Sunday, March 21, 2010

Antique Medical Bag (and Boots?)

The classic doctor's bag is flat-bottomed with rounded sides, slightly elongated.  Two large handles come together over the top for easy carrying.  The mouth of the bag has a collapsible metal frame that springs open when handles are separated and tugged.

Genuine, antique doctors' bags like this one are considered collectors' items by some (I sure think so ; ) and can be found for sale at various prices depending on the shape of the bag, its history, and distinguishing characteristics or features like unique compartments or monogrammed initials.  Doctors' bags with date-appropriate tools can also be found displayed in many history museums.

[While they may not seem to really ‘go’ together,  they are from the same era and I thought they looked good paired for this little shot.]Boots and BagIn the early 1900's a woman’s ankle was usually hidden from view by a long, flowing skirt but when woman wore what were known as 'high shoes' or boots such as these, their feet were doubly protected from prying eyes!  My how things have changed…

Some boots of the period were laced through as many as 18 pairs of eyelets (!) while others were fastened with a dozen or more black glass buttons. (No wardrobe malfunctions here ; )
Shoes and boots alike often rode on 2-to-3-inch Louis XV heels.  These are of the 2 inch variety. Brown leather and gray suede were most popular.  (I'd like to plan on doing another post soon on just these neat boots/ their unique and wonderful look.  I just love them!)Boots and Bag b Ciao~

44 comments:

  1. Oh I love them both Donatella!! Especially those gorgeous boots. I wonder who the lucky lady was who wore them in their day!! Wouldn't it be wonderful if they could tell us their history. Wishing you a wonderful week ~ Tina xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love those boots and medical bag! Cute picture! ~lulu

    ReplyDelete
  3. True treasures! So glad you found them (or maybe they found you). :) Have a beautiful day! Tammy

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a great find, the boots and the bag are amazing. I love your styling for the photo, it looks good. xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. That's a awesome find, And they do look great together, if only they could talk? what a history they would tell. Love those finds. Have a wonderful Monday. Hugs, Carol Mae

    ReplyDelete
  6. Donatella, Nice post! I love a little history lesson with my morning coffee. Thanks!
    Rory
    http://thegreentiquessolution.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  7. Those are both great collectors items and they look great together!

    ReplyDelete
  8. very cool! those shoes are so tiny and yes, we've come a long way from the modesty of showing an ankle!

    do the shoe post---yay!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think that I might be tempted to wear those boots. How cool are those?! The bag would make a great purse with them too. So Mary Poppins!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love that you've shared a little history about these, Donatella! I cannot imagine how long it must have taken to get dressed back then, but oh they were elegant weren't they?
    Wishing you a lovely Monday,
    Zuzu

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love that bag and those boots! What wonderful pieces of history!
    Kate

    ReplyDelete
  12. I think I would have just went barefooted! it would have taken you an hour to get your boots on.LOL

    Great Find!~Kim

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow you got lucky where did you fine a.... genuine antique doctors bag I can see why it would be considered a collectors item....I've never seen one.God Bless Trish

    ReplyDelete
  14. fun treasures! We have a fun old~ish medical desk in our family... that we sort of found in an old boarded up house that was falling apart at the seams.. my mom bribed us to go get it for her!! (we were young and foolish back then!) ha ha!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hi Donatella, I have an award for you over on my blog. Stop by to pick it up! Love your Blog. xx

    ReplyDelete
  16. What great treasures! I love those boots, but can you imagine walking around in them all day???

    ReplyDelete
  17. Really enjoying your blog! Thanks for sharing
    :) Kristin

    ReplyDelete
  18. LOVE the boots, wonder who wore them and what her life was like.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Very cute boots! When I was little I remember taking a tour of an old victorian house in Salem, OR where I grew up and there were a pair of shoes similar to those and I was so fascinated with them.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Donatella - I simply love that Doctor's bag - you know - I think I have one also - someplace-Hmmm - I wonder where it is? Love your pictures and your great inspirations---.

    Thanks for visiting me also- your comments are so nice - I am thrilled that you like the little blanket. Knitting I can do - but creations like yours - no way. You win!

    Hugs to you-

    Vicki

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi Donatella,

    What a lovely blog you have!! And thank you for the sweet comment you left on my blog :)!

    Take care,
    Nona

    ReplyDelete
  22. Those boots are adorable, Donatella! Sometimes I wish I lived back in those years... I love love this style!! Have a lovely day. xo

    ReplyDelete
  23. wow, you have such inspiring collections, truly! I'm so happy to follow you.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Lovely....how I wish I had my great grandfather's doctor bag...and oh how I wish my feet were that tiny! :)

    Can not wait to hear more.

    Cheers~
    e

    ReplyDelete
  25. Amazing find! I'm not going away, just making some changes. You are welcome to visit me at my new blog. I will announce it probably tomorow. Please sign up as a follower because I lost all my followers in the move. (Sob!)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Beautiful photo! I would love to find an old doctor's bag to display.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I DO love that combination! I'd hate to have to get those babies off in a hurry, that's the first thing I do when I get home! Get off my shoes! Great photos!
    Hope you're having a wonderful week!
    hugs and blessings,
    Debra

    ReplyDelete
  28. these are both such wonderful treasures! the boots look very vintage to me...love them both...lucky you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Love your blog! Thank you so much for stopping by mine and your nice comment. I was amazed by that photo of the boots. They look incredibly narrow! Women really had little feet back then I think.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Hi Donna,
    I posted a comment but I'm not sure it 'took'. Anyway, thanks for your comment on my blog. I think that those skinny shoes would have been so elegant looking and even if they hadn't fit me, I would have tried as hard as Cinderella's stepsisters to wear them!

