This chatelaine was greatly admired by the exhibition jury and won a Prize Medal. Their report commented: “ a beautiful chatelaine, entirely of wrought steel: it is composed of twelve pieces, adjusted with extreme care, and covered with faceted ornaments; several of the pieces, such as the étui, the key, the tablets and the almanack, have required very long and skilful work and twelve months were required to complete this chatelaine. It was made entirely in London, and not a single piece of it was stamped.”

Chatelaines were decorative but useful waist hung fashion accessories. The system of clips and chains, attached to the belt, kept small but necessary items such as sissors, keys and money easily accessible for housewives and housekeepers. Before the 1850s pockets were uncommon in women’s garments and chatelaines were a versatile and ornamental alternative. The huge numbers of increasingly large and elaborate chatelaines made in Britain and America was ridiculed in satirical publications like Punch magazine.