file which includes the original illustrations4 ,see #bfabj-;h4htm or #bfabj-;h4zip3 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/dirs_/#b_/ f_/a_/b_/bfabj_/bfabj-;h_/#bfabj-;h4htm7 or 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/dirs_/#b_/ f_/a_/b_/bfabj_/bfabj-;h4zip7 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,lace ,,and ,,needlework by ,,mrs4 ,,lowes 99 99 99 99 99 ,,books ,,for ,,collectors ,with ,frontispieces and many ,illustrations ,large ,crown #hvo1 cloth4 ,,chats ,,on ,,english ,,china4 ,by ,arthur ,hayden4 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,furniture4 ,by ,arthur ,hayden4 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,prints4 7,how to collect and value ,old ,engravings47 ,by ,arthur ,hayden4 ,,chats ,,on ,,costume4 ,by ,g4 ,woolliscroft ,rhead4 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,lace ,,and ,,needlework4 ,by ,e4 ,l4 ,lowes4 ,,chats ,,on ,,oriental ,,china4 ,by ,j4 ,f4 ,blacker4 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,miniatures4 ,by ,j4 ,j4 ,foster1 ,f4,s4,a4 ,,chats ,,on ,,english ,,earthenware4 ,by ,arthur ,hayden4 ,,chats ,,on ,,autographs4 ,by ,a4 ,m4 ,broadley4 ,,chats ,,on ,,pewter4 ,by ,h4 ,j4 ,l4 ,j4 ,mass1 ,m4,a4 ,,chats ,,on ,,postage ,,stamps4 ,by ,fred4 ,j4 ,melville4 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,jewellery ,,and ,,trinkets4 ,by ,mac,iver ,percival4 ,,chats ,,on ,,cottage ,,and ,,farmhouse ,,furniture4 ,by ,arthur ,hayden4 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,coins4 ,by ,fred4 ,w4 ,burgess ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,copper ,,and ,,brass4 ,by ,fred4 ,w4 ,burgess4 ,,chats ,,on ,,household ,,curios4 ,by ,fred4 ,w4 ,burgess4 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,silver4 ,by ,arthur ,hayden4 ,,chats ,,on ,,japanese ,,prints4 ,by ,arthur ,davison ,ficke4 ,,chats ,,on ,,military ,,curios4 ,by ,stanley ,c4 ,johnson4 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,clocks ,,and ,,watches4 ,by ,arthur ,hayden4 ,,chats ,,on ,,royal ,,copenhagen ,,porcelain4 ,by ,arthur ,hayden4 ,,london3 ,t4 ,,fisher ,,unwin1 ,,ltd4 ,,new ,,york3 ,f4 ,a4 ,,stokes ,,company 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration3 ,mary ,sidney1 ,countess of ,pembroke4 ,,mary ,,sidney1 ,,countess ,,of ,,pembroke4 ,born about #aeee4 ,died #afba4 ,buried at ,salisbury ,cathedral4 ,painted probably by ,,marc ,,gheeraedts4 ,underneath this sable hearse ,lies the subject of all verse4 ,sidney's sister1 ,pembroke's mother4 ,death6 ere thou hast slain another ,fair and learn'd and good as she1 ,time shall throw a dart at thee6 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,lace ,,and ,,needlework by ,,mrs4 ,,lowes ,with #gf ,illustrations ,london ,t4 ,fisher ,unwin1 ,ltd4 ,adelphi ,terrace ,first ,impression #aijh ,second ,impression #aiab ,third ,impression #aiai ,all rights reserved4 ,,preface ,this little book has been compiled to emphasise and accentuate the distinct awakening of ,english women and ,needlecraft ,artists to the beauty of the ancient laces and embroideries which we own in the magnificent historic collections in our great public ,museums4 ,we are fortunate in possessing in the ,victoria and ,albert ,museum monumental specimens of both lace and needlework4 ,among the sumptuous lace collection there are most perfect specimens of the art of lace-making1 and priceless pieces of historic embroidery made when ,england was first and foremost in the world in the production of ,ecclesiastical embroidery4 ,the lace collection particularly1 without compare1 is illustrative of all that is best in this delightful art1 being specially rich in magnificent pieces that can never be again obtained4 ,these have mostly been given1 or left as legacies1 to the ,museum by collectors and enthusiasts who have made this fascinating hobby the quest of their lives4 ,in addition to the collection formed by the generosity of the donors1 the authorities have exercised a very catholic judgment in selecting the choicest and most illustrative examples of the lace-maker's craft4 ,in the section devoted to embroideries1 more particularly ,english 7as it is with our own country's needlework ,i propose to deal71 nothing more glorious in the ,nation's art records can be found than the masterpieces of embroidery worked by the great ladies1 the abbesses and nuns of the ,medival period4 ,in almost every other branch of art ,england has been equalled1 if not excelled1 by ,continental craftsmen2 but in this one instance1 up to the ,reformation1 ,english work was sought after far and wide1 and as opus ,anglicum formed part of church furnishing and priestly vestments in every great cathedral in ,italy1 ,spain1 and ,france4 ,it cannot be too soon realised that1 as with old furniture1 porcelain1 and silver1 much of the finest embroideries of ,england1 and a vast quantity of the ancient laces of ,italy1 ,france1 and ,belgium are being slowly but surely carried off to the ,new ,world4 ,american dollars are doing much to rob not only the ,old ,country of the fairest flowers of her garden1 but the ,continent of their finest and best examples of the genius of the past4 ,the ,vanderbilts and the ,astors1 among others1 possess immense fortunes in lace1 whilst that omnivorous collector ,mr4 ,j4 ,pierpont ,morgan gives fabulous sums for any fine old relic of embroidery4 ,many pieces of both classes of needlecraft have found a permanent home in the ,metropolitan ,museum of ,new ,york1 and are lost for ever to the ,english student4 ,it is1 therefore1 a pleasant duty to add my little quota of information to the study of these fascinating and exquisite branches of fine art which so specially appeal to all women by their dainty grace and delightful handicraft4 ,i hope ,i may arouse some little enthusiasm in my countrywomen in the study of the past glories of both subjects1 and in the possibility of once again becoming first and foremost in the latter branch4 ,i beg to acknowledge the pleasure and help ,i have received from the perusal of the late ,mrs4 ,bury ,palliser's exhaustive ,history of ,lace1 and ,lady ,alford's ,history of ,needlework1 and ,dr4 ,rock's invaluable books on ,ecclesiastical ,embroidery4 ,,emily ,,leigh ,,lowes4 ,,hillcrest1 ,,brixton ,,hill1 ,s4,w4 ,,bibliography ,,lace4 ,the ,history of ,lace4 #a vol4 ,mrs4 ,bury ,palliser4 ,sampson1 ,marston ,low4 #ahfe4 #b #bs4 ,dentelles and ,guipures4 #a vol4 ,e4 ,lefebure4 ,grevil4 #ahhh4 ,ancient ,needlepoint and ,pillow ,lace4 ,alan ,sumnerly ,cole4 ,london4 #ahgc4 ,the ,queen ,lace ,book4 ,london4 #ahgd4 ,of ,lace4 ,alan ,sumnerly ,cole4 #ahic4 ,point and ,pillow ,lace4 ,a4 ,m4 ,sharp4 ,george ,newnes ,co4 #gs4 #f;d4 ,venice and ,burano4 ,ancient and ,modern ,lace4 ,m4 ,jesuram4 ,venice4 #ahhc4 ,the ,history of ,handmade ,lace4 ,mrs4 ,jackson4 ,upcott ,gill ,son4 #aijj4 #ahs4 ,seven ,centuries of ,lace4 ,mrs4 ,hungerford-,pollen4 #ast vol4 issued #aijh4 ,,needlework4 ,textile ,fabrics4 ,dr4 ,daniel ,rock4 ,south ,kensington ,handbook ,series4 #ahgf4 #as4 ,needlework as ,art4 ,lady ,marion ,alford4 ,london4 #ahhf4 #d #ds4 ,english ,embroidery4 ,a4,f4 ,kendrick4 ,george ,newnes ,co4 #gs4 #f;d4 ,art in ,needlework4 ,day ,buckle4 ,batsford4 #gs4 #f;d4 ,,contents ,,page ,,preface #g ,,bibliography #aj ,,old ,,lace ,,chapter ,i4 ,a ,,brief ,,history ,,of ,,lace #ba ,,ii4 ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,lace-,,making #cc ,,iii4 ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,italy #de ,,iv4 ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,genoa ,,and ,,milan #eg ,v4 ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,france3 ,,needlepoint #fi ,,vi4 ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,france3 ,,pillow #he ,,vii4 ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,flanders #ii ,,viii4 ,,modern ,,brussels ,,and ,,mechlin #aai ,,ix4 ,,other ,,continental ,,laces #aca ,x4 ,a ,,short ,,history ,,of ,,lace ,,in ,,england #aci ,,xi4 ,,english ,,laces #aee ,,xii4 ,,scotch ,,and ,,irish ,,lace #afi ,,xiii4 ,,how ,,to ,,identify ,,lace #agi ,,xiv4 ,,sale ,,prices #aii ,,needlework ,,chapter ,,page ,i4 ,,old ,,english ,,embroidery #bje ,,ii4 ,,the ,,great ,,period #bag ,,iii4 ,,ecclesiastical ,,embroideries ,,and ,,vestments #bbi ,,iv4 ,,tudor ,,embroideries #bde ,v4 ,,early ,,needlework ,,pictures ,,and ,,accessories #bec ,,vi4 ,,stuart ,,caskets ,,and ,,mirror #bfg ,,vii4 ,,embroidered ,,books ,,and ,,black ,,work #bge ,,viii4 ,,stuart ,,pictures #bhi ,,ix4 ,,samplers #cje ,x4 ,,the ,,william ,,and ,,mary ,,embroideries #cag ,,xi4 ,,pictorial ,,needlework ,,of ,,the ,,eighteenth ,,century #cca ,,xii4 ,,needlework ,,pictures ,,of ,,the ,,nineteenth ,,century #cdg ,,xiii4 ,,embroidery ,,in ,,costume #cee ,,xiv4 ,,sale ,,prices #cfe ,,xv4 ,,conclusion #cgc ,,index--,,old ,,lace #cha ,,needlework #chd ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,mary ,,sidney1 ,,countess ,,of ,,pembroke ,frontispiece ,,old ,,lace ,,page ,,egyptian ,,cut ,,and ,,drawn ,,work #bj ,,old ,,italian ,,cutworke #bj ,,early ,,english ,,samplers #bc ,,original ,,patterns ,,by ,,vinciola #bg ,,original ,,designs ,,of ,,reticella ,,edgings ,,by ,,vinciola #ca ,,chart ,,of ,,needlepoint ,r,,seaux #cf ,,chart ,,of ,,pillow ,r,,seaux #ci ,,venetian ,,rose ,,point #dc ,,venetian ,,rose ,,point ,,collar #dh ,,examples ,,of ,,flat ,,venetian ,,point #ea ,,marie ,,de ,,medicis ,,wearing ,,venetian ,,point ,,collar #eb ,,example ,,of ,,gros ,,point ,,de ,,venice #ee ,,louis ,,xiii4 ,,wearing ,,genoese ,,collar ,,lace #fj ,,genoese ,,collar ,,lace #fc ,,milanese ,,lace #fg ,,old ,,italian ,,and ,,french ,,laces ,,and ,,cut ,,and ,,drawn ,,work #gb ,,point ,,de ,,france #ge ,,point ,d',,alen,,on #gf ,,point ,,de ,,france ,,and ,d',,argentella #gi ,,point ,d',,argentan ,,and ,,point ,d',,argentella #hc ,,valenciennes #hh ,,lille #ia ,,empress ,,eugenie ,,wearing ,,blonde ,,lace #ie ,,point ,d',,angleterre #ajb ,,point ,d',,angleterre ,,lappet #aje ,,brussels ,,lace #aji ,,brussels ,,lappet #aac ,,comtesse ,d',,artois ,,wearing ,,brussels ,,lace #aag ,,marie ,,antoinette #abb ,,mechlin ,,lappet #abe ,,marie ,,antoinette ,,wearing ,,mechlin ,,lace #abi ,,duchesse ,,lace #ace ,,queen ,,elizabeth ,,wearing ,,venetian ,,point ,,ruff ,,and ,,cuffs #ada ,,edmund ,,spenser3 ,,collar ,,trimmed ,,with ,,reticella #ade ,,reticella ,,falling ,,collar #adi ,,collar ,,of ,,gros ,,point #aec ,,old ,,buckingham ,,and ,,early ,,devonshire ,,laces #aei ,,old ,,honiton ,,lace #afc ,,modern ,,honiton ,,lace #afg ,,limerick ,,fillings #agc ,,carrick-,,ma-,,cross ,,lace #agg ,,reticella ,,with ,,genoa ,,borders #ahb ,,point ,d',,angleterre #ahe ,,italian ,,ecclesiastical ,,lace #ahi ,,brussels ,,lappet #aic ,,point ,,de ,,gaze #aig ,,needlework ,,egyptian ,,embroidery #bjh ,,bayeux ,,tapestry #baa ,,king ,,harold ,,from ,,bayeux ,,tapestry #bae ,,fragment ,,from ,,the ,,jesse ,,cope #bba ,,the ,,syon ,,cope #bbe ,,the ,,steeple ,,aston ,,altar ,,frontal #bcb ,,the ,,nevil ,,altar ,,frontal #bce ,,diagram ,,showing ,,use ,,of ,,vestments #bci ,,set ,,of ,,ecclesiastical ,,vestments #bdc ,,early ,,petit ,,point ,,picture #bef ,,early ,,petit ,,point ,,picture #bei ,,stuart ,,glove #bfc ,,stuart ,,mirror ,,frame #bga ,,stuart ,,book ,,cover #bgh ,,queen ,,elizabeth',s ,,pocket-,,book #bha ,,black ,,work ,,cap #bhe ,,embroidery ,,portrait ,,of ,,king ,,charles ,i4 #bic ,,stump-,,work ,,picture #big ,,petit ,,point ,,picture ,,worked ,,on ,,satin #cja ,a ,,seventeenth ,,century ,,sampler #cji ,,early ,,english ,,sampler #cac ,,jacobean ,,hangings #cai ,,enlargement ,,of ,,spray ,,from ,,hangings #cbc ,,queen ,,anne ,,picture #cbg ,,early ,,georgian ,,picture #ccd ,,the ,,last ,,supper #ccg ,,eighteenth ,,century ,,silk ,,embroidered ,,picture #cda ,,black ,,silk ,,and ,,hair ,,picture #cde ,a ,,gainsborough ,,picture #cfa ,i ,a ,,brief ,,history ,,of ,,lace ,illustration3 ,,egyptian ,,cut ,,and ,,drawn ,,work4 ,found in a tomb in ,thebes4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,italian ,,cutworke4 7,author's ,collection47 ,,chats ,,on ,,old ,,lace ,i ,a ,,brief ,,history ,,of ,,lace ,early vestiges in ,egypt--,lace found in ,st4 ,cuthbert's ,tomb 7#fhe ,a4,d47--,drawn ,thread and ,cutworks--,venetian ,lace--,flanders ,lace--,french ,laces--,english ,lace4 ,in every other art or craft we can search the history of ages and find some vestiges or beginnings among the earlier civilisations4 ,possibly owing to the exquisite fragility of ,lace1 there is a complete absence of data earlier than that of ,egypt4 ,the astonishing perfection in art handicrafts of all descriptions which we find in ,china many hundreds of years before the ,christian era shows no vestiges of a manufacture of lace2 but1 in the tombs of ancient ,egypt1 garments have been discovered with the edges frayed and twisted into what we may call a primitive lace1 and in some of the ,coptic embroideries threads have been drawn out at intervals and replaced with those of coloured wools1 making an uncouth but striking design4 ,netting must have been understood1 as many of the mummies found at ,thebes and elsewhere are