Gold Chatelaine with Watch and Accessories
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
1755
This gold chatelaine, created in London in 1755, consists of a belt hook suspension system featuring relief scenes from the life of King David. Suspended from the central structure are three primary items: a pocket watch, a snuff étui, and an additional étui.
The pocket watch, signed by Robert Cawley of Chester and numbered 91, features a case engraved with a scene from Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, depicting Angelica and Medoro. The snuff étui dates to approximately 1730 and contains a gold spoon and a 19th-century watch key. The chatelaine and the watchcase are both decorated with ornamental figure scenes. The ensemble was presented to the Victoria and Albert Museum by Mary Whiteley, and is associated by family tradition with the architect John Stewart.
The object measures 200 mm in total length.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Technical characteristics
- Type
- Watch chatelaine
- Dimensions
- 200 mm
- Watchmaker
- Robert Cawley
- Object type
- Chatelaine
- Watch number
- 91
- Maker location
- Chester
- Place recorded
- United Kingdom
- Chatelaine date
- 1755
- Snuff étui date
- circa 1730
- Watch case scene
- Angelica and Medoro
- Maker / attribution
- Robert Cawley
Design
- Visible features
- • Decorative relief scenes from the Bible on the chatelaine structure • Angelica and Medoro scene on the watchcase • Gold spoon for snuff contained within the left étui • 19th-century watch key attached to the snuff container
- Watch and Accessories
- The central timepiece suspended from the chatelaine is signed by the maker Robert Cawley of Chester, with the movement identified by the number 91. The watch is presented alongside a small empty étui on the right, which shares a similar chronological origin with the main chatelaine. The snuff étui on the left contains a small gold spoon for scooping snuff. Additionally, this container houses a watch key, which the documentation notes is of 19th-century origin, distinguishing its age from the primary components of the chatelaine set.
- Construction and Decoration
- Its design incorporates detailed repoussé figure scenes, specifically illustrating episodes from the life of King David. The overall ensemble length is 200 mm, supporting three suspended components of varying origins and dates. The watchcase, which is of similar age to the chatelaine, is decorated with a narrative scene from the Italian epic Orlando Furioso. This particular scene depicts the characters Angelica and Medoro engraving their initials into a tree trunk. The snuff étui located on the left side of the arrangement is an older component, originating from approximately 1730, and includes a functional gold spoon for administering snuff.
- Provenance and Documentation
- The provenance of the chatelaine is documented through its donation by Mary Whiteley. The object may have remained within the family of the Liverpool architect John Stewart (1791-1871) prior to its acquisition by the museum. The dating of the chatelaine is confirmed by the presence of London hallmarks on the belt hook, which allow for a precise assignment to the period of 1755-1756. The chatelaine is constructed in gold, featuring a belt hook at the top for attachment to the wearer's clothing.
Identification
- Serial number
- 91
- Source note
- Facts transcribed from the linked source listing or collection record. Attribution and specifications are source-reported and have not been independently authenticated.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.
Research required
- Research required: The snuff étui is dated by the source to circa 1730, predating the main chatelaine
- Research required: The watch key is specified as a 19th-century addition to the 18th-century snuff étui