In today’s world, a girl isn’t complete without her purse by her side. Fifty and sixty years ago, women weren’t any different. Purses from the ’40s and ’50s were classy and glamorous, but they were also new and exciting with designers taking a lot of chances in their designs. Because of their creativity, vintage bags can hold quite a value for a collector.
Due to the development of the new materials post-WWII era, purses were able to be manufactured much more quickly, leading to a reduction of price in many purses. The result was more affordable and faster manufacturing that equated to a soar in purse sales.
Beaded embellishments like plastic and wooden beads are an indication that the purse was from the ’40s and ’50s. Tapestry and the use of needlepoint were also found on ’50s bags. New and unconventional materials like bamboo, wicker and straw were incorporated into purses in the late ’40s. Eccentric shapes like birdcages and picnic baskets were also used in purse designs. A bamboo purse incorporating a birdcage shape is worth between $70-90. Lucite and Plexiglas were also popular materials for purses in the ’50s.
Applied art purses using jewels, felt, feather, beads and sequins were also a mark of a ’50s purse. Enid Collins was a popular applied art purse designer. An Enid Collins bag is worth between $100-125 today. Her bags came in linen, saddle and wood box bag designs. Other popular purse designers of the time included Majestic Maxim, Tyrolean, Inc., Wilardy Originals and Dorset-Rex. These designers had their own signature styles. Tyrolean used metal filigree while Wilardy favored ornate clasp and a basket weave meant a Dorset-Rex design.
A bag from the ’50s also had a little bit of a futuristic feel to it. Lucite and Plexiglas perpetuated the trend, but another type of design took it to the next level. With the use of plastic in bags came a plastic design that was similar looking to a telephone cord. These unique bags were brightly colored, often in multiple colors, which were geometrically displayed. Today, one of these plastic coiled bags is worth between $50-75.
Not only are these vintage purses a blast from the past, but they also hold their monetary values. For example, an appliquéd purse from the 1950s, depending on its condition and rarity, may be worth between $100-125. A “Wadsworth Carry-All” from 1947, with its gold initial plate on the front and powder compartment and cigarette case is valued between $100-125. A caviar beaded purse from the late ’40s is valued between $40-60. A carved Lucite bag’s price begins at around $125.
If you’re looking to start a vintage purse collection, look carefully at the condition of the bags you’re interested in. If a bag is missing a few beads, that’s fairly easy to repair. But a bag with cracked Lucite or ripped fabric or other material can turn out to be too much work and effort to repair. Check out flea markets and antique shops and, of course, eBay for these vintage finds.