discovered wearing a net to hold or bind the hair2 and also1 a fine network1 interspersed with beads1 is often discovered laid over the breast1 sometimes having delightful little blue porcelain deities strung amongst their meshes4 ,these early vestiges1 however1 are in no way representative of the later exquisite fabrics which we now know and recognise as ,lace4 ,far nearer to them1 as an art1 are the early gold and silver laces of simple design found amongst the tombs of ,mycen and ,etruria1 and those of a later date--i4e41 the laces of gold used to decorate the vestments of the clergy1 and the simple but sumptuous gowns of the ,middle ,ages4 ,along with the stole and maniple of ,st4 ,cuthbert1 which are now at ,durham ,cathedral1 was found a piece of detached gold lace1 which must have formed a separate trimming4 ,st4 ,cuthbert died in #fhe ,a4,d41 and was buried at ,lindisfarne1 his body being afterwards transferred to ,durham to save it from the desecration of the ,danes who were ravaging the land4 ,over the body was a cloth1 or sheet1 which was worked in cutworks and fringes1 showing that even at so early a date initial efforts at lace-making had been attempted4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,english ,,samplers1 ,,showing ,,cut ,,and ,,drawn ,,work4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,as far as we can gather1 the earliest endeavour at lace-making originated with the drawing of threads in linen fabrics1 then dividing the existing threads into strands1 and working over them1 in various fanciful designs1 either with a buttonhole stitch or simply a wrapping stitch4 ,exactly this method is used at the present day1 and is known as hem-stitching and fine-drawing4 ,a later development suggested1 apparently1 cutting away of some of the threads1 their place being supplied with others placed angularly or in circles4 ,many delightful examples of the work are to be seen in our ,old ,english samplers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries1 and even so recently as thirty years ago specimens of this primitive and early lace-making were to be seen in the quaint smock-frock of the ,english farm labourer1 a garment which1 though discarded by the wearer in favour of the shoddy products of the ,wakefield looms1 is now deemed worthy of a place in the collector's museum4 ,it required little effort of fancy and skill1 by the simple process of evolution and survival of the fittest1 to expand this plan of cutting away threads and replacing them with others to doing away entirely with existing and attached threads1 and supplying the whole with a pattern of threads laid down on some geometric fashion on a backing of parchment1 working over and connecting the patterns together1 and afterwards liberating the entire work from the parchment1 thereby making what was known at the time as punto in aria1 or working with the needle-point in the air1 literally out of nothing4 ,strange as this may appear1 this was the origin1 in the fifteenth century1 of the whole wonderful fabric which afterwards became known as ,point lace1 which altered and even revolutionised dress1 made life itself beautiful1 and supplied the women of ,europe with a livelihood gained in an easy1 artistic1 and delightful manner4 ,it also1 however1 led to ruinous expenditure in every country1 at times requiring special edicts to restrain its extravagance1 and even the revival of the old ,sumptuary laws to repress it4 ,the earliest known lace1 and by far the most popular with all classes1 was ,reticella1 which was the first kind evolved on the punto in aria principle4 ,until the discovery of an easy and simple way of decorating the linen ruffs and cuffs of the period these had been quite plain1 as many contemporary portraits show4 ,afterwards the fashion of trimming garments of all descriptions with the pointed wiry edges of ,venice became a mania1 and led to imitation in almost every country of ,europe4 ,the convents turned out an immense quantity1 thereby adding enormously to the incomes of their establishments4 ,it is assumed that it is to the nuns of ,italy we owe the succeeding elaboration of ,reticella1 ,needlepoint1 the long1 placid hours spent in the quiet convent gardens1 lending themselves to the refinement and delicacy which this exquisite fabric made necessary4 ,however this may be1 it is certain that in a few years the rise and development of ,needlepoint lace-making was little short of phenomenal1 and every convent was busy making it and teaching their poorer lay sisters the art4 ,some of the wonderful ,old ,point of this period is absolutely finer than the naked eye can see1 a powerful magnifying glass being necessary to discern how the marvellous toile or gimpe is made4 ,illustration3 ,,original ,,patterns ,,designed ,,by ,,vinciola4 ,seventeenth ,century4 ,a little later1 but still contemporary with the introduction of ,venetian lace1 a ,pillow lace was being made in ,flanders1 the origin of which is not as yet discovered4 ,it is possible that the fine flax thread grown and manufactured there may1 at the time of weaving1 have suggested a looser and more ornamental material1 but that remains a matter of conjecture4 ,there must1 however1 have been an interchange of examples1 as about this time ,pillow-made lace appeared in ,italy1 and led to the making of the ,milanese and ,genoese varieties1 and ,needlepoint motifs appeared amongst the woven network of ,flanders4 ,lace1 under the name of ,lacis1 had been known in ,france from the time of ,catherine de ,medici1 who patronised the manufacturers and used it lavishly4 ,about #aehe she induced ,federico di ,vinciolo1 a lace-maker and designer of ,venice1 to settle in ,france1 and there the making of ,venetian lace was attempted4 ,a mere slavish imitation of the ,venetian school resulted1 and it was not until the age of the ,grande ,monarque1 ,louis ,,xiv41 that ,french lace rivalled that of ,venice4 ,colbert1 the great ,french ,minister1 becoming alarmed at the enormous sums spent on ,italian lace1 determined to put a check to its importation2 and1 by forbidding its use1 establishing lace schools near ,alenon1 and bribing ,italian workers to come over as organisers and teachers1 started the manufacture of lace on an extensive scale1 the beautiful fabrics known as ,point d',alenon1 ,point d',argentan1 and ,point d',argentella being the result4 ,it is frequently said that the last-named lace came from ,genoa or ,milan1 but most of the present-day authorities agree that this is one of the many fairy tales with which the passing of