Bags remained part of women’s fashion once the reticule had been introduced in the late 18th century as a replacement for the pocket. This simple 1820s bag reflects the flat square shapes of earlier styles. However, the embroidery design is characteristic of English needlework from the 1820s to the 1850s. Worked with chenille thread and appliquéd silk, the three-dimensional quality of the design, along with the realism of the roses, pansies, honey-suckle and starflowers represented is typical of embroidery of this period.