A Russian jeweled varicolored gold & guilloché enamel purse frame for an evening bag, Vasily Grishin, Moscow, 1899-1908. The arch-shaped framewith gold casework chased as a flowering rose vine encasing the engine-turned ground enameled in transparent green, the flowers set with rubies & spinel, the ball clasps set with cabochon sapphires, the rings with a red gold chain with oval links struck with Cyrillic initials ID & assay mark for 1899-1908, the frame pierced to allow suspension of a cloth or gold mesh evening bag. Length: 5 1/2 in. (13.9 cm).

BelleÉpoque jewelers like Fabergé, Cartier, & Grishin created beautifully ornamented jeweled frames for evening bags. The purse itself could be made of silk or gold or silver mesh in order to harmonize with evening dress required for attendance at a ball, the theater, or a similar evening event in high society.