On to my new favorite subject: vintage handbags!!!
This new passion started out while I was looking for a gift to get my friend for her birthday since shipping things from Turkey is not always successful (remember this? It never made it to its owner :(, very sad).
Margaret Smith of Gardiner, Maine started making beach bags and totes as a hobby in the 1940s, which eventually led to the establishment of the Margaret Smith Company producing bags and totes of high quality in novelty prints featuring floral patterns, birds, ferns and more. Imagine if she had a blog! Considered the "vintage Kate Spade," her bags can be found on vintage websites for around $50 dollars or more. But wait! Do not despair, her bags are often on eBay for much, much less and the bidding tends to be almost non-existent and never fierce compared with other designers like Enid Collins or my most favorite, Bobbie Jerome. All of the bags below were on eBay in the past month and all sold for less than $20! All of the photos are from the sellers’ descriptions (I wasn’t sure I could post them in here, but it is such a visual topic! I hope someone will let me know if I should take the photos down).
Of course, some do go for more… These three sold this past week for between $36 and $63 dollars (this highest one still had the price tags on it). I really like the bird one on the right.
I think it could be because people are in spring handbag mode, like me, but I think some truly wonderful bags can be had for less than $20. Like this one! I bought this Margaret Smith bag about 3 weeks ago on eBay. I so wanted to buy something from Anthropolgie but as that is out of the question I thought this was a fine substitute.
Both of these babies are up currently on eBay for the next 6 days and right now have starting bids of $6 each.
Finally, The Margaret Smith Company still operates today although under a different owner, and still offers vintage style bags. The cool part is that you can pick a bag design and the fabric separately to make your own semi-custom bag!
Happy Spring!
11 comments:
Oh, such beautiful handbags! They look brand new. I can imagine the homes they must come from full of treasures from half a century ago!
Those are such beautiful bags thank you so much for sharing.
Robin - yes, I think the origins of these bags must be with some other pretty stunning finds!
Josie- thanks for stopping by and I am glad you enjoyed the post about the bags :)
Hi
I happened to buy a Margaret Smith bag at an antique/flea market in CT for only $5. I have gotten several comments on it and just now googled her. Thanks so much for sharing! Oh - I love yoga too!
If you have not sold your Margaret Smith bags yet you might want to reconsider the pricing...the company closed in 2008 so these will be worth more than Ebay standard pricing. Lovely bags!
I have a Margaret Smith bag I inherited from my grandmother. She was quite a dresser and I kept some of her bags. I have the one with the bird on it.
Can you tell me the new name of the company? Just curious. erinflett.com
i just bought a margaret smith handbag today for $2.51. it's beautiful and i'm in love with it, and so glad i got such a super deal!!
I have a "Margaret Smith, Gardiner Maine" handbag. I picked it up at a thrift store. I'm originally from the North Shore of MA but I've lived in FL since 2006. I'd like to know if it's of significant value. It's a tote, made of bark cloth, her label/signature is on the inside, it's rust and beige with white border around some of the pictures. The pattern displays ships, loading docks, light houses, steamboats etc, with names, logos, and titles such as: ("H. Newcomb Commander, Harborside rapidly loading at PIER 9 E.R."), ("Schaefer's Spouter"), ("Great Point Light"), ("Steam Ship "Great Western" 1340 tons Burthen, Lieut. James Hosken, R.N., Commander.BETWEEN NEW YORK & BRISTOL"), ("Sam. Heath Sail Loft Boston") and many more. I will appreciate any info about this bag. Please help me if you can. Thank you. J. Yancy
I love MS bags, too. Bought one on ebay from a seller in Maine. Brand new, with tag for about $25. Country Living Mag. did a story on MS a few years ago. I thought she was a dressmaker or upholsterer and stumbled into the totes and purses, which ended up being carried by high end dept. stores in NYC. Would love to learn more about her.
Most Margaret Smith bags labels say "Gardiner Maine" but I see a few that say "Randolph Maine". Does anyone know which is older? Thanks so much!
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