Interesting facts about purses and wallets. Interesting about the purse Who sewed wallets in Russia

What exactly do you know about your wallet?
Of course, many will answer that it is intended to store money, where it was purchased and how old it is.

However, wallet history very lengthy. For many centuries, a variety of objects served as money for a person: stones, shells, beads, knots on ropes and much more. And all this needed some kind of container for storage and movement.
There was a time when a person did not have pockets on his clothes, no one had yet invented a wallet, and tailors did not sew bags. In that era, it was customary to hide money in the tops of boots, under hats.
They often made beads from coins and simply hung them around the neck, and the ladies, whose clothes were already quite lush at that time, hid banknotes in the folds between the fabric.

In ancient Russia, a purse was a fabric or leather pouch, tied at the top with a special cord. At that time, money functioned only in the form of coins, and this form of wallet was very convenient. Rich princes and boyars wore wallets made of expensive fabrics: brocade, silk, velvet, which were decorated with embroidery, precious stones and so on.

This irreplaceable thing has been very popular in Russia since the 11th century. Exactly such a thing was discovered by archaeologists in Novgorod and thanks to it this date was established. In such "wallets", as a rule, not only cash was stored, but also special folding scales with small weights. They were intended so that the owner could accept as payment not only money, but also precious stones and metals, having previously made an assessment.

In ancient Egypt, the wallet was shaped like a cloth bag, which was attached to its side. Images of such wallets can be found on frescoes. Such a wallet served not only as a “house” for money, but also as a storehouse for precious stones and, often, herbs.

In ancient China and Japan, a string served as a wallet. The fact is that in those days the coins did not have a denomination, but they were distinguished by holes made in the center of the coin. The lace was simply passed through the holes, and the value could only be determined by weight.

Only the Romans thought of using leather to make wallets. People decorated wallets not only with embroidery, but also with stones, often precious ones. By such a wallet it was possible to determine the solvency of a person. At this time, the wallet became an important decoration for the beautiful half of humanity. Exactly at Ancient Rome purses for women became not only the main decoration and performed their direct function, but also served as a cosmetic bag.

In the Middle Ages, wallets began to be made in various shapes, presenting them in lyre-shaped frames, which were covered with all kinds of fabrics, embroidered with precious threads. Purses and wallets appeared in Russia in the 17th century. They were designed to store paper bills.

Today, this accessory is an integral part of every modern person. For the manufacture of modern wallets, a variety of leather is used: crocodile, snake, ostrich, stingray and many others.

By the way, the wallet is perfect as a gift. Just do not forget that in no case should you give it empty. The wallet does not tolerate emptiness, both in terms of signs and in terms of its functionality. There you are useful advice on purchasing a wallet: when you buy this accessory for yourself, make sure that the bills in it are conveniently located, do not wrinkle or bend. For a wallet, black, brown and all shades of metals are ideal: silver, bronze, gold, as well as all shades of yellow.

However, history does not stand still. And today a new type of wallet has appeared - an electronic wallet.

The wallet is a small, flat body that can be used for personal items such as cash, credit cards, as well as identification documents (driver's license, ID cards, club cards, etc.), photographs, transit pass, gift cards, Business Cards and other paper or laminated cards. Women's and men's wallets are most often made of leather or fabrics, and they are usually pocket-sized, but not always foldable.

Etymology

The word "purse" has been used since the late 14th century to refer to a sack or knapsack for carrying items. The word may come from Proto-Germanic. The ancient Greek word kibisis, used to describe the sack carried by the god Hermes and the sack in which the mythical hero Perseus carried the severed head of the monster Medusa, is usually translated as "purse". The use of the term "purse" in his modern meaning"flat case for paper currency" in American English dates from 1834, but this meaning was one of many in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Story

Ancient Greece

Classicist A.Ya. Campbell decided to answer the question: "What ... in ancient literature, is the use of a purse?" He concluded, like a theocratic scholar, that "the purse was the poor man's portable pantry, or, among other things, it was what you supplied with provisions." He found that sometimes a person can eat from it directly, but the most characteristic references refer to it being "restocked like a store", not as a lunch basket, but rather as a survival pack.

