Object ID
2013.19.10
Object Name
Purse
Date Created
1881 – 1882
Object Entities
Venetos, Cleo (is related to)
Emmanuel Zabit, Nancy (is related to)
Vasiliou, Katherine (is related to)
Emmanuel, Katherine (is related to)
Kalfa, Christina (is related to)
Emmanuel Zabit, Nancy (is related to)
Vasiliou, Katherine (is related to)
Emmanuel, Katherine (is related to)
Kalfa, Christina (is related to)
Access Points
Object Description
Very ornate, black/brown purse that is reported as a part of the engagement outfit of Christina Ioanna Kalfa. The purse is rectangular in size, and at its foundation, is comprised of brown fabric. Alone the perimater of the bag, there is darker brown roping that is twisted and looped along the perimeter to make a design.
On one side, the top is fairly plain, without any beading or roping design. The remaining 3/4 of the side of the purse, is covered in a large design in the middle, comprised mostly of black beads (1/4 of the side), an the remaining half of the purse is covered in a net-like design made of black beads as well.
On the reverse side of the purse, there are columns of darker brown rope and black beads, intertwined in one another, to form a repetitve design that is replicated throughout each of the columns. There are 6 columns, including the ones on the sides.
The purse has two, looped pieces of dark brown rope, protruding from the sides at one end, indicating that this is a draw-string purse.
On one side, the top is fairly plain, without any beading or roping design. The remaining 3/4 of the side of the purse, is covered in a large design in the middle, comprised mostly of black beads (1/4 of the side), an the remaining half of the purse is covered in a net-like design made of black beads as well.
On the reverse side of the purse, there are columns of darker brown rope and black beads, intertwined in one another, to form a repetitve design that is replicated throughout each of the columns. There are 6 columns, including the ones on the sides.
The purse has two, looped pieces of dark brown rope, protruding from the sides at one end, indicating that this is a draw-string purse.
Origin
**For full family history, see donor file**
It is reportedly said that the bride carried this purse during the ceremony of her wedding.
This was the engagement outfit of the donor's great-grandmother, Christina Ioanna Kalfa. Christina was the mother of Katherine (Hadzi Vasiliou) Emmanuel, who immigrated to the United States in August of 1920, through Ellis Island, NY, accompanied by her soon-to-be husband's cousin. Upon arrival in America, Katherine had her mother's 1881 engagement outfit in her posession. Katherine intended to alter it for herself. The alterations were not done. Consequently, the two-piece outfit is dismantled, although its fabric is in pristine condition. Katherine's daughter, Nancy Anna Emmanuel Zabit, passed the engagement outfit on to her daughter, Cleo Zabit Venetos, who in turn donated it to the National Hellenic Museum in 2013.
It is reportedly said that the bride carried this purse during the ceremony of her wedding.
This was the engagement outfit of the donor's great-grandmother, Christina Ioanna Kalfa. Christina was the mother of Katherine (Hadzi Vasiliou) Emmanuel, who immigrated to the United States in August of 1920, through Ellis Island, NY, accompanied by her soon-to-be husband's cousin. Upon arrival in America, Katherine had her mother's 1881 engagement outfit in her posession. Katherine intended to alter it for herself. The alterations were not done. Consequently, the two-piece outfit is dismantled, although its fabric is in pristine condition. Katherine's daughter, Nancy Anna Emmanuel Zabit, passed the engagement outfit on to her daughter, Cleo Zabit Venetos, who in turn donated it to the National Hellenic Museum in 2013.
Rights and Reproduction
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Any other use, such as exhibition, publication, or commercial use, is not allowed except by written permission in accordance with the NHM Image Rights and Reproduction Policy.
For questions on image rights and reproduction, please contact nhmcollections@hellenicmuseum.org
Any other use, such as exhibition, publication, or commercial use, is not allowed except by written permission in accordance with the NHM Image Rights and Reproduction Policy.
For questions on image rights and reproduction, please contact nhmcollections@hellenicmuseum.org
Citation
Purse, 1881 – 1882, National Hellenic Museum, https://hellenic.whirlihost.com/Detail/objects/10006. Accessed 05/02/24.