Georgian steel guard chain composed of highly polished bone-shaped links and triple steel split rings typical of the work of the Matthew Boulton’s Soho Manufactory c.1800.
Pristine condition. 55 inches in length.Facetted steel dog clip with screw lock.
A craze for cut steel jewels and 'toys'(buckles, chatelaines, buttons, sword hilts) swept Europe at the end of the c18th utilising tiny pieces of steel, facetted and highly polished to imitate the scintillation of diamonds especially by candlelight.
So expensive and fashionable was steel at this time that Catherine the Great, Empress Josephine and Queen Charlotte were all presented with parures. Mathew Boulton along with Josiah Wedgewood were the leading manufacturers of the day who both utilised cut steel to great effect.