The Background of the Tapestry Handbag
Men were actually the very first to carry bags around not women. The women soon followed suit due to the many accessories that they needed to carry to maintain their beauty and poise. The tapestry handbag came to light around the start of the 1800's. The art of weaving a tapestry handbag is first thought to have originated in the Aubusson region of France. This area was initially well known for creating life-sized and lifelike tapestries that was the rage at that time. Many of France's wealthy families contracted weavers to make pieces to hang in their homes while others had tapestry handbags made for the ladies of the household.
The painstaking process of weaving a tapestry could reach up to a year depending on the intricacy and size of the project. A tapestry handbag did not take as long as that to make. The most luxurious kinds of tapestry handbags ever created are the ones from the French Aubusson region made from dyed wool threads and silk threads. The colors were rich and deep and the fullness of the weaving was compact and thick.
A Unique History
A tapestry handbag made from the Aubusson region during the 1800's usually had a story to tell. These stories were portrayed in the beautiful figures and subjects in the tapestry. The tapestry handbag from this period usually depicted ladies and gentlemen in romantic poses with numerous flowers, birds and other romantic figures integrated into the tapestry. The rich French ambiance was usually portrayed in the Aubusson tapestry handbags during this century.
Not only is the tapestry itself lavish but also the metal purse frames were embellished with semi precious stones and other decorations that just take one's breath away. The tapestry handbag was then a sign of the status of the lady carrying it. The more lavish the tapestry handbag means the wealthier and more influential her family was. Some metal frames are gilded and have cherubs or pearls all over the frame.
Due to progress, hand weaving has since been taken over by machine weaving. The vintage Aubusson tapestry handbags are still found up to this day and age but their prices can be anywhere around a few hundred dollars to several thousands depending on the condition and the circa. There are still some artisans in the Aubusson region that make the renowned hand bags from tapestry but expect these to be expensive than the ones mass produced.
