C. 1880 Sterling Silver Fetter Link Watch Chain

This is a long silver watch chain with alternating lengths of longer and shorter fetter links. For the better part of the nineteenth century, chains were fashioned laboriously using hand-working skills. A fetter link refers to a longer link which was used to reduce the number of links needed to fabricate a chain, thereby cutting down on the labor. The longer links are polished smooth while the shorter links have an interesting texture. If you appreciate chains that are fully fabricated by hand (as opposed to machine, as are new chains made today) and if silver suits your skin tone and hair color and your budget, there is no better way to treat yourself. At almost 50 inches, the chain can be wrapped 2 and 3 times around. There is a dog tag from which to hang a pendant, but no clasp on this chain; you simply put it on over your head and enjoy this marvelous, of the Victorian period, hand forged sterling silver chain.