French Metal Bracelet

 

Q: I found a metal bracelet while using my metal detector. It may have been silver-plated at one time. It has six links that look like shields. There’s a different name on the back of each shield: Lorraine, Flandre, Normandie, Paris, Alsace and Bretagne. The word “Moutereau” is on the clasp. I would appreciate any information you can give me.

A: The words on your bracelet are the names of six French provinces. The metal is probably brass and would have originally had a silver tone. Montereau, not Moutereau, is an area in France. It could be the name of the maker or just the place it was made. Bracelets like yours were made for the tourist trade and don’t sell for much today. Some have enameled coats of arms and sell for a little more.