A shell purse is a type of

coin purse A coin is a small, flat (usually depending on the country or value), round piece of metal or plastic used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to ...

that is made from whole or trimmed

mollusk shell The mollusc (or molluskOften spelled mollusk shell in the USA; the spelling "mollusc" are preferred by ) shell is typically a calcareous exoskeleton which encloses, supports and protects the soft parts of an animal in the phylum Mollusca, which ...

s, especially from bivalve mollusc shells. These purses are of mainly

novelty Novelty (derived from Latin word ''novus'' for "new") is the quality of being new, or following from that, of being striking, original or unusual. Novelty may be the shared experience of a new cultural phenomenon or the subjective perception of an ...

use and purchased as souvenirs of visits, etc. In the past, some were engraved or painted with floral or other decorations, sentimental messages, personal or place names. In many cases there was extra working of the shell, either grinding down and polishing to expose the

mother of pearl Nacre ( , ), also known as mother of pearl, is an organicinorganic composite material produced by some molluscs as an inner shell layer; it is also the material of which pearls are composed. It is strong, resilient, and iridescent. Nacre is ...

or filing to form patterns such as criss-cross designs.

Origins

The use of shells as purses mainly dates from the end of the 19th century, when the Victorians love of the natural world and passion for collecting

seashell A seashell or sea shell, also known simply as a shell, is a hard, protective outer layer usually created by an animal or organism that lives in the sea. The shell is part of the body of the animal. Empty seashells are often found washe ...

s coincided with the

middle class The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Commo ...

es being able to take holidays and make journeys to the seaside on the newly constructed railways. Visitors to

seaside resort A seaside resort is a resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, suc ...

s often wished to take back

souvenir A souvenir (), memento, keepsake, or token of remembrance is an object a person acquires for the memories the owner associates with it. A souvenir can be any object that can be collected or purchased and transported home by the traveler as a m ...

s of their excursions, and shell purses were one of many items produced by entrepreneurial shopkeepers. They have been made in various parts of the world such as the United Kingdom, US, Germany, etc.

Uses

Most shell purses were designed to be carried in a pocket or handbag; however, some were designed as necklaces or small

handbags A handbag, commonly known as a purse or pocketbook in North American English, is a handled medium-to-large bag used to carry personal items. Purse, handbag or pouch The term "purse" originally referred to a small bag for holding coins. In many ...

. Being small they could at most be used to hold a few coins such gold sovereigns in Victorian times, pills, keys, or special items such as

arrowhead An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, as well as to fulfill some special purposes such as sign ...

s, children's

milk teeth Deciduous teeth or primary teeth, also informally known as baby teeth, milk teeth, or temporary teeth,Illustrated Dental Embryology, Histology, and Anatomy, Bath-Balogh and Fehrenbach, Elsevier, 2011, page 255 are the first set of teeth in the ...

, etc. Some were kept as ornaments or keepsakes, as witnessed by the number that have survived in good condition, indicating that they were not in regular use.

Decoration

By carving through the layers of the shell, intricate designs can be created, such as floral decorations, personal names, etc. As stated, some were painted with floral designs, personal names, etc.

Shell types and designs

Shell Purse - Mussel - Shark skin interior

Freshwater mussel Freshwater bivalves are one kind of freshwater mollusc, along with freshwater snails. They are bivalves that live in fresh water as opposed to salt water, which is the main habitat type for bivalves. The majority of species of bivalve molluscs ...

shells were often used. Because they are relatively large

bivalve Bivalvia (), in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class of marine and freshwater molluscs that have laterally compressed bodies enclosed by a shell consisting of two hinged parts. As a group, bival ...

s the purse could accommodate an interior mechanism such as an accordion to separate coins into different denominations, etc. Shark skin was often used as a liner, dyed appropriately in red, blue, green, etc.BBC A History of the World
Retrieved : 2012-12-30

Abalone Abalone ( or ; via Spanish , from Rumsen ''aulón'') is a common name for any of a group of small to very large marine gastropod molluscs in the family (biology), family Haliotidae. Other common name In biology, a common name of a taxon o ...

, various kinds of clams,

mussel Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and Freshwater bivalve, freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other ...

limpet Limpets are a group of aquatic snails that exhibit a conical shell shape (patelliform) and a strong, muscular foot. Limpets are members of the class Gastropoda, but are polyphyletic, meaning the various groups called "limpets" descended indep ...

s and other species of seashells have been used to make shell purses. Identifying the exact species used for any individual purse is often very difficult, especially as the surface layer of the shell was often removed in order to expose the mother of pearl layer (where such a layer was present), or was ground and polished in order to show brighter colors. Shell purses were sometimes attached to a necklace, or had short chains attached that effectively made them into miniature handbags. Various clasps were used, secure by necessity, such as the 'kissing' type. Shell Purse - Small - Closed

Modern examples are sometimes sold as 'Mermaid's Purses'.

Similar artifacts

Some hinged containers made out of shells were sold as sewing kits, but they are very similar in appearance to shell purses.

Snuff box A decorative box is a form of packaging that is generally more than just functional, but also intended to be decorative and artistic. Many such boxes are used for promotional packaging, both commercially and privately. Historical objects are u ...

es were also sometimes made from bivalve shells.

References

{{Bags Mollusc shells Mollusc products Collecting Bags (fashion) Domestic implements