Museum of Bags and Purses
Encyclopedia
The Museum of Bags and Purses , located in Amsterdam
, The Netherlands, is a museum devoted to historic handbags, purses and suitcases. The museum's collection includes 4,000 items dating back to the 16th century. One of only three museums across the globe specializing in the field, and its collection is the world's largest.
While the majority of visitors to the museum are women, the most valuable item on exhibit is a sixteenth-century men's goat-skin belt pouch with iron clasps.
, bought a small antique tortoiseshell bag inlaid with mother of pearl in England, dating back to 1820 and crafted in Germany. Hendrikje's interest in discovering the history of this first bag triggered a passion for collecting handbags. Before too long she had collected more than 3,000 bags. She soon decided to show part of the collection to the public. At first, the museum existed in two rooms of a villa in Amstelveen, but as the collection grew, the couple looked for a new location. Since June 2007, the museum is located in a 17th Century patrician house at the Herengracht, Amsterdam's most prestigious canal.
Today, the Museum of Bags and Purses is a serious institution with a permanent exhibition presenting the core of the collection and temporary shows of the particular designers, mostly Dutch.
With the coming of the Industrial Revolution
in the 18th century, technology and the growth of rail travel accessible to the middle class led to larger handbags, often made of durable leather.
Brand name bags came to the fore in the 1950s, epitomized by items in the collection including a quilted Chanel
purse and the Hermès
Kelly bag.
, Alexander McQueen
, Lulu Guinness
, Paul Smith
and Anya Hindmarch
.
From the 8th of March 2010 the Museum of Bags and Purses will show the exhibition: CRYSTAL loves LEATHER. This collection was previously shown in New York, Tokyo, Antwerp and the Louvre
in Paris.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, The Netherlands, is a museum devoted to historic handbags, purses and suitcases. The museum's collection includes 4,000 items dating back to the 16th century. One of only three museums across the globe specializing in the field, and its collection is the world's largest.
While the majority of visitors to the museum are women, the most valuable item on exhibit is a sixteenth-century men's goat-skin belt pouch with iron clasps.
History
About 30 years ago, Hendrikje Ivo an antique dealer from AmstelveenAmstelveen
' is a suburban municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the following villages and/or districts: Amstelveen, Bovenkerk, Westwijk, Bankras-Kostverloren, Groenelaan, Waardhuizen,...
, bought a small antique tortoiseshell bag inlaid with mother of pearl in England, dating back to 1820 and crafted in Germany. Hendrikje's interest in discovering the history of this first bag triggered a passion for collecting handbags. Before too long she had collected more than 3,000 bags. She soon decided to show part of the collection to the public. At first, the museum existed in two rooms of a villa in Amstelveen, but as the collection grew, the couple looked for a new location. Since June 2007, the museum is located in a 17th Century patrician house at the Herengracht, Amsterdam's most prestigious canal.
Today, the Museum of Bags and Purses is a serious institution with a permanent exhibition presenting the core of the collection and temporary shows of the particular designers, mostly Dutch.
Collection
The earliest handbags in the museum's collection are typically small, used to carry coins, keys and sewing kits. Such bags were carried, by both men and women, under clothing to avoid drawing the attention of thieves. The development of pants with pockets for men, and the change from billowing skirts to more form-fitting dresses, led to handbags becoming an item for women, often with elaborate adornment.With the coming of the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
in the 18th century, technology and the growth of rail travel accessible to the middle class led to larger handbags, often made of durable leather.
Brand name bags came to the fore in the 1950s, epitomized by items in the collection including a quilted Chanel
Chanel
Chanel S.A. is a French fashion house founded by the couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, well established in haute couture, specializing in luxury goods . She gained the name "Coco" while maintaining a career as a singer at a café in France...
purse and the Hermès
Hermès
Hermès International S.A., or simply Hermès is a French high fashion house established in 1837, today specializing in leather, lifestyle accessories, perfumery, luxury goods, and ready-to-wear...
Kelly bag.
Exhibitions
Besides the permanent collection, there are also temporary exhibitions. Till the 21st of February 2010 you can visit the exhibition: Made in Britain, with bags from English designers like Vivienne WestwoodVivienne Westwood
Dame Vivienne Westwood, DBE, RDI is a British fashion designer and businesswoman, largely responsible for bringing modern punk and new wave fashions into the mainstream.-Early life:...
, Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen
Lee Alexander McQueen, CBE was a British fashion designer and couturier best known for his in-depth knowledge of bespoke British tailoring, his tendency to juxtapose strength with fragility in his collections, as well as the emotional power and raw energy of his provocative fashion shows...
, Lulu Guinness
Lulu Guinness
Lucinda "Lulu" Jane Guinness, OBE is a well-known British accessories fashion designer.Lulu Guinness OBE famous for her unique and quintessentially British handbags and accessories, launched her company in 1989. Instant praise in the fashion media paved the way for Lulu Guinness shops in London,...
, Paul Smith
Paul Smith
Paul Smith may refer to:In music:*Paul Smith , British record label manager and art event producer*Paul Smith , prominent composer of American film music*Paul Smith , Los Angeles jazz pianist...
and Anya Hindmarch
Anya Hindmarch
Anya Susannah Hindmarch MBE is an English fashion accessories designer.-Biography:Born in Maldon, Essex, to a self-made man, Hindmarch was educated at Elm Green Preparatory School, a preparatory School in Little Baddow. At 16 Hindmarch was given an old Gucci handbag by her mother...
.
From the 8th of March 2010 the Museum of Bags and Purses will show the exhibition: CRYSTAL loves LEATHER. This collection was previously shown in New York, Tokyo, Antwerp and the Louvre
Louvre
The Musée du Louvre – in English, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre – is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. A central landmark of Paris, it is located on the Right Bank of the Seine in the 1st arrondissement...
in Paris.
External links
- Tassenmuseum Hendrikje / Museum of Bags and Purses
- http://www.amsterdam.info/museums/tassenmuseum