A shell purse is a type of

coin purse A purse or pouch (from the Latin , which in turn, is from the Greek , ''býrsa'', oxhide), sometimes called coin purse for clarity, is a small money bag or pouch, made for carrying coins. In most Commonwealth countries it is known simply as a pur ...

that is made from whole or trimmed

mollusk shell The mollusc (or mollusk) shell is typically a calcareous exoskeleton which encloses, supports and protects the soft parts of an animal in the phylum Mollusca, which includes snails, clams, tusk shells, and several other classes. Not all shelled ...

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. Most seashells are made by Mollusca, mollusks, such as snails, clams, and oysters ...

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. C ...

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 city, 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 an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...

s often wished to take back

souvenir A souvenir ( French for 'a remembrance or memory'), 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 trans ...

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 in North American English, is a handled medium-to-large bag used to carry personal items. It has also been called a pocketbook in parts of the U.S. Terminology The term "purse" originally referred to a smal ...

. 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, or sometimes for special purposes such as signaling. ...

s, children's

milk teeth Milk Teeth (often stylised as MILK TEETH) were a British punk rock band from Stroud, Gloucestershire, which formed in May 2013. The band officially announced their breakup on Facebook and Twitter on 4 September 2020. History Formation and earl ...

, 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 molluscs of the order Bivalvia that inhabit freshwater ecosystems. They are one of the two main groups of freshwater molluscs, along with freshwater snails. The majority of bivalve molluscs are saltwater species that l ...

shells were often used. Because they are relatively large

bivalve Bivalvia () or bivalves, in previous centuries referred to as the Lamellibranchiata and Pelecypoda, is a class (biology), class of aquatic animal, aquatic molluscs (marine and freshwater) that have laterally compressed soft bodies enclosed b ...

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 language, Rumsen ''aulón'') is a common name for any small to very large marine life, marine gastropod mollusc in the family (biology), family Haliotidae, which once contained six genera but now cont ...

, 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 with a conical gastropod shell, shell shape (patelliform) and a strong, muscular foot. This general category of conical shell is known as "patelliform" (dish-shaped). Existing within the class Gastropoda, ...

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