SPECIAL POST! Cherry Pick Magazine Interviews Wendy Dager!

Wendy Dager of The Vintage Purse Gallery and Vintage Purse a Day was interviewed by Cherry Pick Magazine for its sixth issue! To get a copy, email editor Carina Salwender, tell her you want issue #6 and give her your postal address. (Note: The magazine is in German.)

A HUGE thank you to Carina for the interview and for sharing The Vintage Purse Gallery with Cherry Pick's readers!

Woven Metal Box Bag with Lucite Top

Woven Metal Box Bag with Lucite Top. 1950s. No maker tag or imprint. Woven silvertone metal box purse with black-painted metal straps in between the silver straps. Black Lucite top. Black-painted early plastic handle. Silvertone hardware and four silvertone feet. Very interesting clasp with S-lock chain closure for extra security. Lined in grosgrain. Patent number on the bottom.

Well worn, but still a lovely bag. I’m pretty sure it’s a Dorset-Rex, but I can’t find a mark. Any suggestions or comments, please email info(at)vintagepursegallery(dot)com.

Seed Bead Box Bag with Gold Roses

Seed Bead Box Bag with Gold Roses. 1950s/1960s. Midas of Miami. Beautiful white-painted wicker box bag with white seed beads on top and at front. Also embellished with gold floral (rose and leaf) appliques and clear and amber rhinestones. Has the gold braided double handle that is typical of Midas of Miami. Twist lock. Lined in gold satin fabric with two inner pockets. Three gold feet.

I am truly a sucker for Midas of Miami bags. The prices, however, started to go up, up and away in the last few years—something my friend and partner in vintage (also named Wendy; we’ve known each other since junior high, a mere three or four decades ago), blames on my magazine article about whimsical mid-century bags. (Antiques & Collecting Magazine, August 2009.)

But I don’t think so. I think their desirability is strictly because of the wonderful artwork on each bag, although I once saw a plain wicker Midas. I have no idea how that one slipped through! Anyway, even the bags I have that are a similar design aren’t exactly the same, as there are delightfully unique twists on each one.

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Bonus pic! Cover of aforementioned Antiques & Collecting issue, featuring a photo I took of my Midas of Miami elephant purse.