Chatelaine
Jewellery
Inventory number
2021.12.6.4.JW.OT.C1860.FRDescription
Chatelaine consisting of three elements, each in black bois durci in openwork silver frame made of romantic floral and vegetal wreaths. A small hook is attached to the center element. The bottom compartment was supposed to contain suspended watches, and is lined with purple velvet.Such small objects in so called "bois durci", very successful during the second half of the 19th century, were formerly called "articles of Paris" in order to give a name more charming than "Proteinoplast", which was invented by François Charles LEPAGE and composed of blood mixed with sawdust (in this case certainly some rosewood which gives this characteristic red-brown hue).
Materials
Bois DurciSilver
Velvet
Origin
circa 1860 FranceDimensions
Length : 4 cmHeight : 16.5 cm