[MR] chatelaines and brooches (Fwd: Aoife-Links Digest, Vol 7, Issue 1)

[SNSpies at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/1/2005 12:03:36 PM Eastern Standard Time,  
aoife-links-request at scatoday.net writes:

Greetings, my Faithful Readers!

This week's Links subject is  Chatelaines (the jewelry-and-keychain variety) 
and brooches. Imagine what  sort of confusion you'd find if you were using a 
search engine and entered  the words "medieval" and "chatelaine". I'm sure 
you'll all be relieved to  know that the future of the SCA is secure in that 
wonderful office we call  Chatelaine, however this links list is about 
medieval jewelry, not  newcomers. Specifically, the type of jewelry that 
holds your clothes  together, that carries your needle case, mini-snips, etc 
and the sort you  pin to your shert for decoration.  Surprisingly, in doing 
this  research I learned that the pin chatelaine dates to Roman times, and 
that  nearly every one of us medieval females who claim to run a house should 
 
have one of simpler or more complex design, depending upon the date of our  
personae. Apparently, earlier on men also wore them (sometimes to carry a  
dagger as well as keys), and a chatelaine was a perfect wedding present,  the 
token of a man's trust in his new wife.

If you enjoy these  Links, please pass them along where they will be  
appreciated.

Cheers

Aoife


A Visual and Historical  Perspective on "Purses"and "Evening Bags ­
the Ever Adaptable Fashion  Accessory
by Rita  Vainius
http://www.caron-net.com/jan99files/jan99fea.html
(Site Excerpt)  Though this purse made by Martina Weber, is not old, it is 
typical of the  type used by the lady of the house many centuries ago. From 
left to right,  it includes a silk Bargello needle holder, a replica of a 
pewter needle  case, a dololly (an accessory to pull the last piece of thread 
through  stitches on the back. Also part of the dololly is a heart pin with a 
wire  loop), a pair of scissors in a pewter case, a silver butterfly 
pincushion  attached to a square brooch, a silver and red velvet charm, an 
Austrian  wear-at-the-belt purse made of metal and an "Emery" strawberry made 
of red  felt containing powder for sharpening and cleaning needles and  pins