history of the wallet

[mattnate]

I need to find out the history and, if possible, the inventor of the wallet.

[Ice_Wolf]

The etymology might help you out. BTW, Welcome to the SDMB!

About 1385-95 walet = bag, knapsack, in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales; of uncertain origin. The word’s form and original pronunciation (walet’) suggest an Anglo-French or Old French source. The meaningf a flat case for carrying paper money is first recorded in 1834 in American English.

I’d check out Americana for that period.

[mattnate]

Thanks for the information Ice Wolf…I was running into a deadend trying to find any good information…this gives me a starting point.