Handbag designed by Lillian Head

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object Details

Created by
Lillian Head, American, 1921 - 2010
Subject of
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
Description
A leather and plastic handbag designed to resemble the elevators in the Hyatt Regency Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia. The handbag is cylindrical, with tapered ends. The main body of the handbag is clear, made from one piece of plastic that is stapled at its seam and secured into place by being stitched and glued to eight (8) reddish-brown leather straps extending the full length of the handbag, from the base to the top opening. The top and bottom portions of the handbag are constructed from reddish-brown leather overlaid onto a form. At the top of the handbag, all eight (8) leather straps taper upwards to form a cinch closure that can be pulled shut by tightening two cords that are looped through the leather straps and knotted together on the ends. The cords are made from a brown synthetic fiber and capped with metal end caps. When fully tightened, the cords extend from the leather straps by approximately 9 inches, which can be grasped to carry the handbag. Underneath the leather straps and cords is the opening into the central body of the handbag. The opening is covered by a hinged flap that is glued to one side of the opening and can be secured on the other side with a snap. At the bottom of the handbag, all eight (8) leather straps continue extending downwards to be concealed under a circular band of leather stitched and glued to the base. This small circular base creates a foot on which the handbag can be rested. All of the interior leather portions of the handbag are lined with a deep red velvet, covering the interior base and the verso of the flap that covers the opening.
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
1967 - 1968
Object number
2007.3.3.2
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
Type
handbags
Medium
leather, plastic, velvet and metal
Dimensions
H x W x D: 10 1/4 × 7 × 6 1/2 in. (26 × 17.8 × 16.5 cm)
Circumference: 20 in. (50.8 cm)
L (With cords fully extended): 21 1/4 in. (54 cm)
Place made
Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
See more items in
National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
Collection title
Black Fashion Museum Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Topic
African American
Architecture
Clothing and dress
Fashion
Women
Record ID
nmaahc_2007.3.3.2
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5862e4d26-7cdf-4931-b174-6580ba94f4dc