A Handbag Lock
The pickpocket finds it easy to unsnap a handbag and remove some of the contents, especially in crowded places. To make it less easy for the pickpocket, I fixed my mother's handbag as shown in the sketch. I used a chain which had served its day holding a small coin purse—any small chain will do—by passing it through the links that hold the handle and winding it once or twice around the snap fasteners to hold them securely closed.
The chain may be either shortened enough to make it convenient to hold with the handle of the handbag, or may be left long and used over the shoulder under the coat, thus making it possible to have both hands free for shopping while the handbag hangs by the side. This leaves a person free from the worry of taking care that the bag is not laid down somewhere and lost. The bag may be easily opened by unwinding the chain after loosening it by raising the bag slightly.—Contributed by Wm. Waterhouse, Aurora, Ill.