

Martin Van Schaak: History
Martin Van Schaak hardly ever advertised, and did not sell his designs in stores. His important customers—ladies of means and...


Martin Van Schaak: New York’s Purveyor of Fine Handbags
“Too rarefied to operate from anything as public as a showroom, he preferred to call on his society clientèle in their own homes. Any bag...


Martin Van Schaak: Handbag Jewelry
The corner stone of the fabulous vintage designs by Martin Van Schaak is a sizable, 24K gold-plated ornament encrusted with sparkling...


Martin Van Schaak: Styles, Designs, Materials
Classic and traditional, Martin Van Schaak handbags are not without occasional little “fantasies,” as the Master used to say himself....


Fashion History: The Victorian Period
In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution in Victorian England, as well as the development of the railroad, facilitated the rise of...


Victorian Exotic Skin Evening Bags
At the end of the 19th century, as women’s lives and activities became more diverse, both in Europe and America, the demand for handbags...