time has adorned the history of lace4 ,the persecution of the ,protestants when the ,huguenots fled to ,england1 bringing with them their arts of silk-weaving and lace-making1 led to the introduction of ,english lace4 ,devonshire apparently received a contingent of laceworkers quite distinct from those who settled in ,buckinghamshire and ,bedfordshire1 and from the first stages showed far finer methods and designs4 ,with the exception of ,old ,honiton1 ,england cannot boast of anything very fine1 and even this is merely a meaningless meandering of woven tape-like design for the greater part4 ,the lace of ,buckinghamshire ranks1 perhaps1 lowest in the scale of lace products1 its only merit being its extreme durability4 ,the laces of ,ireland are of comparatively recent growth1 and though in many instances exquisitely fine1 do not as yet show much originality4 ,illustration3 ,,original ,,patterns ,,designed ,,by ,,vinciola4 ,,ii ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,lace-,,making ,illustration3 ,,needlepoint ,r,,seaux4 ,no4 #a4--;,brussels4 ,no4 #b4--;,alenon4 ,no4 #c4--;,argentan4 ,no4 #d4--;,argentella4 ,,ii ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,lace-,,making ,needlepoint--,pillow ,laces--,charts of various ,rseaux--,technical ,terms4 ,lace-making naturally falls into two classes--the ,needlepoint and ,pillow varieties4 ,in some laces1 more especially of the ,belgian class1 there is a mixed lace1 the toile or pattern1 being worked with the needle1 and the ground1 or rseau1 made round it on the pillow and vice vers4 ,to the first-named class we must assign the ,needlepoint laces of ,italy and the exquisite handmade laces of ,france4 ,to the latter order belong the early ,macram lace1 called ,punto a ,groppo2 the ,genoese and ,milanese laces of ,italy2 ,mechlin and ,brussels of ,belgium2 ,valenciennes1 ,lille1 and ,chantilly of ,france2 and the ,english laces of ,honiton1 ,buckinghamshire1 and ,bedfordshire4 ,pillow lace may be easily distinguished from ,point lace1 as in the former the ground1 or rseau1 is made of plaited threads4 ,that of ,point lace is composed of threads made by the use of the buttonhole stitch only1 or1 in the case of ,alenon point1 the mesh is worked in a special manner4 ,the later laces1 i4e41 those made during the last hundred years1 have frequently a ground of machine lace1 and thus1 strictly speaking1 are not lace at all1 but only embroideries or appliqus4 ,the machine-made ground can be distinguished by sense of touch alone4 ,if we take a piece of hand-made net between the finger and thumb and slightly roll it1 it will gather in a soft little roll1 with the touch almost of floss silk4 ,the machine-made net is hard1 stiff1 and wiry1 and remains perceptibly so in this test4 ,also1 the mesh of machine-made lace is as regular as though made with a fine machine fret-saw1 that of hand-made lace being of varying sizes1 and often following the pattern of the lace design4 ,the accompanying diagram illustrates the various grounds1 and will prove an infallible guide in distinguishing the points of difference between ,point and ,pillow lace4 ,various special and technical terms are used in describing the method of making lace4 ,without burdening the reader too much1 a few special terms must be explained4 ,brides 7literally bridges74--,these are the connections between the various parts of a lace design1 both in ,needle-point and ,bobbin lace4 ,in the former1 they are made entirely of a strand or two of thread thrown across1 and then buttonholed over1 sometimes with tiny loops on the edges1 and in ,venetian lace often having minute stars worked upon them4 ,illustration3 ,,pillow ,r,,seaux4 ,no4 #a4--,valenciennes4 ,no4 #b4--;,brussels4 ,no4 #c4--,lille4 ,no4 #d4--,mechlin4 ,beading4--,a tiny looped edge used to finish woven or ,pillow-made lace4 ,bobbins4--,one of the essential parts of a ,pillow worker's outfit4 ,these are small1 elongated bobbins made of ivory1 bone1 or wood1 on which is wound the lace-maker's thread4 ,sometimes they have been made very ornamental with carving and other decorations1 and frequently have gingles1 or a bunch of coloured beads attached to one end4 ,the terms ,bobbin lace and ,bone lace are derived from these and are synonymous with ,pillow lace4 ,cordonnet4--,in most ,point laces the design is outlined with a raised cord either worked over closely with buttonhole stitches1 or made separately and then stitched down4 ,the ,cordonnet is one of the characteristic features of the raised ,venetian points and the ,french laces of ,alenon or ,argentan4 ,couronnes4--,these are decorations of the ,cordonnet especially noticeable in the raised ,venetian laces1 in which sometimes the lace is raised and worked upon no less than four separate times4 ,dentel4--,lace designed in scallop-form1 chiefly used for border laces4 ,fillings4--,this word most easily explains the ordinary terms of modes and jours4 ,the inner parts of the pattern in ,needlepoint and ,pillow lace are filled in with various ornamental stitches1 showing an amazing variety of design4 ,by these fillings various laces may often be distinguished1 as each factory had its favourite modes4 ,grounds4--,there are two varieties of grounds1 one made with ,brides1 and the other either with ,needlepoint or ,pillow network4 ,other names for these are ,rseaux and ,fonds4 ,the method of making ,needlepoint or woven ground often decides the date and class of the lace4 ,guipure4--,literally a tape lace4 ,the name however is applied to all ,pillow laces having a tape-like design on them4 ,picots4--,the little loops used to ornament a plain bride or tie4 ,illustration3 ,,venetian ,,rose ,,point4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,,iii ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,italy ,illustration3 ,,venetian ,,rose ,,point4 ,seventeenth ,century4 7,author's ,collection47 ,,iii ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,italy ,the ,venetian ,laces ,venetian lace--,rose ,point--,point de ,neige--,gros ,point--,punto ,tagliato a ,foliami--,the ,south ,kensington ,collection4 ,needlepoint lace is made with needle and thread and principally in buttonhole stitches4 ,a traced parchment pattern is procured1 the outline made with a solitary thread stitched down to the parchment at frequent intervals4 ,the thread is then worked over with fine buttonhole stitches2 the modes or fillings have a fine network of threads stretched across1 afterwards being buttonholed into a variety of designs4 ,the edges are then again worked upon with loops or