Antique ball chain necklace with fancy clasp

I remember a friend in the sixties wearing the chain from a bathtub stopper as a bracelet. Turns out it was retro industrial chic! In 1896, a man called Harvey Hubbell invented a way to turn on lights which instead of a key used a brass chain that could be cut to any length required. Rustproof, heatproof and sturdy, the ball chain was just a utilitarian tool – until jewelry designers took it up during the 1930s. All ball chain necklaces are multistrand – 9 strands in this case – and have a box clasp, often with art nouveau engraving like this one, which is marked Pat Pend. There are copper, brass and silver coloured stands, and the box clasp is gold plated. I find the different tones add a lot to the design.The strands range in length from about 14 to about 18 inches. The balls are about 1.5mm. This piece is in very good condition as it approaches its 100th birthday.