Reply #50: A really old-fashioned thing...........

[PDJane]

it's a waist clip or broach that has chains. One hangs tools on the chains; women didn't used to have pockets, so chatelaines doubled as pockets. Things that one used all the time, like spectacle cases, needle holders, pin cushions, keys, a watch (remember that wrist watches are a recent invention) a mesh, sterling silver, gold, pinchbeck or leather purse for coins, pens/pencils, thimbles, magnifying lenses, lockets, medalions, perfume bottles, vinaigrettes, snuff bottles, opium bottles, nanny whistles, button hooks, scissors, thread cutters, combs, rouge pots, patch pots, dance and biking purses, thermometers, medicine dose spoons, aides de memoires (silver covered things with several ivory pages, usually, that one erased).......everything from the mundane to opium tools!

Type sterling silver chatelaine into google or ebay for examples. They're fascinating things, in my opinion, and yes, I do have a couple.