Beaded clutch belonging to Etta Moten Barnett: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This is a black beaded evening bag belonging to Etta Moten Barnett. The bag is a rectangular clutch with a flap opening. The flap closes with a metal snap closure on the interior of the flap. The exterior of the bag is covered in tiny black beads sewn into swirling patterns. The interior of the bag is lined in black silk. There is a white colored tag sewn onto the interior pocket on the rear panel of the bag. It has red text that reads “HAND MADE / IN BELGIUM.” There are loose threads and beads throughout the purse.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1950-2004
• Manufactured by: Unidentified
• Owned by: Etta Moten Barnett, American, 1901 - 2004
• Type: clutch bags
• Medium: cloth and beads with metal
• Dimensions: H x W: 4 9/16 × 8 1/8 in. (11.6 × 20.6 cm)
• Place made: Belgium, Europe
• Place used: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Broadway Theatre
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Fashion
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Topic: Women
• Object number: A2022.13.1.64.1
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown – Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.