Featured Hand-Made Fiber Link Chain with Odd Golden End-Clips

It is ~46" long, an' weighs ~6 grams; ~5 1/2 links to the inch, so about 250 links. Each link is a braided ring...but I cannot tell how many strands make up the braid, nor is the strand material obvious; I don't think it's a synthetic.

The end-clips aren't identical...and as far as I can see they're unmarked; probably brass.

I don't recall with certainty when or where they became mine...decades ago, in California, perhaps. I didn't look closely at it until recently, an' was appropriately amazed at the amount of skill and effort represented by this chain. It was purpose-made for some function; those clips are nothing I've ever seen, and my imagination is feeble before the possibilities.

Y'all will surely illuminate this mystery...an' thanks for lookin'!

 

Interesting! It makes me think of elephant hair (or giraffe if thin).
I've seen these gilt ends as watch strap attachments on old ribbons to fix on the watch (rings not lugs).

 

looks like a reed or fibre material.......I'd call it basket work...maybe wicker....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/224716682058

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Spot On, komo...Thanks!
An'...I learned 2 new words: longuard & belcher.
I've put the one in the eBay link on my watchlist...