As promised last week, here is another handy-dandy belt accessory. This silver mesh purse is attached to a matching chatelaine, allowing the stylish woman-about-town to carry a few discreet necessities, hands free.
Our example here is marked “G. SILVER,” or German silver, a nickel alloy. Metal mesh bags became popular in the 1890s – along with other “medieval” fads, like the chatelaine itself – and stayed popular well into the 20th century, thanks in part to the invention of a mesh-making machine in 1908. We have several metal mesh bags in the collection, ranging from the 1890s to the 1950s; this one is on the earlier end, due to its combination of hand-linked mesh, chatelaine attachment, and Art Nouveau-esque floral decorations. (The chatelaine bag may have had renewed popularity in the 1890s, but it was not new; see below for an example from 1876, a “chatelaine pocket” illustrated in Harper’s Bazaar.) Unfortunately, this purse was donated without an accompanying history; its original owner is unknown.
Another 1890s trend based on someone’s idea of medieval accessorizing was the finger purse. Unlike the hang-from-your-belt chatelaine, which fizzled somewhat in the 1900s, the finger purse fad lasted into the 1930s. Evening bags are designed to be discreet in size, but not necessarily in appearance; the finger-ring adds a “look at my great bag” novelty factor, and has the added benefit of being rather more difficult to lose than an envelope clutch. (Though personally, if I was dangling something like this from my hand I’d probably just end up whacking someone with it by mistake.) This delicate little evening case is sterling silver, with space inside for a mirror, a memo pad and pencil, and two little pockets for calling cards or bills – all the essentials (though I do wonder where you were supposed to put your lipstick). It belonged to Mrs. Helen Slattery Dawson (1903-1986) of Rockville – who conveniently wrote her name and address on the little memo pad inside – and was most likely used in the late 1920s.
Like chatelaines, the finger-ring method was applied to other accessories – as you’ll discover next week, as our How To Carry Your Belongings series continues!
And now, some more photos: the promised 1876 “pocket chatelaine,” a close up of the chatelaine bag’s frame, and the interior of the 1920s finger purse.
A Fine Collection 
January 26, 2012 at 9:31 am
[…] When we think of chatelaines – if at all – we may envision a bunch of large metal keys hanging from the housekeeper’s waist. Technically, a chatelaine is defined as basically the mistress of a chateau or other large estate, or “a clasp or hook for a watch, purse or bunch of keys.” Some earlier sources define it as the chain about the waist, rather than simply the belt hook. The name for the belt hook stems from the idea that the “mistress of the chateau” kept the keys about her person at all times. The concept of the conveniently-hung-at-waist set of tools dates from the 18th century, though their popularity was not constant (they don’t look so hot hanging from a diaphanous, empire-waisted dress). Chatelaines came back into fashion in the late 19th century (along with voluminous skirts and normal-waisted gowns) and became highly decorative. The ultimate accessory: practical and attractive! They were used to hold all kinds of objects. Ours here seems to be sort of generally useful; other examples are geared toward specific tasks, like sewing or nursing. Options for your chatelaine were numerous; in addition to the pieces shown here there were coin purses, spectacles cases, timepieces, key rings, flasks, whistles, baby rattles, vinaigrettes, match safes, mirrors, lockets, pocket knives, face powder boxes, and an assortment of needlework and sewing tools. (Stay tuned next week for a regular-size purse attached to a chatelaine.) […]