Floral embroidered purse used by Dinah Washington

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

This black purse with floral embroidery was used by Dinah Washington. The purse is made from black synthetic satin shaped in a rounded pouch and gathered along the straight top edge to the hinged metal opening. A pink rose is embroidered at the center of one side and surrounded by smaller flowers in blue, yellow, and white. The gold-colored hinged opening has a floral vine engraved along the side. The clasp at the center opening consists of an oval raised metal piece covered in iridescent white seed beads along the top side and a circular raised metal piece covered in iridescent white seed beads at the front side. The oval piece has a curved side that fits over a hinge on the top of the circular piece. To open the purse, the circular piece lifts from the bottom to release the oval piece from the hinge.

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