A circular handbag

There is no specific record of who made this handbag but it is very similar to one made for Jessie Bain. We think that bag was crafted by her husband, George. On one side of this handbag is a Pictish key pattern set inside a frame of concentric circles. On the other side is a complex knotwork design based on four interlinked circles. Both designs were also used on Jessie’s handbag.

The width of the handbag (the gusset) is handstitched to the circular front and back pieces using cross-stitch. It is another decorative feature, as is the strap. Although broken, we can see that it was made from a complex five-plaited leather strip. The handbag is closed with a metal, copper-coloured zip.