picots1 and in ,rose ,point tiny stars or roses are worked on suitable parts of the design1 sometimes the roses or stars being three in numbers1 one poised upon the other4 ,this is known as ,point de ,neige the whole surface of the lace being literally sprinkled with tiny stars somewhat representing a fine snowfall4 ,the design is then connected with fine brides1 these in their turn being dotted and purled with stars and loops4 ,most of this exquisite lace requires a powerful magnifying-glass to discern the intricacy of the work4 ,the finest lace of this variety was produced in the sixteenth century1 the designs being bold1 handsome1 and purely ,renaissance in type4 ,that of the ,louis ,quatorze period shows the personal influence of his reign1 frequently having tiny figures worked in the design4 ,a collar in my possession has the ,indian worshipping the sun 7the ,king's glory was said to rival that of the sun7 repeated in each scallop4 ,this was a favourite design in the magnificent ,point de ,france which was made during the long reign of ,louis1 under the management of ,colbert4 ,it is absolutely certain that the laces known as ,venetian ,point originated in ,italy4 ,pattern books still exist showing how the early ,reticella developed into this magnificent lace4 ,in the ,national ,library at the ,south ,kensington ,museum1 may be seen the very patterns designed by ,vinciolo1 ,vicellio1 and ,isabella ,parasole4 ,these publications actually came from ,venice1 and being reproduced in ,france1 ,germany1 ,belgium1 and ,england1 quickly aroused immense enthusiasm1 and lace-making spread far and wide1 at first all other laces being mere imitations of the ,venetian4 ,illustration3 ,,coralline ,,point 7,,venetian74 ,illustration3 ,,point ,,plat ,,de ,,venise 7,,flat ,,venetian74 7,author's ,collection47 ,illustration3 ,,marie ,,de ,,medicis ,,wearing ,,the ,,medicis ,,collar ,,to ,,display ,,venetian ,,laces4 ,the chief varieties of the ,venetian laces are known as ,rose ,point1 ,point de ,neige1 ,gros ,point de ,venise 7often erroneously attributed to ,spain and called ,spanish ,point71 and ,point ,plat de ,venise4 ,a much rarer variety is ,venetian point rseau1 which is the flat point worked round with a ,needlepoint ground or mesh1 the network following no proper order but being simply worked round the pattern and following its curves4 ,the chief characteristics of ,venetian lace are the buttonhole ,cordonnet1 fine or thick according to the style of lace2 the wonderful diversities of the fillings worked in buttonhole stitches2 the elaborate decoration of the ,cordonnet2 and the starry effects of the brides or ties4 ,in the flat ,venetian ,point there is no ,cordonnet4 ,these ,italian laces were admired and purchased by all the ,european countries1 and the cities of ,venice and ,florence made enormous fortunes4 ,the fashions of the day led to their extensive use1 ,marie de ,medicis introducing the ,medici collar trimmed with ,venetian points specially to display them4 ,at a little later period the collar became more falling and the heavier ,gros point was used4 ,men and women alike wore lace-trimmed garments to an excessive degree1 the collar and cuff trimmings being composed of wide ,venetian lace and the silken scarf worn across the body being edged with narrower and finer lace4 ,the principal designs for the ,venetian lace of all periods were scrolls of flowers conventionalised in the ,renaissance taste of the time4 ,the generic name for all laces of the finest period is ,punto tagliato a foliami4 ,the laces of this time are now almost priceless4 ,they are genuine works of art1 worked slowly and patiently under the clear light of the ,italian skies by women who were naturally artistic and beauty loving1 and who1 while working the shining needle and fairy thread in and out of the intricacies of the design sang the pretty ,lace ,songs which may be heard at the ,burano ,lace ,school even now1 although #bjj or #cjj years old4 ,many specimens of this exquisite lace are to be found in the ,south ,kensington ,museum1 where the flounce given by ,mrs4 ,bolckow at once explains the whole scheme of ,venetian lace-making4 ,such lace is not to be purchased now except at great price4 ,the piece illustrated1 see page #ee1 was only #a-a_/h yards in length1 and was sold for #ade by one of our leading lacemen4 ,barely #e yards of ,venetian lace1 only #b inches wide and in rags1 was sold at ,debenham ,storr's in ,august1 #aijg1 for #fj2 and even the smallest collar or a pair of cuffs runs well into #aj4 ,even in the days of its manufacture this lace commanded high prices4 ,in the inventory of ,queen ,elizabeth's gowns we find such entries as-- ,to #a yard ,double ,italian ,cut-worke1 #a_/d yd4 wide4 #ee_/d4 #c yds4 broad needlework lace of ,italy1 with purls4 #ej_/- per yd4 ,james ,,ii4 paid #bi for a cravat4 ,illustration3 ,,very ,,fine ,,example ,,of ,,gros ,,point ,,de ,,venise4 ,,iv ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,genoa ,,and ,,milan ,illustration3 ,,louis ,,xiii4 ,,of ,,france1 ,,showing ,,vandyke ,,lace ,,collar ,,and ,,narrower ,,lace ,,on ,,scarf4 ,,iv ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,genoa ,,and ,,milan ,argentella wrongly called ,italian--,genoese--,mixed laces--,milanese--,macram4 ,these are mostly ,pillow laces1 but fine ,point laces were also manufactured in these towns4 ,in the first-named town it is said that the lace called ,argentella was made1 but this is extremely doubtful1 most authorities arguing that it was certainly a ,french lace made at the best period4 ,a very representative lace of ,genoa is known as collar lace1 very widely used for the falling collars of the ,vandyke period4 ,it was an exceedingly beautiful and decorative lace1 and almost indestructible4 ,specimens of this lace can even now easily be secured at a fair price4 ,the laces known as ,pillow ,guipure are somewhat open to question1 the authorities at ,south ,kensington ,museum agreeing to differ1 and labelling most of the specimens ,italian or ,flemish4 ,the finer pieces of this type of lace may safely be described as ,flemish1 as the flax-thread grown and made in ,flanders was much finer than that grown in the ,southern ,countries4 ,much of the ,genoa lace was worked in what we term mixed lace1 the design being woven on the pillow1 and the ground and fillings worked in with the needle either in a network or by brides and picots4 ,a much inferior kind is made with a woven braid or tape1 the turns of the pattern being made in twisted or puckered braid1 much after the style