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In the days when your pockets were buried under layers of cumbersome fabric (if you had pockets at all), women took a more fashionable approach to keeping their daily tools and necessities quickly accessible -- by wearing a chatelaine!
A more aesthetically pleasing take on today's Swiss Army Knife, a chatelaine is a decorative hook that is worn over a belt or waist sash. Dangling from the hook are a series of chains suspending varied household tools. From watches and keys to scissors and pencils, what a wearer would attach to their chatelaine varied depending on the occasion as well as their overall daily life needs.
Chatelaines can range in style from simple to ornate; decorative to utilitarian.
Although they have been worn and utilized since Medieval times, chatelaines saw a fashion resurgence in the latter half of the 19th century thanks in part to Princess Alexandra of Wales (Queen Victoria's daughter-in-law) and her fondness for wearing one.
This highly decorative and intricate piece is all original and is most likely French brass and features exquisite filigree work.
Dangling from the chains we have a beautiful scent bottle with its original cork, a retractable pencil case, which is sadly missing its original pencil, and a small aide memoire notepad with thin ivory pages.
Additional Details
Date: 1890s-1900s
Materials: Brass, ivory, glass, cork
Measurements: Total Length: 9" x 1 7/8"
Markings: None
Condition: Very Good
This piece has a lovely aged patina to it. The aide memoire pages are a bit dirty from years of use. The original pencil is missing, but could be replaced. The hook is functional but has a bit of a loose close. However, with its length and the weight of the items hanging from the chatelaine, it stays securely in place when worn.
Cleaning and Care
Clean gently with a slightly damp soft cloth. Wipe dry with a soft cloth.
