49 works in this view — arrow keys or swipe to move between them.
Dance in Art
August Klein purse dance card
August Klein
- Collection:
- Dance card
- Source:
- va
- Rights:
- V&A — check rights per item
Dance cards and their holders are material evidence of how nineteenth-century social dancing was organized, negotiated, and remembered. This object reveals the gendered economy of the ballroom—how women's dance partnerships were publicly claimed and privately documented. For historians of dance and material culture, such accessories illuminate the social rituals surrounding performance, consent, and courtship.
What you are looking at
A fabric evening purse or dance card holder displayed against a black background, photographed from directly above. The object is constructed in three layered segments of contrasting materials, suggesting a hinged or envelope-like structure typical of late nineteenth-century accessories. The uppermost section consists of cream or pale silk fabric gathered and suspended from a brass-toned metal hook and beaded fastener. Below this sits a central panel of embossed or embroidered golden material, visible through a triangular opening, containing intricate geometric or naturalistic patterning executed in relief. The lowest section is formed of pale mauve or dusty rose suede or soft leather, shaped with a curved bottom edge. The overall form suggests a small pouch designed to hang from the wrist, with the interior materials and layers protected by the outer envelope of fabric. The object shows the patina of age and careful preservation.
The dancing
No figures or human bodies are depicted. This is a material object—a purse or card holder—not a representation of dance or dancers.
The dance depicted
This object does not depict dance directly. However, it is catalogued as a 'dance card' holder, suggesting it functioned as an accessory for formal dance occasions in the 1890s. Dance cards were small booklets or cards where gentlemen would inscribe their names opposite the dances they wished to claim with a lady partner at a ball or assembly. This purse would have held such cards during an evening's dancing.
How it was made
This is a constructed textile and leather accessory combining hand-stitching, embossing or embroidery, and metal hardware. The layered construction and mixed materials—silk, embossed metallic material, and suede leather—indicate handwork typical of luxury goods production in the Gilded Age. The precision of the metal fittings and the quality of the materials suggest manufacture by a skilled craftsperson, likely a professional accessories maker, rather than domestic production.
About this work
This is a dance card holder dating to approximately 1890, attributed to August Klein. Dance cards were essential accessories at formal balls and social dancing occasions of the era, particularly in American high society. The purse exemplifies the material culture of Gilded Age dance—the social protocols, the formal dress, and the intimate commodities that structured courtship and social mixing on the dance floor. The object preserves both the practical function (holding a written record of dances and partners) and the aesthetic codes of the period (luxury materials, refined craftsmanship, precious metals).
How to look at it
Examine the layering and construction: the object reveals how functional items were transformed into luxury goods through material choice (silk, embossed metal, fine leather) and skilled assembly. Notice the proportion and scale—this is a small, intimate object designed to hang from the wrist, to be glimpsed and handled during an evening's dancing. The wear visible on the surfaces testifies to actual use.
The artist
August Klein is identified in the record as an accessories maker. Little beyond the attribution and date is documented here. Given the object's quality and the attribution to a named maker, Klein likely worked as a professional craftsperson or small manufacturer of luxury goods for Gilded Age consumers, possibly in a major American city.
The period
The 1890s saw the height of American Gilded Age society and its elaborate formal dances. The ballroom was a space of strict social protocol: women did not freely choose their dance partners, but rather received requests, which were documented on printed or hand-inscribed cards. The dance card itself—often beautifully printed, with spaces for partner names opposite each dance—became a prized accessory and a record of social success. The container for such a card was equally important as a status object, signaling the owner's participation in elite social life.
Where it lives
The object is held in the collection identified as 'va' (Virginia collections, likely), catalogued as a dance card. It is documented as a purse or holder rather than the card itself, indicating it survives as a functional accessory from the period.
Questions about this work
What is a dance card?
A dance card was a small booklet or printed card used at formal balls in the nineteenth century. Gentlemen would sign their names next to specific dances—waltz, quadrille, polka—to claim a lady as their partner for that dance. The card thus served as a written record of the evening's partnerships and a public marker of social desirability.
Why did dance cards need special holders like this purse?
Dance cards were valuable both functionally and socially: they documented social success and were treasured as keepsakes. An attractive purse or case protected the card, kept it accessible during dancing, and signaled status. The holder was often as refined as the card itself, made of luxury materials befitting the formal occasion.
What does this object tell us about women's agency in nineteenth-century dancing?
The dance card system both enabled and constrained women's choices. While a woman could theoretically refuse a man's offer to sign her card, the system was built on expectation of compliance and created pressure to accept invitations. The card itself, and containers like this one, were instruments of social control as much as of social pleasure.
More dance artwork
