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Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Travel Purse
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.
Image courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum.

Travel Purse

Artifact IDMO 1971.41
Object Type Purse
Maker (French, founded 1847)
Dateca. 1943
Mediumfabric (wool), leather, metal (brass), glass
Dimensionsoverall (with strap) H 25 1/2 in (64.8 cm )
 overall (with strap) D 2 1/2 in (6.4 cm )
 overall (without strap) H 7 1/4 in x W 10 3/4 in (18.4 cm x 27.3 cm )
 overall (without strap) W 10 3/4 in x D 2 1/2 in (27.3 cm x 6.4 cm )
Physical DescriptionA medium blue wool travel purse. On one side it is a regular purse with Eleanor Roosevelt's gilt initials (ER) on the exterior of the flap and an interior with gray leather compartments, a card holder, a mirror, and a change purse. On the other side of the purse is a section which unfolds like a shopping bag and has two zippered pockets. This section is held folded to the purse by two fabric straps with brass buckles. The maker's mark is on the interior of purse: Cartier.
Historical NoteEleanor Roosevelt used this purse during her 25,000 mile tour of the South Pacific in August-September 1943 as a representative of the American Red Cross. It is on display on a rotational schedule in the ER’S WARTIME TRAVELS exhibit in the Museum’s WORLD WAR II gallery
Additional Details
Credit LineGift of Eleanor Roosevelt
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesPersonal Possessions of the Roosevelt Family (National Archives Identifier 782689)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.
In Collection(s)
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On view
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