c1900 heavily beaded sewing roll or huswife

Heavily beaded sewing roll or “tool kit” from around the turn of the last century, similar to a “huswife” with clear glass seed beads on a deep sapphire velvet fabric. When closed it looks like a small clutch purse but it unrolls to lie flat, exposing a padded pincushion and a fabric pouch. The printed silk fabrics used inside are a plaid and a matching multi-color stripe.

It measures 5″ wide and about 2-1/2″ high when closed, and 6-1/2″ high when fully open.

Overall, the condition is excellent with a few minor flaws: one bead loop on the front edging is loose (no missing beads, only a thread catching that part of the bead loop appears broken), a small tear in the silk lining and a missing hook and eye which would have held it closed. The beads are clear glass in two sizes (11/0 and 13/0 seeds) plus a large, chunky tubular bead used in the flower centers. The velvet has retained its deep blue shade.