About this lot

Description

the chatelaine and four all by Lawrence Emanuel, Birmingham 1902/3, comprising a cast triangular top section featuring Diana & Cupid within a scroll and foliate border, verso with part marked hinged clip supporting a further four part marked cast sections similarly decorated, which in turn support three sections of navette and octagon panel chain, each terminating in a swivel catch fastening, with a length of matching style chain dropping from the top section to either side, each of the five lengths of chain supporting in turn a two part needle case, an oval mirror with sliding cover, a vinaigrette and a pin cushion, each decorated with animal skin patterns, and in addition a white metal barley twist double ended propelling ink pen and pencil, the sliders signed 'S Mordan & Co' and 'In memory of RLD' respectively, 6ozt gross

Footnote: A chatelaine (from the French term châtelaine meaning wife of the lord of a château) is a decorative belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it. Attached to the end of each chain is a useful item of household equipment. In the 19th century the chatelaine was also used by women as a key-chain and as an indication of their status. The woman with the keys was "the woman of the household", having absolute control over who had access to any locked item in the house, from the pantry to the jewellery boxes. Younger women and daughters in the house often wanted the appearance of this responsibility, and would often wear decorative chatelaines with a variety of small objects in the place of keys, especially bright and glittering objects that could be used to start a conversation, as with this example.

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