- Shop
- Rare steel chatelaine with tools, early 19th century, circa 1820.
Rare steel chatelaine with tools, early 19th century, circa 1820.
Rare steel chatelaine with tools, early 19th century, circa 1820.
An uncompromising and rare steel chatelaine, early 19th century, circa 1820.
This chatelaine is constructed entirely of steel and consists of a pierced rectangular mount decorated with a pair of Neoclassical birds flanking an urn. From the mount are suspended multiple steel chains supporting a substantial group of domestic implements, including tweezers, a cylindrical needle or scent case, a bodkin or piercing tool, a hook, a letter opener, and other small steel tools associated with household management and sewing. A small number of hooks are now empty.
Chatelaines were worn at the waist and functioned as practical accessories for women responsible for domestic management, particularly for carrying keys and small tools required for daily tasks. Steel chatelaines required a high level of skill to pierce and finish and were valued for their durability and functional character. The use of steel reflects early nineteenth-century interest in precision metalworking and practical materials rather than overt display, giving such examples a distinctly industrial aesthetic.
The symmetrical composition of the mount and the use of stylised birds reflect Neoclassical taste of the period. The form of the tools and the relative regularity of the chains suggest manufacture in the early nineteenth century, probably around 1820, although a slightly earlier date at the end of the eighteenth century cannot be excluded. It is rare to find a steel chatelaine of this type retaining such an extensive group of implements.
This is in good antique condition. Patina commensurate with its significant age. Please examine the pictures as they form part of the description.
Condition consistent with age and use. The steel surfaces show expected wear and light oxidation. A few hooks are empty. The tools appear period and well matched. No evidence of modern replacement observed.
Belt not included.
An uncompromising and rare steel chatelaine, early 19th century, circa 1820.
This chatelaine is constructed entirely of steel and consists of a pierced rectangular mount decorated with a pair of Neoclassical birds flanking an urn. From the mount are suspended multiple steel chains supporting a substantial group of domestic implements, including tweezers, a cylindrical needle or scent case, a bodkin or piercing tool, a hook, a letter opener, and other small steel tools associated with household management and sewing. A small number of hooks are now empty.
Chatelaines were worn at the waist and functioned as practical accessories for women responsible for domestic management, particularly for carrying keys and small tools required for daily tasks. Steel chatelaines required a high level of skill to pierce and finish and were valued for their durability and functional character. The use of steel reflects early nineteenth-century interest in precision metalworking and practical materials rather than overt display, giving such examples a distinctly industrial aesthetic.
The symmetrical composition of the mount and the use of stylised birds reflect Neoclassical taste of the period. The form of the tools and the relative regularity of the chains suggest manufacture in the early nineteenth century, probably around 1820, although a slightly earlier date at the end of the eighteenth century cannot be excluded. It is rare to find a steel chatelaine of this type retaining such an extensive group of implements.
This is in good antique condition. Patina commensurate with its significant age. Please examine the pictures as they form part of the description.
Condition consistent with age and use. The steel surfaces show expected wear and light oxidation. A few hooks are empty. The tools appear period and well matched. No evidence of modern replacement observed.
Belt not included.