of the handmade ,point lace made in ,england some thirty years ago4 ,this lace was known as ,mezzo ,punto1 though the ,french were discourteous enough to term it ,point de ,canaille1 as undoubtedly it was an imitation of the finer laces made in a loose1 poor style4 ,the lace of ,milan is unquestionably the most beautiful of the ,pillow laces of ,italy4 ,while resembling the plaited lace of ,genoa1 there is more individuality about it4 ,much of this fine lace was worked for church vestments and altar cloths4 ,various heraldic devices are frequently introduced1 surrounded with elegant scroll designs1 the whole being filled up with woven rseau1 the lines of which are by no means regular1 but are made to fill in the interstices4 ,yet another ,italian lace is known as ,punto a ,groppo1 or ,macram4 ,no doubt this was the earliest form of woven lace1 and1 indeed1 it may claim an origin as early as the first garments worn by mankind4 ,in the earliest remains of antiquity a fringe often decorates the edges of garments1 curtains1 and floor-covering1 and seems to be a natural and fitting finish to what would otherwise be a hard1 straight line4 ,in the various ,assyrian and ,egyptian monuments this is noted again and again4 ,illustration3 ,,genoese ,,lace4 ,sixteenth or ,seventeenth ,century4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,some of the sixteenth-century pieces which we possess show simply an elaboration of the knotted fringe1 while much of the later work is exceptionally fine4 ,the work is so well known1 owing to its revival during the last thirty years in a coarse form1 that it needs little description4 ,its use1 even at its best period1 was confined to household use1 for which purpose it seems particularly adapted4 ,illustration3 ,,milanese ,,lace4 7,author's ,collection47 ,v ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,france ,illustration3 ,,cut-,,worke4 ,illustration3 ,,lacis4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,italian ,,and ,,french ,,cut ,,and ,,drawn ,,work ,,and ,,lacis4 7,author's ,collection47 ,v ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,france ,the ,needlepoint ,laces of ,france ,catherine de ,medici's collection of ,lacis--,establishment of lace-making by ,colbert--,point de ,france--,point d',alenon--,point d',argentan--,modern reproduction of these at ,burano1 ,italy4 ,france in the sixteenth century1 as always1 led the van of fashion4 ,lace appears to have been extensively used long before its apotheosis at the ,court of ,louis le ,grand1 otherwise ,louis ,,xiv4 ,catherine de ,medici patronised the manufacture of ,lacis1 which was merely darned netting1 more or less fine4 ,at this time ,lacis and ,cut-worke were practically all that was known or used4 ,bed-hangings1 curtains1 and furniture-coverings were covered with alternate squares of lacis and cutwork4 ,afterwards the ,reticella laces of ,italy were imported and had an immense vogue1 but it was not until the artistically glorious time of ,louis ,,xiv4 that an attempt was made to encourage a manufacture of ,french laces4 ,colbert1 the astute ,minister of ,louis ,,xiv41 became alarmed at the immense sums of money which went out of the country to purchase the laces of ,venice1 and1 by means of bribing the best workers of the ,venetian schools1 he induced them to settle at ,l',onray1 near ,alenon4 ,in #affe he had so far succeeded that lace rivalling that of ,venice was being produced4 ,the ,venetians became alarmed in their turn 7as1 indeed1 they had need to be7 and issued an edict1 ordering the lace-workers to return forthwith1 or1 failing this1 the nearest relative would be imprisoned for life1 and steps would be taken to have the truant lace-worker killed4 ,if1 however1 he or she returned1 complete forgiveness would be extended1 and work found them for life at handsome remuneration4 ,history does not tell us the result of this decree1 but it evidently failed to destroy the lace manufacture of ,france4 ,at first the lace manufactured at ,alenon received the name of ,point de ,france1 and was absolutely indistinguishable from that of ,venice4 ,its magnificence of design1 indeed1 may be said to have exceeded anything before attempted4 ,the introduction of tiny figures was attributable to the overwhelming personality of ,louis ,,xiv41 and was symbolical of his magnificent sway and far-reaching influence4 ,in the illustration1 page #ee1 an especially fine specimen of the lace1 ,madame de ,montespan is seen seated under the crown1 two small ,indians are on either side2 a tree bearing flags and trophies completes this tribute to the genius of the lace-makers and the splendour of the ,court4 ,illustration3 ,,point ,,de ,,france4 7,the property of ,lady ,kenmare47 ,illustration3 ,,point ,d',,alen,,on4 7,author's ,collection47 ,the name ,point de ,france is given to all lace made from its commencement by ,colbert's direction until about #afgh1 when the lace-workers1 perhaps forgetting the traditions of the ,venetian school1 developed a style of their own and the work became more distinctly ,french1 being more delicate1 finer in substance1 the patterns clearer and more defined4 ,the importation also of the finer flax thread from ,flanders brought the more exquisite ,pillow lace of ,brussels to the notice of the ,french lace-workers4 ,the ,french1 as a nation1 have always been foremost in seizing upon new ideas and adapting them to their own artistic requirements4 ,in this instance the result was admirable1 and it gave to the world1 not the finest lace1 as it was impossible to surpass the earliest ,venetian ,point laces1 but certainly the next lace in order of merit1 ,point d',alenon4 ,the chief characteristic of the lace is the fine1 clear ground1 the stiff ,cordonnet outlining the pattern1 and the exquisite patterns in the jours or fillings4 ,the cordonnet of ,alenon is the only one which has horsehair for its foundation4 ,a strand of hair is carefully stitched down to the edges and is buttonholed over with the finest thread1 and is said1 although giving the lace quite a character of its own1 to have been the cause of much of its destruction1 as1 in washing1 the hair contracts and curls4 ,it will be noticed also that the ground is worked in strips1 shortways of the lace of less than an inch in length1 afterwards being stitched together in what is known as fine joining4 ,so elaborate was the original ,point d',alenon that no less than eighteen workers were engaged on one single piece4 ,later the number was reduced to twelve1 when the patterns became less ornate4 ,although