These images are provided for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons License (BY-NC-ND). To license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who will discuss fees, terms and waivers.
Download this imageCreative commons explained - what it means, how you can use our's and other people's content.
Maker: Unknown
Gilt metal chatelaine with etui and two thimble cases, embossed and chased with rococo decoration
Gilt metal, cast, embossed and chased. The chatelaine comprises three hinged sections; the uppermost with a long spatulate hook; the central one comprising 13 small linked plaques; the lowest with openwork scrolls either side of a swivel loop. Suspended from the top section are two thimble cases (A & B) with hinged lids. One case contains a thimble (C). Suspended from the lowest section is a shaped triangular etui (D) oval in section, with hinged lid and sprung button clasp. The fitted interior contains a pair of steel scissors (E), a folding knife (F), a silver spoon (G), an earpick/pair of tweezers (H), a pencil case (I) and a pair of ivory memorandum leaves hinged with a gilt button (J). (There are cavities for two more tools, which are missing.) The cast chatelaine is chased with a basket of flowers, the small plaques are chased with a lion and crowns; the embossed etui is chased with two panel containing female figures in contemporary dress within borders of masks, scrolls and rocaille decoration; the thimble cases are similarly decorated.
History note: Unknown before C.B. Marlay
C.B. Marlay Bequest
Length: 20 cm
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1912-06-18) by Marlay, Charles Brinsley
18th Century, third quarter
George III
Production date:
circa
AD 1760
Surface
composed of
gold
Thimblecase
Height 2.3 cm
Length 4.5 cm
Width 2.5 cm
Etui
Height 2.5 cm
Length 11 cm
Width 3.8 cm
Accession number: MAR.M.289 & A-G-1912
Primary reference Number: 150723
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
Mirador deep zoom
IIIF Manifest
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Chatelaine" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/150723 Accessed: 2025-07-20 17:15:41
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/150723
|title=Chatelaine
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-07-20 17:15:41|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:
https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-150723
To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:
<div class="text-center">
<figure class="figure">
<img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/aa/aa37/MAR_M_289_20_26_20A_G_1912_1_201408_kly25_dc2.jpg"
alt="Chatelaine"
class="img-fluid" />
<figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Chatelaine</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...
