Purse

This charming purse from Turkey was likely produced for the growing market of foreign visitors as international tourism developed in the nineteenth century. It was made using a hooked needle similar to a tambour hook. The technique is an Eastern Mediterranean form of needle knotting, alternately known as bebilla, bibila or oya, and it produces an open, knotted net that is well-suited for the production of small, delicate trims of pendant-style flowers most often used on embroidered items or costume. At some point in the nineteenth century, larger accessories like this purse were produced, most likely in response to European interest in the technique. At first glance, the design seems conventional, but a small camel located on the top left gives it a hint of exoticism. Based on its pristine condition, it was likely tucked away and never used by its original owner.

Purse; silk, wire; silk lining; H x W: 21 x 20 cm (8 1/4 x 7 7/8 in.); Gift of Richard C. Greenleaf; 1951-105-19