Purse
United States or Europe
1885-1920
Measurements
4-1/2 in x 2-3/4 I n x 3/8 in
Materials
Silver
Credit Line
Historic Odessa Foundation, gift of Sara Corbit Reese Pryor
Accession Number
2004.19.7
Inscription
The initials "EDL," although not necessarily in that order, are intertwined and mounted on the chain-mail bag.
Provenance
The purse likely descended through members of the Corbit family to the donor.
Comments
This mesh purse (or bag) is emblazoned with the intertwined initials D, E, and L, although not necessarily in that order. The initials are likely those of a manufacturer. If they are those of an owner, no likely family member has come to light. Edward Louis Duer (1836-1916), a Philadelphia physician, married Louise Naudain Corbit (1875-1941), his second wife, in 1907 and was living in Odessa when he died. His first wife was Clara Jones Naudain (1838-1880) with whom he had two children, neither of whom had appropriate initials. Clara was the daughter of Mary Pennell Corbit, daughter of Pennell Corbit, son of William Corbit, the house builder.
Purses of this kind became fashionable in the late 19th century and continued to be well into the 20th century. The bag is made of silver wire woven into a flexible mail, like chain mail.
