Purse

A small purse shaped like a frog. It is made in two halves: the back is on a hard base with padding on top, the underside is on a more pliable base. The two are seamed together to just below the front legs and are lined with greenish-yellow silk with a gusset at each side to form a tiny purse with a drawstring fastening. The legs are made of wire and shaped with padding. The whole body is covered with poor quality silver-gilt thread wrapped around a visible dark beige silk core in detached buttonhole stitch. The underside is spotted with star-shaped pieces of metal thread. The sides of the body and the back are decorated with lines of couched gilt coil. The eyes are made from black beads, and the drawstring from plaited green silk.

The LA County Museum of Art holds a similar purse (AC1998.85.1), which is described as a needle-case.The Royal Collection also holds a frog-shaped purse (RCIN 37043).