J. Jolles Studios Point-Moderne Petit Point

Description

Five of these seven petit point purses are J. Jolles Moderne.  I believe the black-background purse is also J. Jolles Moderne.  The figural petit point with jeweled frame is not a J. Jolles, although the fine quality of the petit point belongs in the same category of fabulous petit points (in my opinion). There are photos of front & back of all 7 purses. 

This from The Montreal Gazette (Dec. 22, 1936):

A POINT-MODERNE BAG MAKES WELCOME GIFT

Surrealism has caught the artistic world.  Art show, camera exhibits, special movies and bag designs are the season's divertissement.  So, the last word in handbags is Point-Moderne, or contemporary life.  They have caused as great an eclat as the much talked of modern art.  Inspired from the distinctive canvases of Polanckh (a noted young Viennese artist), these hand-bag designs are colorful and very unique.  Like the surrealist paintings the exact designs are difficult to comprehend. 

I have a small booklet  titled: Petit Point Wiener Stickkunst -Werkstatten J. Jolles Studios.  I am in the process of trying to find out which purses this booklet would have referenced.

The booklet talks about how much work goes into making one of these bags: the historic development of petit point embroidery in general, and the production of a petit point bag in particular.  There are also photos of the factory in Vienna where the bags were produced, the painters, artists, embroiderers, assemblers, and a drawing of how petit point embroidery stitches are made.

I have since found out these booklets were included in purses from J. Jolles from at least the 1930's into the 1970's, perhaps even later. 

 Collection of Kathy Gunderson

Wendy Dager (owner of The Vintage Purse Museum) interviewed the great-grandson of Ida Jolles.  Her blog includes this interview:  J. Jolles Studio history - Interview

Details

Date: 1920's - 1950's

Materials: Petit Point

Provenance: Vienna, Germany

Designer/Maker: J. Jolles Moderne

Markings: Unknown

Dimensions: Unknown

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