Pouch

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegant world of mid-19th-century American with this exquisite *Pouch*, crafted between 1840 and 1860 by an unknown artist. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, this delicate exemplifies the refined tastes of the antebellum era. Made from glass, linen, and silk it likely features intricate beadwork or embroidery, where shimmering glass beads—possibly seed pearls or colorful glass—adorn a structured linen base lined with luxurious silk, creating a compact yet opulent vessel for personal essentials. During this period, women’s dresses often lacked pockets,...