Beautiful c1976 Sea Shell Silver & Black Hinge Clutch
This is so unusual and beautiful and it is definitely not a bag you will see every day. A very large and beautiful sea shell has been glossed and coated to be made into a minaudiere. It has a combination of silver and a shaped black hinge opening formed to ft the opening exactly. The inside is hollow so you can fit some small items into it. I did the ice test for silver on the silver metal part and it passed with flying colors so is at very least silver plated but I suspect that it is indeed real silver. There is a very similar clutch in The Met museum by Judith Leiber but our bag has no identifying marks so is a bit of a mystery. This came out of a wealthy woman's estate and she had a small collection if unusual hand made bags, and there were many Judith Leiber pieces plus ones she had picked up on her travels. It is fabulous regardless and a rarity. Excellent condition with natural patina from aging.
The would have been hand made and the shell used is a real so shows the natural imperfections as made by nature. There are some slight chips on the black hinged part but these are minor and just add to the fabulous vintage feel of the piece
Approx 7" long x 6" with a width across of 3.5" at the widest part
Item# A323
Reference Photo: (1) Judith Leiber S/S 1976 Evening Bag in The MET Collection. / (2) Designer Judith Leiber, left, shows Abbe Lane her latest shell evening bags. Exotic shells also adorn Leiber necklaces hung from ropes of coral or silk cord. Collection is at Saks, Bonwit's and Bergdorf Goodman, March 16, 1976. (Photo by Frank Leonardo / (c) NYP Holdings, Inc. via Getty Images)
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
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Please review all measurements carefully. More often than not, vintage garments do not fit any size category exactly. If in doubt, measure a garment of your own that fits and is a similar cut and compare it's measurements to the listed measurements below.
