Golden Yellow Silk Brocade Gaming Purse

Baroque · 1690s · French

A small drawstring purse constructed from silk brocade featuring a repeating floral pattern in coral pink roses with green foliage on a golden yellow ground. The purse has a gathered circular base that draws up into soft pleats, creating a pouch-like form when the drawstring is pulled. A narrow green silk ribbon serves as the drawstring closure, threaded through the gathered top edge. The brocade appears to be woven with metallic threads that give it a lustrous quality typical of late 17th-century French silk production. The compact size and decorative nature indicate its use for holding gaming tokens or coins during card games and gambling, a popular aristocratic pastime during the Baroque period.