N° 004 — Purses
What purse is this?
From a thrift-store find to a bag in a movie still: upload a photo and we name the brand and line, or tell you the shape and what to photograph next.
Drop a photo of the bag here
or press ⌘V to paste a screenshot
Photos are used only to answer this request and are not stored. Location data is removed in your browser before upload.
FIG. 02 — Glossary
Know the shape
Searching works far better with the right word for the shape. These are the names shops and resellers use.
- Tote
Open top, two handles
A roomy everyday bag carried on the shoulder or in the hand.
- Hobo
Slouchy crescent
A soft bag that sags into a curve when worn on the shoulder.
- Baguette
Small, long and narrow
Worn tucked under the arm on a short shoulder strap.
- Saddle bag
Curved, kidney shape
Modelled on a horse saddlebag, usually with a flap.
- Satchel
Structured, flat base
A top handle and often a long strap, with a flap or zip.
- Bucket bag
Cylinder with a drawstring
A round base and a cinched top.
- Crossbody
Long strap across the body
Any small bag designed to be worn across the chest.
- Clutch
No strap, held in the hand
An evening bag, sometimes with a detachable chain.
Many bags blend shapes. Name the closest one and add the material and color when you search.
FIG. 03 — Vintage
Checking a vintage or thrifted purse
01
Inside label — Brand and origin
Look for a sewn or stamped label inside — a brand name, a country of origin and sometimes a style number.
02
Hardware — Engraving
Zip pulls, clasps and feet are often engraved with the brand. Photograph them close up.
03
Lining — Pattern
Printed linings with a logo pattern can name the brand when the outside has none.
04
Serial tags — Numbers
Small leather tags or stickers with numbers can help date a bag and narrow down the line.
FIG. 04 — Found a purse
How to identify a purse you found
Purses from closets, estate sales and thrift racks rarely come with a dust bag or a receipt. The bag itself usually carries enough clues to name it; this is the order to read them in.
Updated October 2026How we tested the identifier
| Clue | What it tells you | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Label or heat stamp | The brand, often the country it was made in | A leather tab inside, an interior pocket, under the flap |
| Date or serial code | Roughly when it was made, for houses that use them | A small tab inside a pocket or sewn into a seam |
| Hardware stamps | The brand when the outside has no logo | Zip pulls, clasps, rivets, buckle backs, the feet on the base |
| Lining | The brand from a logo print, the era from the fabric | Inside the main compartment |
| Shape and size | The line, once you know the brand | Width and height, and how the bag sits when set down |
| Finishing | The price tier — not whether it is genuine | Handle edges, stitching, corners |
01
Empty it and find the label
Take everything out and look inside the main compartment, the zip pocket and under any flap. A stamped tab or sewn label with a brand name answers most of the question before you take a single photo.
02
Photograph the whole bag, then the details
For the scanner, shoot the front of the bag straight on against a plain background. Then take close-ups of the label, the hardware and the lining: they are what you will compare against listings once you have a name.
03
Search the brand with the shape
A brand name alone returns thousands of bags. Add the shape from the glossary above, plus the material and color — a leather bucket bag, a quilted flap bag — and the right line usually shows up in the first results.
04
Date it if you can
Date codes, style numbers and the style of the label can place a bag in a decade. For some houses, a vintage piece in good condition is worth more than a new bag of the same line.
05
Before you sell or buy
Compare listings for the same line in the same condition, not just the same brand. For a bag from a luxury house, have it authenticated first: we name the design we see, and do not judge whether it is genuine.
FIG. 05 — Questions
Asked about this
Is a purse different from a bag here?
No — “purse” is the everyday American word for a handbag. Choose Bags in the scanner and upload the photo.
It's a vintage purse with no logo. Can it still help?
Often it can name the shape and era, and suggest what to photograph — the inside label, hardware or lining — to narrow it down.
Can it value my purse?
Not yet. It names the item and links to resale listings, where you can compare what similar bags sell for.