“Five of Hearts” Ditty Bag

Description

“Five of Hearts” Ditty Bag 

5 ¾” by 7 ½” handsewn ditty bag, framed to 12” by 15”, appearing to be made of silk with a prominent “Five of Hearts” playing card applique and large red ribbon drawstring (fraying at edges especially to top of playing card, some separation along seams, light soil, unexamined outside frame). While “ditty bags” are frequently associated with soldiers, women too carried these small bags to house personal valuables. While the meaning of the “Five of Hearts” cannot be definitively determined, heart playing cards have a long association with matters of love, relationships, and marriage. Civil War references to the playing card are scarce, but one source identifies a “Five of Hearts” playing card which was presented to Captain Elmer Ellsworth by a “member of the Albany [NY] Burgess Corps” ca 1861. Though the intentions of maker and wearer cannot be known, the bag itself remains a unique and intriguing Civil War-era remnant.

Comes housed in a 12 x 15 inch frame with descriptive card.

Inventory Number: MIS 156