    ReplyDelete
  31. I love old doctor's bags and I think it looks great displayed with the boots. Enjoy your Friday!

    ReplyDelete
  32. I really like to mix old (=vintage) clothing items with modern (design) pieces. It could be like a happiness of rarely found wine, Donna:) These boots are gorgeous, and I am curious if you're gonna use them?
    Buonissima giornata, carissima.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Hi Donna! Thank you for visiting my blog Wading in the sea!!
    I had to come over and visit and am so glad I did. I read your profile and I was so excited to see a fellow Stevie Nicks fan!!!! She has been my absolute idol since I was nine years old !!

    I am off to visit more of your blog!!
    Pamela

    ReplyDelete
  34. Hello Donna, I hope I am your friend? :)
    I love the doctor bag and the shoes look great with it...It's like that series on TV Doc something and the well I hope your brain works better then mine, was she not the doctor in her western town? the program that Billy Ray Cyrus was in it as well.

    Oooh wait do I have these programs mixed up? ooooh! well they look great together.

    Thank you for dropping by I alway can use some company :) next time come and stay awhile.

    What part of California are you from, we might be neighbors :)

    "DORE"

    ReplyDelete
  35. thanks for visiting my blog

    very interestng podt I like old things
    that doctors bag sure must have had a busy life
    oh the stories it could tell

    very interesting about woman's ankles too
    to think we sometimes get around in jandals (flip flops) these days
    it make our ancestors faint

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi Donna, those boots are wicked cool!

    oxox
    Jennifer

    ReplyDelete
  37. I love the antiquity of it all..considering what she did, where she went...and they are just darling!

    Thanks for sharing...new to your blog!

    Kelly

    ReplyDelete
  38. Really nice boots! I am so pleased to meet you! I found we have a lot in common. Our faith, love for dr. Colberts books (oh, I love all of them), daughter at the same age(I think), love for Italy! So interesting with new blog friends! And thanks for following me! Have a great day!

    xo's Kristin

    ReplyDelete
  39. Can you open the medical/doctor's bag, take a picture of it, and post it here? Where did you get it? Any history on it? Any inscriptions/monograms? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  40. March spring, louis vuitton outlet in addition to purchase clothing for the new season, the representative of the major brands of handbags can not fail to see. There must be something Oh, you love the design. Take a look at 2011 as the new darling of the big LV bag. Toolbox design popular in recent quarters, white leather with metallic trim, distinctive personality. Armani to our demonstration that it is not only associating with the casual, modern jacket with a skirt as appropriate. San distinct edge collapse structure, soft close. The process requires a rigorous selection process the top of the leather, and the most meticulous molding and sewing skills. Clasp buckle, button mushrooms and knots and other details reflect the unique art of simplicity. Supermodel Karlie Kloss interpretation of the LV 2011 Spring Ad Campaign full version finally emerged, and in the big photographer Steven Meisel's lens, the LV 2011 spring and summer the water wearing a jacket, printed dresses, hollow heels of the KK, as Retro Pin-up poster girl inside, and like just out from the sea mermaid, painting beautiful colors like the enchanting eyes with Karlie Kloss, this season's LV-type lure, Louis Vuitton Leather Handbags it is difficult to resist.

    ReplyDelete
  41. The new sequence with our standard skeleton tagging is worth to commit near to believed to debut, louis vuitton handbags outlet luxuriant, this season, stylist is even Burton in tassel, weave and rivet remaining, joined the producer new "leaf" element, permit somebody shine inside the moment. shortly exact after the blooms in winter, spring be considerably behind? Louis vuitton producer acknowledgement artist handbag is spring 2011 start of new series, this sequence of lasted producer steady classical design, coloring and factors all through the use of the innovation as well as to provide fans brought quite a few visual surprise. The acknowledgement away from your hottest manasseh lisa producer issued recently with a substantial choice of sequence of spring 2011, permit it's fans handbag with when once more the visual addiction. New handbag in Louis vuitton goes on concerning the pattern of classical clipping sequence and LV, but in coloring and merchandise utilization and innovation. pace is desirable, city-life it. Yi yi flash chips, gem adornment... All sorts away from your 1830s specular permit you consist of the pricey farmar. Roberto Cavalli this period of your time of your time in new fabrics highlighted python skin, concerning the shiny paint and baroque rivet for dim deep space additional a dazzling brilliance. LV pattern design is reflected in his exquisite and sensation of product often make an work to high-tech fabrics, and with their feelings to combine construct use,
    Louis Vuitton Backpack Bags will make the design can show LV personality.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Exceptional Model Vibram Five Fingers, some sort of personal bank model with the showdown, often fascinated countless sight, this occassion likewise harvesting far more take into account as well as applause. Supra NS (not for skate shoes or boots) Supra forthcoming fall last year set is very thrilling, is usually revealed for the Supra Secured NS, this particular set of shoes or boots combat in appearance Cuiqu the actual zebra fit as well as connect as well as coloring their fact, Next is usually Skytops as well as Indys arranged, fashioned with the Samantha Ronson, usually are just about all ebony wrinkled household leather upper, as well as material antique watches point contrast, each sets of shoes or boots are well-known sneaker keep Factory413 good discounts. December, supra firm to help available some sort of badminton keep with Hong Kong, is utilized to keep solution testing, so as to pave the way regarding a worldwide manufacturer.

    ReplyDelete

Sharing our ideas, learning new things, uplifting & encouraging one another; I love to hear your thoughts~