Medieval and Renaissance Wallets and Shoulder-Sacks

	Wallets & Shoulder-Sacks
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These medieval shoulder-sacks are most frequently depicted as a sort of double-sack slung over one shoulder, almost always white (presumably an undyed linen or hempcloth?), with one or two slits along the length of the bag, towards the middle; it appears to have been used as a saddle-bag, too. See Carrysack from Martebo for a method of construction; the 18th century market wallet is similar. These bags sometimes also appear to have been carried on a stick, as we see in the illustration of Fortune and Poverty in De casibus (BNF Fr. 132, fol. 42v), c. 1470-1480. See also On Carrying Things: Packs, baskets, bags and bundles in Dragon #11 for additional 15th century examples on pages 2, 12, 15, and 16 of the PDF. The flight into Egypt in the Oscott Psalter (Brit. Lib. Add. 50000, fol. 13r), c. 1265-1270 The flight into Egypt in the Luttrell Psalter (Brit. Lib. 42130, fol. 88v), c. 1325-1340 Romans in their city, Ab urbe condita (BNF Fr. 260, fol. 166), first quarter of the 15th century Assembly of the senate, Ab urbe condita (BNF Fr. 262), first quarter of the 15th century A sack slung in a tree (fol. 3v) and shoulder-sacks carried by hybrid men on fols. 39v and 138r, the Hours of Charlotte of Savoy (PML M.1004), c. 1420-1425 The story of Friar Cipolla in the Decameron (BNF Arsenal 5070, fol. 236r), 1432 Flight into Egypt a book of hours (PML M.282, fol. 77r), c. 1460 April in the Hours of Adélaïde de Savoie (Musée Condé 76, fol. 4r), c. 1460-1465 St. Hélein, Speculum historiale (BNF Fr. 51, fol. 158), 1463 Beggars and pilgrims with Saint Hue de Paris, Le Miroir historial (Musée Condé 722, fol. 251v), 15th century Louis IX and the poor, Grandes Chroniques de France (BNF Fr. 2609, fol. 230), 1471 March, the Hours of Charles d’Angoulême (BNF Latin 1173, fol. 2r), c. 1475-1500 Flight into Egypt, the Hours of Anne of France (PML M.677, fol. 141r), 1473 Judea (detail), Secrets of natural history (BNF Fr. 22971, fol. 40), c. 1480-1485 Christ with Julian Hospitaler, a prayer book (PML H.3, fol. 171r), c. 1490 Detail from The Flight into Egypt, c. 1490-1500 Flight into Egypt, a book of hours (PML M.116, fol. 68v), c. 1490-1500 Allegory of Fortune and Poverty, De casibus (BNF Fr. 130, fol. 88), first quarter of the 16th century

Wallets & Shoulder-Sacks

These medieval shoulder-sacks are most frequently depicted as a sort of double-sack slung over one shoulder, almost always white (presumably an undyed linen or hempcloth?), with one or two slits along the length of the bag, towards the middle; it appears to have been used as a saddle-bag, too. See Carrysack from Martebo for a method of construction; the 18th century market wallet is similar.

These bags sometimes also appear to have been carried on a stick, as we see in the illustration of Fortune and Poverty in De casibus (BNF Fr. 132, fol. 42v), c. 1470-1480.

See also On Carrying Things: Packs, baskets, bags and bundles in Dragon #11 for additional 15th century examples on pages 2, 12, 15, and 16 of the PDF.

The flight into Egypt in the Oscott Psalter (Brit. Lib. Add. 50000, fol. 13r), c. 1265-1270
The flight into Egypt in the Luttrell Psalter (Brit. Lib. 42130, fol. 88v), c. 1325-1340
Romans in their city, Ab urbe condita (BNF Fr. 260, fol. 166), first quarter of the 15th century
Assembly of the senate, Ab urbe condita (BNF Fr. 262), first quarter of the 15th century
A sack slung in a tree (fol. 3v) and shoulder-sacks carried by hybrid men on fols. 39v and 138r, the Hours of Charlotte of Savoy (PML M.1004), c. 1420-1425
The story of Friar Cipolla in the Decameron (BNF Arsenal 5070, fol. 236r), 1432
Flight into Egypt a book of hours (PML M.282, fol. 77r), c. 1460
April in the Hours of Adélaïde de Savoie (Musée Condé 76, fol. 4r), c. 1460-1465
St. Hélein, Speculum historiale (BNF Fr. 51, fol. 158), 1463
Beggars and pilgrims with Saint Hue de Paris, Le Miroir historial (Musée Condé 722, fol. 251v), 15th century
Louis IX and the poor, Grandes Chroniques de France (BNF Fr. 2609, fol. 230), 1471
March, the Hours of Charles d’Angoulême (BNF Latin 1173, fol. 2r), c. 1475-1500
Flight into Egypt, the Hours of Anne of France (PML M.677, fol. 141r), 1473
Judea (detail), Secrets of natural history (BNF Fr. 22971, fol. 40), c. 1480-1485
Christ with Julian Hospitaler, a prayer book (PML H.3, fol. 171r), c. 1490
Detail from The Flight into Egypt, c. 1490-1500
Flight into Egypt, a book of hours (PML M.116, fol. 68v), c. 1490-1500
Allegory of Fortune and Poverty, De casibus (BNF Fr. 130, fol. 88), first quarter of the 16th century