Civil War Era Miser's Purse Dates to Circa 1862

From a Maine estate, this is a black silk miser's purse. It appears as though it was never used...or if so, then the original owner was very gentle indeed.  This Civil War era purse is unique and almost magical to examine, because there appear to be no openings. Yet, the strings do pull apart in such a way as to open the double pouches so that coins, paper notes or any type of small object may be inserted safely inside. The purse closes when the strings are

pulled back into place, and the openings become almost invisible.

Of course, the purse appears as though the coins are permanently inside since there's no obvious way to extract them. This is how the miser's purse got its name. 

The purse is crocheted with black, plied silk, hand spun yarn.

The silver washed metallic beaded fringe is interwoven, creating a braided effect that echoes the textures of the crochet work.  The metal ring allows the purse to be attached to the dress or worn over a finger. This miser's purse measures 17.5 inches or 44 cm in total length.