Renaissance

Wallets were developed following the introduction of paper currency to the West in the 1600s. (The first paper currency was introduced to the New World by the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1690.) Before the introduction of paper currency, coin purses (usually simple leather lacing bags) were used to hold coins. Early wallets were made primarily from cowhide or code leather and included a small pouch for printed business cards.

Writing about the life of an Elizabethan merchant, John Frampton, Lawrence C. Wroth describes the merchant as "a young Englishman of twenty-five years of age, decently dressed, wearing a sword, and tied to his belt what he called a 'boguette' (or budget), i.e. leather bag or purse in which he carried his money, his account book, and small items of daily necessities."

19th century
In addition to money or currency, the purse would also be used to carry dried meat, food, "treasures" and "things that must not be exposed." Wallets were originally used by early industrial Americans. In 19th century America, it was considered "semi-civilized" to wear your purse on your belt. Ironically, at this time carrying goods or a purse in one's pocket was considered uncivilized and unusual.

In Spain, the purse was an example for smoking paraphernalia: "Each person would carry a small bundle of white paper in addition to a small leather purse, which would contain flint and steel, along with a small amount of what is called yéca, being a dry vegetable fiber, which the spark instantly ignited."

Mankind cannot exist without money. For money you need a wallet. These "cash vaults" have a lot of names, colors and shapes, and the history of the wallet is as old as the world.

Here are just a few synonyms for the word "wallet": wallet, purse, shoveler, purse. All these names appeared during the evolution of the capacity for storing money, more precisely, during the evolution of money itself.

The first coins began to be minted in the territory of modern Turkey about 2650 years ago. Along with this, we had to sew bags made of fabric and leather, tightened with a cord. It was the progenitor of the wallet, and a lot of time passed until mankind came up with a more functional monetary container.

Coin bags were also used in ancient Egypt, clinging them to the belt, and in addition to money, herbs, precious stones and items needed in the afterlife were stored in these devices. The ancient Greeks thought of sewing pockets to chitons. In China and Japan, they generally acted cunningly - they had coins with holes, so they used laces instead of a wallet. The value of such a "purse" was determined by its weight. The Romans seriously advanced the look of the wallet - they were the first to decorate money bags with embroidery or inlay and made the wallet an attribute of a women's costume. There was a kind of wallet in the Middle East: it was a rather wide leather belt lined with a special clasp called "through". Small purchases, tobacco and even dry rations could be folded into the folds of such a belt.

AT ancient Russia they acted even more thoroughly: archaeologists found in Novgorod an impressive 11th-century fabric purse, where not only coins were placed, but also small scales with weights - to weigh gold and precious stones. In Europe in the 12th century, omonier bags appeared. At first, they were used by monks to store relics, then aristocrats and merchants “pulled themselves up” - they began to wear seals and writing materials in omonieres. And only in the Renaissance era did wallets appear, at least somehow similar to modern ones: they came up with the idea of ​​sewing a frame into omoniers. Soon, the frame began to be made lyre-shaped and covered with noble materials. Notebooks and writing instruments continued to be worn in rectangular aumonieres with frames, and there is a version that the word "wallet" came about just then. And the French came up with the name "purse" - from "porter monnaie" ("carry money"),

With the advent of paper banknotes, the purse acquired an almost modern form, two compartments appeared in it - for banknotes and for coins. The size of the purse depended on the size of the banknotes. Russian merchants preferred "shovels" - very large wallets that could hold solid stacks of paper money. At the same time, across the ocean, wallets were relatively small - to match the then used small banknotes.

In the 19th century, wallet design flourished. They were made oblong with a metal frame and octagonal, decorated with satin, leather and beads. The technologies of the 20th century made their own adjustments - wallets appeared on buttons and clips. At one time, even coin boxes were produced, where coins of various denominations were invested by pressing a finger.