the factory of ,alenon existed well into the early nineteenth century1 the style of lace gradually deteriorated1 until it is now non-existent6 ,the lace made during the long reign of ,louis ,,xiv4 is considered by far the finest and best1 showing both grandeur of style and pattern and exquisite workmanship4 ,under ,louis ,,xv4 the lace was equally well made1 but the patterns followed the ,rococo designs which were now introduced into all other decorative work1 while in the reign of the ill-fated ,louis ,,xvi4 it went completely out of fashion1 ,marie ,antoinette affecting a much simpler style of lace4 ,the ,revolution finally caused the complete overthrow of ,alenon lace1 as of all fine art work in ,france4 ,an attempt was made by ,napoleon ,i4 to revive it1 but its glories had passed1 and the hands of the workers had lost their cunning1 the result being known as the worst type of lace1 stiff and ugly in design and coarse of execution4 ,point d',argentan4 ,this lace is practically the same as ,alenon with a variation of ground1 which1 to the uninitiated1 appears coarse4 ,a magnifying glass1 however1 will speedily dispel this illusion4 ,the ground in itself is a marvellous piece of work1 each of the sides of the mesh being covered with ten buttonhole stitches4 ,very frequently a mixed lace of ,alenon and ,argentan is found1 the result being very fine4 ,illustration3 ,,point ,,de ,,france4 7,author's ,collection47 ,illustration3 ,,point ,d',,argentella4 ,point d',argentella4 ,about this lace most authorities dispute1 some stoutly advocating its claims to be ,french lace entirely and others averring that it was made in imitation of the ,point d',alenon by the ,genoese4 ,be this as it may1 the lace known as ,point d',argentella is exceptionally fine even amongst other fine laces1 and is noted most specially for the fine jours which form an essential part of the pattern1 every effort apparently being made to give extra scope for their employment4 ,the specimen illustrated shows some of these jours having the characteristic mayflower1 lozenge1 and dotted patterns4 ,much modern lace of this type is now made at ,burano1 ,italy1 where the coarse ,italian lace formerly made there has been entirely superseded4 ,it strongly imitates ,alenon and ,argentan lace1 but is without the raised cord which is so typical of these1 having the pattern outlined with flat buttonhole stitches only4 ,by many connoisseurs this is considered the finest lace of this age1 being far superior to modern ,brussels4 ,it is entirely handmade1 which cannot be1 unfortunately1 averred for ,brussels1 as the fine machine-made net1 woven from the exquisitely fine thread manufactured in ,flanders and ,belgium1 serves as the ground for all ,brussels lace made at the present time1 except when special orders like ,royal trousseaux are in hand4 ,the lace-makers of ,burano1 it may be added1 imitate the finest ,venetian ,rose ,point1 ,point de ,gaze1 ,alenon1 ever produced1 the prices comparing very favourably with the old work1 though still very costly4 ,illustration3 ,,point ,d',,argentan ,,with ,,point ,d',,alen,,on ,,border4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,illustration3 ,,argentella ,,lace1 ,,showing ,,the ,,partridge-,,eye ,,ground4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,,vi ,,the ,,pillow ,,laces ,,of ,,france ,illustration3 ,,early ,,valenciennes4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,valenciennes4 7,author's ,collection47 ,,vi ,,the ,,pillow ,,laces ,,of ,,france ,valenciennes1 ,vraie and ,fausse--,lille--,chantilly-- ,blonde--,caen and ,brittany4 ,valenciennes4 ,valenciennes was formerly part of ,flanders1 being in the province of ,hainault4 ,it became a ,french town in #affh by treaty4 ,being a ,flemish town1 the lace made there was purely ,pillow lace1 and in fineness of thread and beauty of design it rivalled in its early stages some of the fine old ,flemish laces1 which are more like ornamental cambric than anything else4 ,there are two kinds of ,valenciennes lace1 known as ,vraie and ,fausse4 ,these names are very misleading1 as they merely denote the laces made in the town itself1 or in the outskirts4 ,early ,valenciennes can only be distinguished from ,flemish laces of the same age by the difference in the ground4 ,by reference to the little chart of lace stitches the distinction will easily be seen1 the ,valenciennes being much closer and thicker in the plait1 and having four threads on each side of its diamond-shaped mesh4 ,conventional scrolls and flowers were used as designs for the toile1 the ground and the pattern being made at the same time4 ,this lace is said to have been worked1 like that of ,brussels1 in dark1 damp cellars1 the moist atmosphere being necessary to prevent the tiny thread breaking4 ,the lace-workers became nearly blind1 and quite useless1 long before they reached thirty years of age4 ,so expensive was the fabric that a pair of ruffles for a gentleman's coat would sell for #d1jjj livres4 ,madame du ,barri made extravagant use of this lovely lace4 ,in her wardrobe accounts are mentioned1 in #agga1 head-dress1 throatlets1 fichus1 and ruffles1 all pliss de ,vraie ,valenciennes4 ,the amount of lace used for a head-dress alone is said to have cost #b1djj livres4 ,the ,vraie ,valenciennes was practically indestructible1 earning the nickname of the ,eternal ,valenciennes from its durability4 ,the well-to-do bourgeoise used to invest her savings in real lace1 treasuring and wearing it on all best occasions for a lifetime4 ,the lace-makers of the town itself were so satisfied with their own lace that they proudly boasted that if a length commenced in the town of ,valenciennes were taken and completed by the same worker1 and with the same thread1 outside their own damp atmosphere1 the exact point of difference would be shown in the piece4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,lille4 7,author's ,collection47 ,the earliest ,valenciennes laces show a closer design than that made later1 which1 by the way1 many connoisseurs much prefer4 ,the latter type is of clearer ground and more open design4 ,the flowers do not follow the large scroll-like pattern of ,flanders1 but suggest the detached sprays and festoons of ,alenon and ,argentan4 ,in both types there is no cord outlining either pattern or edge4 ,all is flat as a piece of fine lawn4 ,lille4 ,by no means a favourite lace at any time1 ,lille ranks next in merit as a hand-made lace4 ,the mesh is clearer and larger than most ,french or ,belgian laces1 being made by the simple twisting of two