PURSE

A medieval or post medieval copper alloy purse bar fragment dating to the period c. AD 1450 - 1550, Type B5. Only one arm remains, with the flat trapezoidal attachment and sewing holes to attach the purse. The complete frame would have consisted of a vertical bar which passed through a horizontal bar - this fragment only retains half of the loop which would have held the vertical bar and suspension loop. The loop would have probably been trapezoidal tapering into an oval stem and then narrowing to form a a circular cross-sectioned bar which passes through a circular perforation in the horizontal bar. The vertical bar would have exhibited a collar positioned just before it terminated on the underside of the horizontal bar in order to hold it in place. The vertical bar would have swivelled freely in the hole.

The horizontal bar, of which only one arm remains, exhibits half of the central oval block through which the vertical perforation to house the vertical bar was drilled. On either side of the central block an arm would have extended outwards on a horizontal access. Both arms would have been rectangular in cross-section and tapered along their lengths before expanding and then narrowing into a circular-cross-sectioned projection which terminates in a collared knop - this is also missing on the fragment. A rectangular tab projects from the underside of the horizontal bar. The tab exhibits two circular sewing holes.