antique French Metallic Bullion and Silk Embroidery Purse, Suede Pouch, 18th Century
An extremely well cared for c.1700s silk pouch, purse, gold metallic bullion cord embroidery in the French manner of the period. The body of the bag is a very fine suede, likely from deerskin. The front of the bag has a stylized heart form, backed in blue and stuffed in the manner of trapunto quilting, to make a 3-D cartouche to the embroidery. The single small handmade metallic thread ball tassel at bottom remains, as do the drawstrings. The interior is a pale blue silk, probably the color the stylized heart once was though it has faded lighter. Very good to excellent for age and type. No holes, no really tattered fabric as one might anticipate. It's been stored well these centuries. You can see age to the interior, but not deterioration one would expect. It has no ecclesiastical motif, so it seems unlikely to be a liturgical vestment pouch, nor a case for a chalice, for instance. It is not leather-lined as it might be if it were a gentleman's tobacco pouch, which is sometimes the cas