 If you're in town then come and visit us at: The Antique Connection Mall 12815 Central NE Albuquerque New Mexico, 87123 USA See More | Lovely lady with a leather Arts & Crafts purse attached at her waist chatelaine style, circa 1910. | The Arts & Crafts purses may have been inspired by William Morris’ designs and Elbert Hubbard’s Roycrofter molded leather book bindings and purses. There were many makers of these Arts & Crafts purses, as well as the fittings and the frames. Some of my favorites are Meeker (Joplin, MO), Enger Kress, Amity, Justin, Bosca (Springfield, Ohio) and Kranz of Cordova Shops (Buffalo, NY). Metal fittings for these purses were made by Jemco and Turnloc and others. They were most popular from the turn of the century to the 1930s and they are made of genuine leather. | This 2-1/3" by 3-1/3"
photograph of a stylish couple was taken in about 1920, and if you look closely, you will see that she carries a leather Arts & Crafts handbag. |
PURSE Arts & Crafts leather purse with Jemco frame, elegant and simple stripe design on bag and flower and leaf design on pull tab, circa 1935, 7" by 7-3/4". Illegible mark inside with bull’s head logo. This page from the 1932 "Denver Jeweler’s Buyer’s Guide" shows a selection of similar Mastercraft purses of the same era. View View View View #P32271 | CORDOVA Arts & Crafts leather purse with floral motif, circa 1920, 7" by 7". View View View View #P27863 | JUSTIN Arts & Crafts leather purse with rose and leaves design, circa 1920, 5-1/2" by 5-3/4". View View View #P28099 |
PURSE, "new Perle at Noir color, fuchsia motif, fancy butler silver frame with Turn Loc clasp." Denver Jewelers Buying Guide, 1932 | MASTERCRAFT purses. "Handbags of genuine imported English steerhide with matching suede linings." Denver Jewelers Buying Guide, 1932 | PURSE "star flower motif with Glo d’Or treatment, fancy rose gold finish frame with Turn Loc clasp." Denver Jewelers Buying Guide, 1932 |
MEEKER Arts & Crafts leather purse with floral motif, coin purse and mirror inside, 6-1/4" by 6-3/4". This purse can be seen in Evelyn Haertig’s More Beautiful Purses on page 133. View View #P12724
| MEEKER "Madge Bellamy" leather purse with fitted mirror, pencil and comb inside, almost child sized at 4-1/2" by 4-1/2" with 10" handle, circa 1920. There was a Madge Bellamy who was a popular 1920s actress, and I assume that is the person after whom the style was named. View View View View
View #P20496 | ARTS & CRAFTS "K" leather purse with the mark of a diamond, mark of Frederick Kranz , Cordova Shops, New York circa 1920, 8-1/2" by 6". Inside are three compartments with matching billfold and leather notepad. View View #P12722
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ARTS & CRAFTS Justin little girl’s size 5-1/2" by 5" leather purse circa 1920. This is unusual for it’s miniature size, its floral engraved gold tone frame and its motif of olives and leaves. View #P17894 | ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with three roses in a pedestal basket motif, 6" by 6" with 12" handle. This has an unusual silver frame with an engraved floral motif, circa 1920. View View View View #P26686 | MEEKER Arts & Crafts leather purse with morning glory motif circa 1920, 6" by 6". Leather covered mirror and coin purse inside. View #P12725 |
AMITY leather Arts & Crafts purse with unusual berries design, 6-1/4" by 6-1/2" with 13" handle, circa 1920. ViewView View #P26647 | MEEKER leather Arts & Crafts purse with stylized open flower and leaf motif, back strap, 5-1/2" by 5-1/2", circa 1920. View View View View #P26642 | MEEKER Arts & Crafts leather purse floral design, circa 1920, 6" by 7". View View View #P25076 |
ARTS & CRAFTS purse marked "genuine steer hide" with a lovely wild rose motif, back strap, 7-1/2" by 6", circa 1930. View View View #P16552 | MEEKER Arts & Crafts leather purse with mistletoe design, front flap opening, 9-1/2" by 7" with double hand straps, circa 1920. View View View View #P26640 | ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with brass frame, medallion motif, built-in mirror (silvering gone), side pockets and 1-1/2" pill box. View View View View #P26644 |
ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse basket of sweet peas purse with Jemco frame, circa 1930. A lovely an unusual motif with the handle as is and one corner separating, 7" by 6-1/2". This page from the 1932 "Denver Jeweler’s Buyer’s Guide" shows a selection of similar Mastercraft purses of the same era. View View View Separation #P25402 | ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with floral motif with back strap, circa 1920. View View #P13325 | ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with unusual bird motif, circa 1920. This purse can be seen in Evelyn Haertig’s "More Beautiful Purses" on page 132. View View View #P12727 |
BOSCA Arts & Crafts leather purse with rose and leaves design, 6-1/4" by 6-1/4". The Hugo Bosca company made their leather goods in Springfield, Ohio and was founded in 1911. To read more about the company, as well as many other Arts & Crafts purses, see the book "Artistic Leatherwork of the Arts & Crafts Era" by Daniel Lees. View View View View #P28837 | ARTS & CRAFTS leather wallet with green-tinted embossed floral design. View View | ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with lily-of-the-valley design, 6" by 6". View View #P28838 |
PURSE Arts & Crafts leather purse with morning glory motif and loop handle top, 7″ at bottom by 8″. View View View #P26810 | JUSTIN Arts & Crafts leather purse with enameled frame and latch, tree motif, 5-1/4" by 7". View View View #P26804 | AMITY Arts & Crafts leather purse with pussy willow motif, 6-1/2″ by 6-3/4″ , 12″ handle. View View View #P26746 |
ARTS & CRAFTS hand made leather purse with a wonderful rose and leaves embossed onto the front, multiple pockets inside, circa 1920, 7-1/2" by 5-3/4". It is clean and nice both inside and out. The strap folds across the top in a wonderful way, too. I am a rose grower myself, so particularly enjoy this one!
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View #P39831
| CORDOVA SHOPS Arts & Crafts hand made leather purse with a lady holding a bouquet motif, pockets inside including a zipper one, circa 1920, 7-1/3" by 6". This is an unusual design and one I had not ever had before, so charming! It is also clean and nice inside and out.
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| CORDOVA SHOPS Arts & Crafts hand made leather purse with a stylized flowers design, circa 1930, 9" by 6-1/2". It is very clean and nice both inside and out, a useable purse even still.
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ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with upside down lily and long stamen motif, 7" long by 6-2/3" wide. View #P20393 | ARTS & CRAFTS mini or child’s purse with stylized floral motif, bow and florets on frame, 4-1/4" by 5-1/4" with 10" handle, stitching out in handle. View View View View #P26643 | ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with cyclamen pattern, 7-1/2" by 6-1/2" with 14" strap, circa 1920. View View View View #P12726 |
PURSE Arts & Crafts leather clutch purse with 20’s photo, 8-1/2" by 5-1/2". View View View View #P28008 | PURSE Arts & Crafts leather purse with leaf motif, 5-1/2" by 6-3/4". View View #P28095 | CASE Arts & Crafts leather case, approximately 3" by 5" View View #P28096 |
MEEKER Arts & Crafts leather purse with wild roses design, 6" by 6-1/2". View View #P28100 | PURSE Arts & Crafts leather purse with daffodil motif, 6-1/2" by 6". View View #P28101 | PURSE Arts & Crafts leather purse with four flowers and leaves, 5-3/4" by 6". This has a leather tab at the closure that is missing, but it does no affect usability or looks. View View View #P28102 |
ART NOUVEAU circa 1920’s leather purse, brass frame with a green stone and a whiplash-style catch, 5-1/3" by 6-1/2". View #P20962 | ARTS & CRAFTS circa 1920’s leather purse, gem set sterling butterfly frame. Measures 6-1/2" by 5-3/4". View View View #P20963 | MEEKER Arts & Crafts leather purse with geometric and foliate design, 6-1/2" by 8" with embossed green bakelite dangle, circa 1930. View #P25308 |
JUSTIN Arts & Crafts leather purse with poppy motif, back strap, 7" by 5-1/2". There is a top toggle and drop missing form the frame of this purse, but it is still useable and operates perfectly. View View View View View View #P26689 | AMITY Arts & Crafts leather clutch purse with retracting handles and an unusual Stephanotis floral motif, symbol of a happy marriage, circa 1930, 10-1/2" by 6". The leather on the snap front closure is worn but useable. Folds out accordion style with three interior sections and fittings for a mirror. This same style purse can be seen in Evelyn Haertig’s "More Beautiful Purses" on page 135. View View View View #P26682 | ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with tooled design, 9" by 5/12", circa 1920. View View #P20961 |
ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with fuchsia motif 6-1/2" by 7" with a 10" handle. View View #P26688 | MEEKER Arts & Crafts leather purse with front flap and retracting handles. Folds out accordion style with three interior sections and fittings for a mirror. View View View #P20296 | MEEKER leather purse in Arts & Crafts design, 6-1/2" by 8" with zigzag motif and stitched sides, 6-1/2" by 7", circa 1935. This purse can be seen in Evelyn Haertig’s More Beautiful Purses on page 151. View View View #P26694
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REDERATS Arts & Crafts leather purse with morning glory motif, 7-1/3" by 7-1/2", stitching out 1" at bottom one side. View View View #P12725 | KRANZ Arts & Crafts leather purse with wild rose motif and an unusual shape and handles, 7" by 8", stitches out both sides and handle. Kranz is the mark of Frederick Kranz, Cordova Shops, NY. View View View View View #P13323
| ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse w/lily-of-the-valley motif, 6" by 6" by 14", handle as is. View View View #P13326 |
ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with wild rose design, coin purse, circa 1920, 6-1/2" by 6-1/2". View View View #P28394 | THE GUILD Arts & Crafts leather purse with floral motif, double handles, paper tag inside, 9" by 7", 2 broken stitches at the top right of the from. View View View #P26805 | PURSE "Meeker" with 5 compartments, 8" by 7" by 4-1/2" wide, adjustable shoulder strap, multiple inside pockets, some wear on corners. View View View #P19487 |
ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with floral design on the front, hammered frame with Turnloc fastener, 6-1/2" by 7", includes a well-worn billfold and the original leather-backed mirror in good condition inside. View View View #P31865 | VOLLAND LetherCraft marked Arts & Crafts leather embossed with stylized flowers and leaves design purse, mirror inside, 6-3/4" by 7" with 11" handle. View View View View View #V31466 | PURSE Arts & Crafts leather purse with two-row poppies motif, circa 1930, 6" by 6". This page from the 1932 "Denver Jeweler’s Buyer’s Guide" shows a selection of similar Mastercraft purses of the same era. View View #P28097 |
ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse marked "Nocona Bags, Better Made" frame marked patented 1915-1918, circa 1930, 7-1/2" by 6-3/4", handle 14". View View View View #P32838 | ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse, frame marked pat 1918, body 7" by 7", handle 12". View View #P32565 | ARTS & CRAFTS leather purse with Jemco frame, flowers and circles design, 6" by 6" body with a 10" handle. View View View #P34526 |
JUSTIN purse enclosure which states, "This is a genuine piece of hand-colored, hand-laced steerhide made from a hand-tooled design created and executed in the shops of the Justin Leather Goods Company and is guaranteed to be perfect in materials and workmanship." | JUSTIN Arts & Crafts Jemco frame and steer hide leather purse with hummingbird and trumpet vine motif on the front, 7-1/2" by 6" body and 12" strap. View View #P34786 | BOSCA BUILT Arts & Crafts leather purse with embossed floral panels both front and back, 1921 patented closure, no missing stitching, body 5-1/2" wide by 6". Bosca company made their leather goods in Springfield, Ohio and was founded in 1911. To read more about the company, as well as many other Arts & Crafts purses, see the book "Artistic Leatherwork of the Arts & Crafts Era" by Daniel Lees. View #P36903 |

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ARTS & CRAFTS Meeker hand made leather wallet, 4-1/2" by 3-5/8" when closed. This is in very good condition and has an interesting geometric design as well. Inside it is marked "Meeker Made" and "genuine leather".
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View #P39833
| ARTS & CRAFTS Meeker 1930s hand tooled leather purse with scrolls design, front pocket, all stitches in place. The body is 6-1/4" by 6-1/4", and this includes a pocket and a mirror on the inside. These purses were all hand crafted one at a time.
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View #V37770
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REFERENCES "Artistic Leatherwork of the Arts & Crafts Era" by Daniel Lees a wonderful book with not only great color pictures, but extensive information. |
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