Chatelaine

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Derived from the French for "lady or mistress of the castle," and related to the cordelière, a chatelaine was first worn in the 16th and 17th centuries and consisted of a chain with attached items such as a cross and keys. Both decorative and functional, the 19th-century version usually consisted of a central decorated clip that attached to the waistband or belt with a hook at back, such as this example. Several items draped from chains attached to the central clip, and included items a woman might need during her daily routine. This example includes a wax holder for sealing letters, a pencil, notebook and chain mail purses. The notebook, wax holder and pencil each have a distinctly Middle Eastern sensibility, particularly reminiscent of the highly detailed scrolling filigree patterns interspersed with small flower heads often seen in Persian design motifs.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art