A stunning Victorian neo-classical sterling silver chatelaine by Lawrence Emmanuel, Birmingham c1888 with accessories by Henry Matthews, White & Reynolds, and Boots Pure Drug Company

Silver chatelaine with elaborate repoussé decoration depicting Venus and Cupid in the upper main medallion, a cherub holding a chalice aloft in the three centre medallions, and a seated cherub in the lower medallion, each medallion hallmarked for silver. The upper medallion further hallmarked for Lawrence Emanuel, Birmingham, and 1898, and with attached hallmarked belt clip with engraved dedication: A.C. Hunter, 8 Wentworth Place, 1889.

Two elegant chains are suspended from the uppermost medallion and three from the lowest, formed of larger and smaller stamped links featuring flowers and leaves, each hallmarked for silver, connected by jump rings, and terminating in hallmarked swivel clips. The two top chains measure 7¼” each including the clip, the outer lower chains measure 3½” and the centre one 5¼”.

The five accessories comprise:

*Silver plated mesh purse with clip top and two internal compartments, a shield cartouche on the front displaying the monogram WMR.

*Heart-shaped silver repoussé foliate decoration pin cushion – complete with seven or so pins in the leather cushion! – hallmarked for silver, Chester, Henry Matthews and 1895, blank cartouches to either side

*Hallmarked silver repoussé flowers, leaves and ferns decoration notebook holder with leather covered notebook and silver pencil with retractable lead by Lawrence Emmanuel, Birmingham, 1893

*Shaped repoussé foliate decoration silver dance card or aide memoire case hallmarked for Henry Matthews, Birmingham and 1895 containing three bone cards, blank cartouches to either side

*Silver repoussé flowers, leaves and patterns decoration scissors case with silver chain, hallmarked for White & Reynolds, Chester and 1903, containing a pair of repoussé decoration silver and steel scissors carrying hallmarks for Boots Pure Drug Company, Birmingham and 1911

Condition: Generally in very good condition, light marks commensurate with age and use. The pin cushion with one break in decoration shown in photo, the leather notebook with losses to cover, the dance card holder with a very small dent to one blank cartouche, the scissor blades with rust patches.

Comments: A chatelaine is a decorative belt hook or clasp worn at the waist with a series of chains suspended from it. Each chain is mounted with useful household appendages such as scissors, thimbles, watches, keys, smelling salts, and household seals.

This glorious Victorian silver chatelaine with its accoutrements would have been a striking status symbol for the lady of the house in an upwardly mobile family. Not only one for the collector of Victorian silver but it would be a very special gift for an anniversary or birthday, or even a very different and striking conversation piece as the “Something Old” on a simple elegant wedding dress!

Anne Cunningham Hunter lived at 8 Wentworth Place, Elswick, Newcastle-upon-Tyne with her husband, Edward, a bank manager who went on to become a wealthy stockbroker. Her third child, a son Howard, was born in 1889 and this may have been a present from Edward on that occasion. Sometime in the 1910s, and as a result of the success of Edward’s stockbroking business, the Hunter family moved from Wentworth Place to a substantial 19 room mansion, named “Wentworth” located on The Grove in Gosforth.