larger coins. They would triple in length by the early 20th century. They are most typically opened via a slit in the middle, held together by rings. Often they are embellished with beadwork motifs.