Vintage Magic Mysteries

Handbags at the end of the books:

CLOAKED IN MALICE

A Vintage Magic Mystery Five

Paisley's Pearly Beige Boxy Shoulder Bag

Great bag? Or not?

Open, medium sized. Enough for the necessities.

Handle attached while the front of the purse is facing left.

Handle attached while the front of the purse is facing right.

Held it by its strap, it tips. If it hooks on your hip when it's over your shoulder, while you're trying to pay someone, it barfs its contents. Oops.

Enlarged tag on the inside of the bag. I can't seem to find any new Jennifer Moore bags, mostly vintage and second hand, and they look beautiful. We all make mistakes, and this might have been hers. Moral of the story? Examine your purchases.This was a yard sale find so it wasn't an expensive mistake, but it could have been.

CLOAKED IN MALICE

A Vintage Magic Mystery Five

Ethel Sweet's Stoic Handbag

Front of purse above. Side of narrow purse to the right.

 I love the center design. Just enough style.

Ethel's purse open, two side and a center zipper compartment.

The zipper is metal, so late seventies/early eighties.

SKIRTING THE GRAVE

A Vintage Magic Mystery Four

The Lucite Box Bag

Lucite box bag, front.  Now you see why I caved and bought it.  Also note the clasp, which I think makes it seem newer, rather than older.

Back: I think the patina is just gorgeous, but I see a bit of dust around the handle now that I couldn't see with the naked eye.  Oops.  Notice the discoloration due to age toward the bottom, which just makes it more beautiful.

Inside: Here's a picture of it open. Notice that the grommets and hinges look on the newer side.

You can see this, bottom right, in the picture to the left.  I think it should probably have been lined with a satiny fabric, though a lining would have covered this.  Who knows? If I ever find out, I'll let you know, right here.

SKIRTING THE GRAVE

A Vintage Magic Mystery Four

The Ralph L. Lauren Shoulder Bag

A vintage Ralph Lauren that hangs great over the shoulder. Looks plain black, but check the closeups.

Notice how the fob designs are repeated in the fabric's weave. It's gorgeous. The fobs are: RLL, a stirrup, and a horse head in a stirrup. Also note the toothy metal zipper, which dates the bag.

Notice the R_LL on the Shoulder hook.  Even the brads on the strap have the RLL on them, but they're too small for me to get a picture of.

Here, you can see where the hook is and the detail in the fabric weave.

Great detail of the fobs and fabric weave, with Lauren plain at the base of the stirrup, and beneath the horse's head, and in the weave.

Here you can nearly see the RLL on the brad.  I paid $3.99 for this vintage treasure.  DId I get a good deal or what?

Inside tag. Below the word Lauren, it says Ralph Lauren.

DEATH BY DIAMONDS

A Vintage Magic Mystery Three

The Fake "Prada" Handbag

The Fake Retro Prada.  Love the shape.

A fair imitation of a Prada emblem embossed on the bag with an escutcheon too small to see.

Inside. Notice the imprecision of pocket placement and stitching, and that label...

Thin tiny white labels usually = Fake.

My Kenneth Cole has "Made in China" in silver on black with a registration # and fabrics in 3 languages.

My Etienne Aigner has the same stamped in gold.

My vintage Ralph Lauren has Made in China embroidered in gold on dark green.

(More about the Aigner & Lauren in future books)

The clutch inside. Silver removable hardware, not antique brass.  Clumsy with one strap attached on each side.

Inside the clutch.  Same as the bag.

Tough, having to hunt down designer handbag bargains in the name of good writing, but somebody has to.  :)

LARCENY AND LACE

A Vintage Magic Mystery Two

Look for this Vintage Find:

No Sew Clutch coming as soon as I find my supplies in the debris that is my office.

A VEILED DECEPTION

A Vintage Magic Mystery One

Handbags at the end of the book:

THREE BAGS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE

Look for this Vintage Find:

Make Your Own Evening Clutch

A Fold-Over Purse