McColl, Katy. “Utilitarian charm: these purposeful pendants—nail files, compacts, pencils—once made up elegant Victorian tool kits called chatelaines.” Country Living, vol. 34, no. 2, Feb. 2011, pp. 41+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A246452562/AONE?u=multnomah_main&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=653cc3c3. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.
Quotes
“Basically tool kits masquerading as jewelry, chatelaines allowed Victorian women to keep quotidian essentials at the ready, in the graceful style the era demanded. Consisting of functional pendants—from magnifying glasses to thimbles—attached to a clip, these accessories were worn at the waist (see photo at right). Because of their utilitarian nature, “very few chatelaines have survived with all of their original pieces,” says collector and expert Genevieve Cummins. Which is why intact sets command sums of up to 100 each, making them affordable fashion accessories. We found the examples on the opposite page from rubylane.com sellers Maximillion Collectibles, Charlotte Marie’s, Gardenartus Antiques, and Time in a Bottle. Just string one on a simple chain, and it becomes an utterly unique, and useful, necklace.”
Things people included in their Chatelaine
- Thimble holder
- Change purse
- Vinaigrette (perfume)
- Magnifying glass
- Nail file
- Match safe
- Needle case
- Compact
- Button hook
- Notebook