Chatelaines are essentially decorative and useful waist hung items. This book provides a history of chatelaines with special attention paid to the 19th century, when the Victorians used them them for keys, sewing, dance, perfume bottles, spectacles and purses. Illustrations show the quality and variety of the examples produced. In addition, the book contains historical and sociological information about the people who wore and used chatelaines as well as much new material and information, collected together for the first time.