Kralenbeursje - Purse

Museum-grade, unique antique banquet purse (kralenbeursje) from the Netherlands, dating from around 1830, representing an outstanding example of 19th-century artistic craftsmanship of the Biedermeier era.
The purse was made using an extremely labor-intensive technique involving manual knitting on needles with thousands of microscopic glass seed beads (so-called sabot kralen).
The central part of the composition features a classical, richly shaded rose motif, enclosed in decorative frames of geometric patterns dominated by beautiful shades of blue and marine navy with gold-brown accents.
The whole is capped by a masterfully crafted, spring-open clasp in old silver of fineness 833.
On the inner side of the metal frame remains a complete set of rare original Dutch assay marks, including a legible sword mark (zwaardslag) used in 1814–1906 for smaller silver articles, the official annual letter (jaarletter) specifying the time of creation, and the unique master mark (meesterteken) of the goldsmith in the form of the monogram “I.S.”
An additional historical merit is the handwritten initials of the first owner, preserved beside the marks.
The interior of the purse is finished with an original light textile lining, preserved in very good condition, without wear or holes, combined with a decorative purple passementerie trim.
The item is characterized by an excellent structure of the old weave and a unique color palette, making it a highly sought-after and complete collectible, ideal for advanced collections of antique fashion accessories, European textiles, or historic artisanal silver.