2005.43.3

Red purse of alligator skin, lined in red leather. Attached on the inside is a small coin purse of red alligator skin. Inside are three pockets: one contains a double sided mirror, one is empty, and another empy one zips closed (with a tab of red alligator on the zipper pull). The purse frame is probably brass; the center clasp is a half cicrle, with six concentric half circle grooves.

Mrs. Chinn and her husband were on the first ship allowed into Cuba after Castro came to power in 1959. (The United States embargo against Cuba did not take place until January of 1961.) It is on this trip that she acquired the purse.

Used: Mary Chinn | Adult ~ female | Chinese American