The Historic Burlington Antiques and Art Emporium for the month of May will display items that would accentuate anyones dress in the form of belts and buckles. Shoppers will also find items such as purses and handbags. The buckle or clasp on a belt is a device used for fastening two loose ends, with one end attached to it and the other end held by a catch or buckle in a secure but adjustable manner. Buckles can be traced back in history to the Roman times, used for simple clothing and predominantly as a military purpose. Today, belts and buckles can give pizzazz to an outfit. The purse, handbag, pocketbook, and pouch all have one thing in common: they were created to carry different items. The history of purses dates back more than 5,000 years. Ancient purses can be found in Egyptian hieroglyphics that depict men carrying pouches around their waist. During the early middle ages, purses were very common for both men and women. They were made with round pieces of leather and a drawstring at the top to seal the purse tight. These purses were very small and probably only useful for carrying small items like coins. Through the ages purses have changed shape, size and materials used in construction. Leather, vinyl, plastic, wood, and lucite are materials used in construction of the purse or handbag in the 19th and 20th century. To accommodate all the modern technology of today, purses have grown in shapes and sizes. During the 1800s, women used paints and powders, stored in glass, wood, bone, or gold containers, to lighten their skin and brighten their cheeks. By the mid-1880s mass production of rouge, rice-based pearl powder, and lip balms became popular through magazines and newspapers. By the turn of the century, working women often slipped a thimbleful of rouge or loose powder into tiny metal containers for touchups during the day. In 1910, the Cleopatra Vanity Company introduced glamorous, gilt, loose-powder, portable vanity boxes, marketing their contents as cosmetics-beauty aids. Today, early compacts made by Van Cleef & Ariels, Tiffany, and Cartier are highly collectible, and few can afford them. Less expensive compacts made of sterling silver and enamel can be found in antique shops, shows and flea markets. Visit the Historic Burlington Antiques and Art Emporium, located at 424 High St., Burlington City, N.J. The shop is closed on Monday, with late hours on Thursday and Friday until 7 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday, the Emporium hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Photos of the Emporium are posted on its website, www.antiquesnj.com. Due to Covid-19, please wear a mask. Happy antiquing.