With the advent plastic cards everything more or less settled down, even the systematization of standard wallets appeared: a wallet for a breast pocket, wallets of double and triple addition, and finally, a clip for banknotes. There are also business clutches, which, in addition to money, include documents and keys. The role of wallets is also performed by designer ladies' accessories that can look like anything. In America, not so long ago, they invented a biometric wallet that opens only after identifying the owner's fingerprint. You can even connect it to your phone and find out how far you are from it. If the wallet is more than six meters away, an alarm is activated on it, a kind of “anti-theft”. Although now even electronic wallets are being “hijacked” ...

A wallet is a familiar item that we use every day. But in its modern version, it appeared relatively recently. goes back many centuries. And him appearance changed along with the change of the money itself.

First wallets

It is assumed that first wallet appeared in Lydia, which was in the territory of modern Turkey. It was there that the first coins were minted, and they were carried in special bags. Drawstring bags were also used by the Babylonians, Greeks, and Assyrians.

In Egypt, wallets were more like bags, they were so large. In addition to money, they carried herbs, precious stones and other items that, according to the owners, they might need in the afterlife.

In Japan and China, coins were made with a hole. Money was transferred using an ordinary lace. The coins had no denomination, and the value of the bundle was determined by ordinary weighing.

The Romans contributed to wallet decorative element. They made it from leather, decorating it with embroidery and precious stones. Such an elegant option could not fail to please women. In ancient Rome, a purse became an indispensable attribute of a woman's costume. True, only wealthy people could afford such an accessory.

In the Middle East, money was carried in road belts. In addition to coins, food supplies also fit there. This belt is called "through".

The first wallet in Russia appeared in the 11th century. It was found during excavations in Novgorod and was a fabric bag, pulled together with a cord. They kept more than just money. After all, then precious stones were also in use. For their weighing, special scales were used, which were also worn in the purse.

In Europe there was a special kind of alms purse - aumonier. It was a pouch for change, which was attached to the wearer's belt. It was believed that if you give to the poor from a personal wallet (which was then in the form of an envelope), then the welfare of the giver goes away.

Further development of wallets

In the 16th century, pockets appeared in men's clothing. Money began to be transferred to them. Ladies' purses were bags in which they carried not only money, but also all sorts of women's things.

In the 17th century, the first paper money appeared. This played a role in the evolution of the wallet. Then came the terms "wallet" and "purse". The word purse comes from the French phrase, translated as "to carry money."

At the beginning of the 19th century, much attention began to be paid to the appearance of wallets. They made it from thick cardboard, which was covered with leather or satin. The surface was decorated with beaded patterns.

Modern wallet

Modern objects for carrying money have several variations. Among them, there are those where banknotes can be worn without bending, there are options without a special compartment for coins. The standard type of wallet has compartments for banknotes, for plastic cards and for coins.

In addition to its main function, the wallet has become an accessory. Modern fashion presents many options for a women's wallet, sewn from different materials. Surprising variety of shapes, colors and decor. So modern women definitely will not be left without a choice. In a creative impulse, designers return to old models, changing them in a new way.

Modern technologies do not stand still. And now there is an electronic wallet. It is equipped with a device that reads the owner's fingerprints and opens only after their identification. This wallet is made of durable materials and can be connected to a smartphone. If the wallet moves away from the smartphone at a certain distance, an alarm is triggered.

And you can just buy a women's or men's wallet in the online store site

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As you know, for thousands of years, a variety of objects served as money for mankind: shells, stones, knots on ropes, and God knows what else. And all this time, a certain container for money was required.

Once upon a time, when neither pockets nor wallets had yet been invented, people wore money in the top of their boots or in a hat. The ladies hid the coins in the folds of their clothes, and sometimes they made “decorations” from the coins, for example, “beads” to wear around the neck ...

The first wallets were more like bags, both in size and function. The Egyptians carried herbs, gems and other items needed in the future afterlife in such handbags.

Among the Assyrians and Babylonians, the role of a purse was performed by special belt pouches made of canvas. As a rule, they were not decorated in any way and were an attribute of an exclusively male costume. Later, they were borrowed almost unchanged by the ancient Greeks, who tied the pouches to the belt of the tunic and used them to carry coins produced in more than a thousand Greek cities.

The Romans made significant changes to the appearance of wallets. They not only used leather as a material for the first time and introduced the tradition of decorating purses (in Rome they were often inlaid and embroidered), but also made a purse an indispensable attribute of women's costume.

