World

Handbagging: Margaret Thatcher‘s ’Cold War’ Handbag Auctions for $40,000

Handbagging: Margaret Thatchers Cold War Handbag Auctions for $40,000LONDON (AP) — One of Margaret Thatcher’s famous handbags fetched 25,000 pounds ($39,953) at a London charity auction Monday.

The boxy black leather Asprey bag, owned by the former British prime minister for more than 30 years, was sold to a private buyer.

The bag was on Thatcher’s arm during Cold War negotiations with U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

“The handbag makes you automatically think of Margaret Thatcher,” said former politician and author Jeffrey Archer, who hosted the auction. “Someone has captured this and will have, frankly, a historic document for the rest of their lives.”

The Telgraph provides a brief video:

Thatcher, one of the most formidable and well-known British Conservative leaders, was famously responsible as the origins of the word “handbagging,” which referred to her uncompromising style.

Her daughter Carol, who attended Monday’s event, said her mother was “longing to know” how much the bag raised. Christie’s said Thatcher will donate the proceeds to a British charity for people with a genetic skin condition.

“I hope that the highest bidder knows that if he’s into handbagging, he’s got a weapon with quite a track record,” Carol Thatcher said.

The Telegraph provides a brief video about Maggie’s famous handbag:

Comments (24)

  • MUDFLAPS
    Posted on June 29, 2011 at 5:59am

    any money in it? a credit card, blank checks??? Naaa Ill pass.

    Report Post »  
  • Bernard
    Posted on June 28, 2011 at 5:31pm

    Compare this to what Obama did. He not only sent back the bust of Churchill, he also sent valuable letters and other personal articles of that illustrious Prime Minister. Obama then tops it with an I pod to the Queen and finally does the dastardly deed of giving to Russia, England’s military secrets.
    After 2 years Obama has destroyed this economy, destroyed our reputation abroad and has betrayed our closest allies England and Israel. I believe that Obama is willfully working at destroying this nation for many decades. He IS the ENEMY WITHIN!

    Report Post »  
  • treshall
    Posted on June 28, 2011 at 7:24am

    Reagan: Ready for more Cold War negotiations meetings today, Lady Thatcher?

    Thatcher: Naturally. It’s in the bag, Ronald!

    ok, sorry, can never resist a bad pun.
    It’s very cool that that handbag will forever carry (sorry, can’t seem to help myself) such historical significance.

    Report Post »  
  • BuckleUpAmerica
    Posted on June 28, 2011 at 3:49am

    Someone out there is walking around wearing Michael Jackson’s Jacket, toatin an old handbag with a 2X2 picture of billy the kid in it.

    Report Post » BuckleUpAmerica  
  • scoter
    Posted on June 28, 2011 at 1:46am

    OBAMA got to be a one timer!!!! OBAMA got to be a one timer!!!

    Report Post » scoter  
  • DeannaRae
    Posted on June 27, 2011 at 10:22pm

    Thatcher, Bachmann, DeannaRae…… ahh those conservative women. Even our handbags are sought out by the discriminating!

    Report Post » DeannaRae  
    • treshall
      Posted on June 28, 2011 at 7:28am

      You know it, sister! Conservative women, all the way. In addition to being kinder and a lot less snarky, we’re also more intelligent, charitable, well-groomed and better dressed (and of course humble, too!) than those women on the left.

      Report Post »  
  • Exrepublisheep
    Posted on June 27, 2011 at 10:20pm

    Classic picture.

    Report Post » Exrepublisheep  
  • MrButcher
    Posted on June 27, 2011 at 9:57pm

    Thatcher was far better than Reagan…

    any thoughts?

    Report Post » MrButcher  
    • TheGreyPiper
      Posted on June 27, 2011 at 11:10pm

      By what measure?

      Report Post » TheGreyPiper  
    • treshall
      Posted on June 28, 2011 at 7:39am

      Oh, Mr. Butcher, though I too am a big fan of Lady Thatcher’s, I would not assert that she was somehow “better” than Ronaldus Magnus, the finest American President of our lifetimes. Look with critical analysis on the America of 1980-1988 Reagan’s record across the board, but most specifically on economy stimulation through tax cuts, formidable foreign policy decisions, and unabashed patriotism in pursuit of American exceptionalism and I think that you will find that President Reagan more than fulfilled his promises to our “shining city on the hill”. Undeniably, Lady Thatcher had her own strengths in the U.K. and together, they were an incredibly formidable team, God bless them!

      Report Post »  
  • Robert-CA
    Posted on June 27, 2011 at 9:50pm

    The best trio in the world :
    Pope John Paul II – Margaret Thatcher – Ronald Reagan .

    Report Post » Robert-CA  
  • Showtime
    Posted on June 27, 2011 at 9:50pm

    I have a handbag just like it in my closet. Any offers?

    Report Post » Showtime  
    • CatB
      Posted on June 27, 2011 at 10:08pm

      @SHOWTIME

      Have photo of you Reagan and the bag?

      Report Post »  
    • banjarmon
      Posted on June 27, 2011 at 10:17pm

      She is saying Watch out for the dog POO

      Report Post » banjarmon  
    • TheGreyPiper
      Posted on June 27, 2011 at 11:09pm

      In the closet, you say.
      Hmm.

      Report Post » TheGreyPiper  
    • sissykatz
      Posted on June 28, 2011 at 4:30am

      Show I have a very important function to go to on Friday. Would it be possible for me to borrow the
      Bag???/ he ha

      Report Post »  
    • fastfacts
      Posted on June 28, 2011 at 10:15am

      I wonder how much the handbag originally cost, probably nothing like Michelle’s $4000 hand bag she brought to Spain, of the $500 tennis shoes she wore to a homeless shelter.

      I wonder if she ever told kids to only eat healthy and then downed fat cakes and french fries: http://tiny.cc/6hsiu

      Or would baby’s cry in her hands: http://tiny.cc/1f7fo

      Okay I will end the attacks on Michelle Obama but there really is a lot of hypocrisy in that family and the media is so hard to report it.

      Report Post »  

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