Vintage Purses

Many women have diamonds as their best friends. For a larger number of practical, sophisticated and fashionable women, however, handbags and purses are their constant companion – something they could not live without – a best friend.

That is why throughout the years women have kept their old purses, either to reminisce their good days or to show their impeccable taste for fashion and quality throughout the years. In recent times, handbags that have become synonymous of their generations – 50's 60's or 70's – are being chased by women of high taste.

Vintage purses at present have become both a fashion statement and an investment. It also make women who carry them stand out in the crowd of the usual expensive handbags, while not sacrificing quality and fashion. Plus, it starts great conversations with queries on the history of the vintage purse and the tale of how the purse survived the years and found its way to the present owner could lift a woman above the crowd.

Tales of Workmanship

For many women, vintage purses do not only represent the time when they were in the spotlight of fashion, they also represent quality and workmanship that has lasted many years.

The oldest bags are made of animal skin and used by early men to store food. In recent centuries purses became an important part of status and substance in the early part of the 19th century. Designer names, which represent beauty and quality, came in the 20th century to bring the purses to its present status.

One of the most sought after vintage purses is called Beehive, made by Llewellyn in the 1950's. Although the company has since been bumped off from the pedestal of fashion must-haves, its legendary beehive-shaped bag with carved metal lids and gilded bee-shaped accents on top have made the bag one of truest representations of the decade.

Most of the vintage purses created in the 1950's were made of wood and decorated with beads, shells and sequins. The bags in this decade have been consciously made to fit with the umbrella, which is one of the must-haves of women during that time.

During the swinging 1960's “modern” purses made of plastic and a material called Lucite emerged. At present vintage lucite purses still exist and are still being sought by women.

A Reminder Of History

The modern look of the purses in this decade was inspired by the Space Race, which was a significant history-in-the-making event of the 60’s. Bags and even fashion at that time also leaned toward “space age look” with plastics, PVC and abstract pop art becoming popular.

With umbrellas disappearing, purses at this time had to match with shoes, hats and sometimes dresses of women. Italian designer Emilio Pucci, emerged in this decade with his brightly colorful and psychedelic patterns on his purse and clothes creations.

As countries got tired of racing into space, the modern, sometimes rigid look of plastic bags also disappeared.

Authentic Stories

After going through a test of time, only a few number of authentic and top quality vintage purses survived. That is why picky buyers should be able to distinguish a real vintage from rip offs and replicas.

Experts say buying bags from its original owner and reputable antique or vintage dealer is always best. The rule of thumb is the seller must be able to tell a story about the bag and how it endured the years. Honest dealers usually do their homework and must be able to answer some questions regarding their vintages purses.

Only purses which received tender loving care from their original owners would last the times. Present buyers must be able to see existing vintage handbags but are actually deteriorating within. Lucite vintage purses that smell of chemical inside are actually a bag in decomposition.

Although some wear and tear look on the purse adds to its vintage look, nothing still beats a decades-old bag that is almost flawless. After all, vintage purses are meant to be displayed and talked about.