But in ancient China and Japan, wallets as such did not exist for a long time. The reason for this was the originality of the coins. They had holes in the center and were worn simply on a cord - leather or silk. Over time, waist bags also began to play the role of wallets in these countries.

Often the role of a wallet was played “through” - a thick leather travel belt with a lining, palm-wide, inside which money was stored. It was fastened with a buckle, and sometimes also with a lock. A similar way of storing money was known in the Middle East. There, in the folds of the belt, not only money was worn, but even tobacco, small purchases and breakfast.

Among the European purses of the Middle Ages, there are many samples with a lyre-shaped frame. According to archaeologists, just like in Russia, they kept coins and weights for evaluating precious stones. The "Saracenic pouches" brought by the crusaders from the East at the end of the 13th century also enjoyed considerable popularity. As a rule, they were decorated with silver bells, enamel and miniature portraits.

Along with this, there were purses that were unusual in form and purpose, such as a purse in the form of an envelope and an omonier. The first one had numerous pockets sewn on the sides and was used to store whole coins, their trimmings or weights, which were placed in the pocket separately from each other. The second was for charity. Giving alms from an ordinary wallet was not accepted, because it was believed that otherwise the money would be transferred from the giver. However, during this period of time, the appearance of omonières was practically no different from ordinary leather wallets for other money.

Since the 16th-17th centuries, belt purses have become an attribute of predominantly women's fashion. They were worn under an overskirt, which had a special slit for convenience, and were intended not only for money, but for personal items: love letters, a miniature prayer book, keys, etc. In turn, the men's wallet has changed significantly after the appearance of clothes with pockets. The capacious wallets of the past have been replaced by small bags for storing round money. They just put them in my pocket. The first pockets were welt, trouser, but by the end of the 17th century, patch pockets appeared, which were sewn to men's camisoles, and later to vests.

The word "wallet" appeared in the 17th century and originally meant "paper bag". The wallet became synonymous with a wallet only in the 19th century, when paper money became widespread in Russia and Europe. Purses and wallets of the 19th century are of considerable interest. At the beginning of the century, oblong purses with a metal frame were in fashion, as well as purses of a six- and octagonal shape. Men's wallets of that time had two compartments or pockets and a clasp. The basis of purses and wallets was thick paper or cardboard, topped with leather or white or colored satin. On the outside, the purses were decorated with beaded embroidery.

In the 1820-1830s. notebooks were in vogue in combination with a wallet. These products are also found later, although much less frequently. But throughout the century, both in Europe and in Russia, coin purses with a slit in the middle and two clip rings have been used.
Alms purses also continued to be used. The forms and materials from which they were made were very diverse. There were wallets made of metal, beads, ceramics, etc., and the shape, as a rule, symbolized the intention of the giver. The heart personified sincerity and kindness, the seed - the good fruits that mercy brings. Often, moralizing inscriptions were made on wallets: “The road is almsgiving in times of poverty”, “The poor asks, but you give to God”, “If you want to have, give”, etc. After 1917, the tradition of making such wallets was interrupted, therefore, today omoniers can only be seen in museums and private collections.

The 20th century added a few more pages to the history of the wallet. Purses on a button or clips, made in a factory way from artificial materials or knitted and embroidered with beads with your own hands, and even coin boxes, where coins of various denominations are inserted by pressing a finger. This is on the one hand. On the other hand, for many years European and Russian designers have been offering the public a wide variety of leather models, including exotic animals, often decorated with precious stones or Swarovski crystals. Styles change, our preferences change, new materials appear. And it happens the other way around - the master refers to the traditions of the past and creates interesting, memorable products. Of course, this process does not mean a simple repetition of models that existed decades or centuries ago, but a creative rethinking of the experience of past masters. A similar example of a successful combination of traditions and innovations can serve as purses, handbags, so loved by many.
The story of the wallet continues. Designers again and again surprise us with interesting finds, and we just have to choose from a huge variety of wallets the only one that matches our mood, style and financial capabilities.

But there are also electronic wallets. But that's another story...