In this final installment of women’s jewelry from the 1850’s and 60’s, I wanted to focus on chatelaines.  Chatelaines are beautiful pieces of silver or gold that are pinned to the bodice or at the waist and have long chains with which to keep necessities.  What I love about chatelaines is that one can tell a women’s personality and interests by what she chooses to clip onto those chains.  From sewing tools, to watches, mirrors, combs, and change purses, each chatelaine is as unique as the woman wearing it.  While not easy to find, one can still purchase these elegant pieces online.

Here are a few examples:

And a few reference pictures:

Stay tuned for the next series on women’s hairpieces.