An Antique Hemp Drawstring Bag: Paper Lined and Geometric

nineteenth century
as shown in lead photograph: 7" x 8", 18 cm x 20.25 cm

This is a beautiful, unusual, and faintly colored hemp bag which is piece-constructed.

What is marvelous about it is how it is compressed: there are diagonal folds which push the fully-extended bag down flat, creating a kind of "corkscrew" movement.

The bag is lined in rough undyed hemp cloth. The faint colors on the exterior of the bag are pale in tone, probably because they are botanically dyed and are faded.

Please note quite a few small and not-so-small holes all over the bag which, in some cases, shows the paper lining which was used in the piecing process of this old bag, which has been seemingly never used.