Pocketbook
late 18th century
Classification
costume & accessories
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1938-5-1
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the elegant world of late 18-century daily life with this intriguing *Pocketbook* from the Smithsonian American Art's collection of costume and accessories. Dating to the final decades of the 1700s—a time of revolutionary change in America—this modest yet essential item served as a personal carryall for coins, notes, letters, small treasures. Pocketbooks like this were indispensable accessories, bridging the gap between fashion and function in an era before modern wallets or pockets were commonplace. In the post-Revolutionary period, such objects reflected the era's shifting social ...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...