Handbag with Needlepoint German Shepherd. 1960s. Maker: Jolles Original. Beige mesh fabric—almost like needlepoint matting—purse with needlepoint German shepherd dog and hundreds of tiny, glued-on seed beads in white, dark brown, umber and red. The detail, shading and color on the dog is fabulous and he has a glittery rhinestone eye. Goldtone hardware, chain handle and feet. Black satin lining and interior pocket.

Jolles purses are among my favorites, because their designs are so striking. This is the first German shepherd I’ve seen, and the price was excellent, so I had to have it. When you scroll down, you’ll see that Jaeger the Border Collie mix is fond of it as well!

Vibrant Green Purse with Beadwork and Silhouette Couple. 1950s/60s. Maker: Martin. A rich green—cross between lime and olive—tote-style handbag with a metal closure and half-oval fabric handles. It features a fun design of a ‘50s couple—she in full skirt and ponytail, he in collared shirt and ducktail hairdo—in silhouette, flirting under an old-fashioned streetlight. It’s got glued-on multicolored seed beads framing the cloth appliqued design. Lined in black fabric, with an inner zip pocket and another non-zip pocket, it is gold-stamped with the manufacturer name “Martin.” It looks as if it’s never been used.

Often, I’ll see online sellers saying their vintage bags are “one-of-a-kind” or “unique,” even though, as a longtime collector, I’ve run across them numerous times. This one, however, is a purse I’ve never seen before. I don’t know if someone bought a plain bag and custom-appliqued it, or if it came from the manufacturer like this. Also, I’ve never heard of the manufacturer, so if you know anything about Martin, please e-mail me at info(at)wendydager(dot)com.

Now, the coolest part… it set me back five bucks. Yep, there are still deals to be had—you just have to look for ‘em!

Persian Motif Gold Lamè Faux Leather Handbag. 1960s. Maker: Unknown. Huge, shiny gold faux leather purse with gold clasp, gold feet and tapestry front. The tapestry features a design of four men and (possibly; it’s hard to tell) three women, dressed in ancient Middle Eastern or Persian garb. It’s adorned with faux gems including coral, Persian turquoise, rhinestones and gold beads. No maker tag, but I’ve seen Persian-motif bags made by Sourè and Delill.

Not surprisingly, I found this wonderfully gaudy purse in a Las Vegas antique mall. Most of the items were terribly overpriced (and many were reproductions being sold as vintage—a major peeve of mine), but this bag was a good deal. And I don’t already have one like it!

Handmade Crocheted Purses with Lucite Pulls and Handles. 1940s. Maker: Unknown. Two wonderful purses, handmade of very stiff and thick cord-style yarn. One is small with a rounded bottom and an intricate pattern. The other is the size of a large clutch, with a zigzag pattern that segues into a straighter pattern at the bottom. Both have heavy Lucite (or other early plastic) handles and zipper pulls. Both are lined in satiny fabric and the larger one has a thin cardboard interior (exposed due to wear) to help retain its shape.

I was able to find, for a very good price, an entire lot of these bags, most of them handmade, and four of them with these incredible Lucite accents. Because of their age, they do need a few stitches here and there (which I’ll relegate to someone much handier with a needle than I), but I just love their timeless elegance. The craftsmanship is fabulous and, if you’re inclined to make one for yourself or a friend, you can still find the patterns for these online.

Circus or Zoo Animals Wicker Purse. 1960s. Maker: Magid. White-painted wicker box bag with an incredible circus animal design, featuring detailed felt three-dimensional animals: monkey, tiger, elephant and lion, behind a “cage” made of golden trim. Gold leatherette handle and twist-lock closure. There’s an additional label inside that says “De Pinna,” which, I recently learned, was a high-end clothing store founded in the 1800s. It changed hands a few times and closed in 1969.

This purse is my most recent acquisition and one of my favorite finds ever. It’s not in perfect condition, but just look at that remarkable detail on those animals! It’s truly a work of art.

Wicker Golf Motif Bag. 1960s. Maker: An Original By Midas of Miami, Handicrafts Inc., Miami, FLA 33147. Wonderful picnic basket-style purse made of white-painted wicker and enhanced with a motif of two golfing gals. They have blonde hair piled high, pink criss-cross fabric blouses, and tight ‘60s fabric pants. One is swinging a painted golf club and the other holds a golf ball. There are also flags and foliage, representing a girlie golf course. It’s got white faux leather straps, a green satin lining and interior zipper pocket.

I love Midas of Miami bags. I have quite a few, but this one is really special. And I don’t even golf!

Hey! If you're in Ventura County, California this Saturday, November 5, come see me at the Ventura County Book & Author Fair. I'll be in booth 35, signing copies of my novel, I MURDERED THE PTA.

Large Yellow Tote Style Purse with Owl. 1960s. Maker: Faye Mell Design, Fleurette Inc., Miami, Florida. Fabulous large mustard yellow woven fabric tote style handbag with inner kiss-lock pocket and twist closure. What makes it special, besides the great size, is the slightly-raised needlepoint owl on a branch, embellished with beads and sequins. Owls were popular in the ‘60s and ‘70s and, as fashionistas know, the owl motif has made a comeback in clothes, jewelry and home décor items. 

Naturally, I have a story to go with this purse. I was carrying it recently as I walked into a chi-chi vintage clothing store near Los Angeles. An employee remarked that they, too, have an owl purse. I looked at it and said, “Oh, it’s a Jolles.” The woman asked what I meant. I said, “The maker. It’s Jolles.” The woman looked at the tag for verification and sure enough, I was right. I told my daughter about it when I got home. She asked about the price of the Jolles bag. After I told her, she said, “They were asking THAT much for the purse and they didn’t even know the maker?”

Yep, if it had been just a bit less money, I would have that owl purse, too, and not just because it's a Jolles, but because it was awesome!