Chatelaine
circa 1790
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Chatelaines evolved from sets of keys held by the mistress of a castle. They held useful objects like thimbles, buttonhooks and watches, all chained to a single clasp attached to a woman's belt. This example is in cut and facetted steel, an expensive technique used also on buttons and buckles to make them glisten like diamonds.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Polished, cut steel |
| Brief description | About 1790, England (Birmingham).; Cut Steel |
| Physical description | An open lyre shaped mount stamp with beadwork with cut and polished facetted steel studs riveted to a steel frame. Rivetted to the back is a flat steel loop for suspension. The lower edge of the frame is fitted with five closed rings. From these have five chains. The links of the chain consist of flat oval plates to which a cut polished facetted steel bead is rivetted. Each chain terminates in an open hook to which is a attached, a steel pencil decorated with mouldings, a steel thimble with horizontal mouldings, a plain unengraved seal, a drum shaped pin-cushion covered in velvet, with steel mounts, and a closed steel loop with steel mounts, and a closed steel loop with steel handle, etched with flowers and a bird. |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL
Before modern transport people largely travelled on foot or on horseback. Useful everyday items needed to be carried comfortably on the body. Some were miniature versions of larger objects, others folded ingeniously to become portable. Often they were intricate and delicate.
These eleven items were personal possessions. Many were made before pockets were commonplace. Some were used in the workplace, some at home and some on the road.
Many have cases as stylish as the objects they protect. These cases came in a range of materials, from expensive ivory and sharkskin to cheaper leather and wood. Their decoration shows the same designs that adorn silver, ceramics and textiles.
All these objects give us interesting insights into work, leisure and social etiquette.
10 CHATELAINE
Cut steel
Birmingham, about 1790
Chatelaines evolved from sets of keys held by the mistress of a castle. They held useful objects like thimbles, buttonhooks and watches, all chained to a single clasp attached to a woman's belt. This example is in cut and facetted steel, an expensive technique used also on buttons and buckles to make them glisten like diamonds.
Museum no. M.34-1996 |
| Object history | The chatelaine is likely to have been made at the Soho Manufactory of Matthew Boulton as similar chains are shown on a page from the Boulton and Watt pattern book, now in the Birmingham City Library. |
| Summary | Chatelaines evolved from sets of keys held by the mistress of a castle. They held useful objects like thimbles, buttonhooks and watches, all chained to a single clasp attached to a woman's belt. This example is in cut and facetted steel, an expensive technique used also on buttons and buckles to make them glisten like diamonds. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.34-1996 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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