This gray Lucite handbag with a carved floral handle and top is stamped "Florida Handbags." From the estate of Norma Seidman, Lincolnwood, Illinois.

During these decades, women had bags for everyday use as well as evening handbags and clutches. Today, the luxury market is much more available to the masses than it was even in the 1990s, much less the mid-20th century, so the choices, good buys and sales are far greater.

 Lucite is just a stronger type of plastic. Plastic bags will yellow five years down the road, but not Lucite. The material was popularized in the ’50s and ’60s by a designer named Wilardy, who kind of made Lucite what it was. Florida Handbags was another big company for Lucite.

Lucite bags are very modern in terms of their design. They’re like a box, they’re very linear, and they come in opaque, milky-type colors. Patricia of Miami was another designer who worked a lot in Lucite. You’ll often see etched designs on some of these purses.