Purse

Seventeenth century noblemen and women rarely carried money on short day trips, since accounts were settled on a periodic basis. Purses like this one were instead used as 'sweet bags', filled with sweet-smelling powder or dried flowers to perfume the air. Scented travelling accessories were particularly desirable when moving around cities, which often smelt strongly due to open sewers and overcrowded streets. This purse is made in the unusual shape of a frog – a fashionable addition to an expensive outfit.