Antique Bags

Bags made from antique, valuable textiles - occasionally the bag itself might be old, but mostly they are made from antique textiles.

For Indian bags the material is generally Gujarti, sometime from rural Rajasthan. From areas like Kutch, Saurashtra,  Barmer, Sind, made by women from various castes such as Ribari shepherds, Meghwal leather workers, Mahajan merchants, Kathi landowners, Kanbi farmers, Ahir herders and many more. Traditionally made as dowry they were significant pieces of work, prized for their quality.

For Hill Tribe bags they will be made by one of the six main tribes or one of their subgroups.

There are also some bags made from real Indian Banjarra pieces of textile. These bags were originally dowry bags and were used to keep jewelry or other artifacts that became part of the dowry given by the bride to her new family. We have added a strap to each one so they can be shoulder bags. These old Bajarra dowry bags are getting to be very rare now and the prices have escalated very sharply in the last few years.

The original embroidery can be 30 to 60 or more years old. The use of vintage fabrics means that there may be slight imperfections…this only adds to the character of the bag, making it even more unique. It is part of their charm.