Niello as a form of adornment has been used for centuries. It became very popular at the end of the 19th century and wonderful items were created by the French and Russian artisans. Chatelaines were also often made entirely of niello. This coin holder was possibly originally part of a chatelaine. It is marked 800 for silver content and has European touchmarks, most likely Russian.

Finding quality niello is a challenge and finding n piece of jewelry like this is always exciting. It is large, measuring 2 6/8 inches long(with the bale) x 1 1/2 inches wide. The sleek design lends itself to today's fashion, either on a cord, or a silver chain, it is simply elegant.