When I was a child, both our home and my grandparents home with filled with sparklies, expensive crystal, imported and antique porcelain statues (think $10K+ per ornament) and they were simply displayed on glass shelving, coffee tables and side talks, etc. Not only were we able to touch these precious items, but we were allowed to play with them, we were simply shown how to play very gently with them. The last time we visited my grandmother (we live in a different country now), I was a little stressed out having my 2 and 4 year old around all of her expensive and fragile items, but she wasn't at all and I was surprised that when asked to be gentle and careful (once), the children were.
Personally, with toddlers and a chandelier, I would stress to the children that standing on the chairs is unsafe and I don't want them to fall, then I would take turns holding my children up to be able to touch and feel the chandelier. I would ask them to ask me to lift them when they wanted to touch it, not act as if the chandelier was some forbidden fruit, but show them how to be safe around it and still be able to appreciate its beauty.
Personally, with toddlers and a chandelier, I would stress to the children that standing on the chairs is unsafe and I don't want them to fall, then I would take turns holding my children up to be able to touch and feel the chandelier. I would ask them to ask me to lift them when they wanted to touch it, not act as if the chandelier was some forbidden fruit, but show them how to be safe around it and still be able to appreciate its beauty.
