GENERAL EMBROIDERY PETIT POINT, BAG

Hand embroidered in petit point ladies’ bags and accessories were popular in first half of 20th century.

This black silk cigarette holder with metal clasp was fashionable when young women smoked before the dangers were known. The front has a hand embroidered petit point panel on fine silk gauze (40 stitches to the inch) in tent stitch. Attached by a metal chain is a tiny metal cigarette lighter with petit point embroidery in similar design.

Red synthetic fabric lining.

1960s tourist trade popularised these hand embroidered accessories made in Hong Kong which were based on hand embroidered petit point handbags from Europe earlier in the century.

Needlepoint tapestry is said to have originated in the 17th century, when the fashion for furniture upholstered with embroidered fabrics prompted the development of a more durable material, canvas, to serve as the foundation for the embroidery and resembling woven tapestry. As time progressed the stitches became finer, the threads thinner and the colours brighter – petit point.