threads on four sides4 ,the patterns are simple1 and are outlined with a loose flax thread of silky appearance4 ,the straight edges which characterise ,old ,lille lace certainly did not lend elegance to it4 ,a large manufacture in black lace was commenced1 and the black silk mantles of the eighteenth century were lavishly trimmed with it4 ,it is entirely out of favour at this day1 however1 only the finest white variety being sought after4 ,lace is still manufactured at ,lille1 but the patterns of ,mechlin are copied1 although the tiny square dots1 one of the distinguishing points of old ,lille1 are still used4 ,chantilly4 ,the white laces of ,chantilly much resemble ,lille1 having the same fine1 clear ground and a thick1 silky-looking thread outlining the pattern4 ,a little lace school was established by the ,duchesse de ,rohan early in the seventeenth century1 and for quite a hundred years white laces were made1 and became popular4 ,marie ,antoinette used this pretty lace as well as ,valenciennes extensively to trim her favourite lawn dresses and fichus when she and the ladies of her ,court retired to the ,petit ,trianon to play at being shepherdesses4 ,about the middle of the eighteenth century ,chantilly began to produce black silk lace of very fine quality4 ,this is practically the only black lace for which there is any market4 ,a ,chantilly fan or a ,chantilly shawl will always find purchasers4 ,the exquisite fineness of its ground1 the elegance of its floral festoons and bouquets1 make it a desirable possession4 ,with the ,revolution the manufacture of real old black ,chantilly ceased1 and was only revived with the ,empire1 when1 in addition to copying the old designs1 the manufacture of the famous blonde laces was commenced4 ,french ,blonde ,lace4 ,at first these filmy silk laces were made in the natural colour floss silk imported from ,china1 hence its name ,blonde4 ,some of the finest specimens are in this colour4 ,afterwards1 when the art of bleaching the silk was discovered1 it was made in a peculiarly silvery colour1 the loosely woven silk being worked in patterns on what appears a ground of gossamer4 ,black ,blonde was afterwards manufactured1 the lace being very different to that of nineteenth-century manufacture1 the mesh being large and open4 ,this was a favourite lace with the ,spaniards for mantillas1 and much prosperity resulted to the little town of ,chantilly4 ,as with all other laces1 the introduction of machinery killed the industry as an art1 and the only ,blonde laces now made are by machine1 and are quite inartistic and inelegant4 ,hand-made ,chantilly in black silk is still manufactured1 but it has only a limited output4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,empress ,,eugenie ,,wearing ,,blonde ,,lace4 7,from a ,baxter print47 ,other ,french ,laces4 ,lace has been made in many smaller towns in ,france1 but in no instance has it been of sufficient artistic merit to have made a name4 ,caen manufactured ,blonde lace in imitation of ,chantilly4 ,in ,normandy the peasant women and girls in the eighteenth century were specially diligent1 and made praiseworthy imitations of ,mechlin1 ,flemish guipure laces1 and ,brussels1 and also introduced the working of gold and silver thread and even beads1 which was much used in churches4 ,some really exquisite ,blonde lace made in this manner was produced at ,caen1 fine pearls were used in the place of beads1 and this lace became extremely popular in ,england4 ,the ,empress ,eugnie was particularly fond of it1 and in most of the portraits of her at the zenith of her beauty she is seen wearing decorated ,blonde lace4 ,it is said that this lace so soon soiled and spoiled in the making that only women having specially dry hands could be employed1 and that during the summer months the lace was worked in the open air1 and in the winter in rooms specially built over cow-houses1 so that the animals' breath might just sufficiently warm the workers in this smokeless atmosphere4 ,other towns engaged in lace-making were ,havre1 ,dieppe 7the latter town making a lace resembling ,valenciennes71 ,bayeux1 which carried on an extensive trade with the ,southern ,islands2 ,mexico and ,spain taking an inferior and heavy ,blonde lace for mantillas4 ,in ,bretagne so dear is lace to the heart of the ,french peasant woman that every garment is trimmed with lace1 often of her own making2 and along with the provision of a little dot for her daughter she makes pieces of lace for her wedding dress4 ,a curious custom is noted1 that the peasant woman often wears this treasured garment only twice1 once for her wedding and lastly for her funeral6 ,,vii ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,flanders ,illustration3 ,,point ,d',,angleterre4 ,period ,louis ,,xiv4 7,author's ,collection47 ,,vii ,,the ,,laces ,,of ,,flanders ,early ,flemish--,brussels lace--,point d',angleterre--,cost of real ,flanders flax thread--,popularity of ,brussels lace--,point ,gaze4 ,whether ,italy or ,flanders first invented both ,needlepoint and ,pillow laces will ever remain a moot point4 ,both countries claim priority1 and both appear to have equal right4 ,italian ,needlepoint without doubt evolved itself from the old ,greek or ,reticella laces1 that in turn being a development of ,cutworke and drawn thread work4 ,flanders produces her paintings by early artists in which the portraits are adorned with lace as early as the fourteenth century4 ,an altar-piece by ,quentin ,matys1 dated #adie1 shows a girl making ,pillow lace1 and later1 in #aeha1 an old engraving shows another girl busy with her pillow and bobbins4 ,an early ,flemish poet thus rhapsodises over his countrywomen's handiworks3 ,of many arts1 one surpasses all2 ,the threads woven by the strange power of the hand-- ,threads1 which the dropping of the spider would in vain attempt to imitate1 ,and which ,pallas herself would confess she had never known4 ,whether ,flanders imitated the ,italian laces or not1 it is unquestioned that every other lace-making country imitated her4 ,germany1 ,sweden1 ,france1 ,russia1 and ,england have1 one after the other1 adopted her method to such an extent that1 following the tactics of ,venice in #afih1 she also issued an edict threatening punishment to all who would entice her workers away4 ,so alike are the early laces of ,flanders that it is impossible to distinguish what is known as ,flemish ,point1 ,brussels ,point1 and ,point d',angleterre4 ,the last-named lace is peculiar1 inasmuch as it has a ,french appellation1 is named ,english1 and yet is purely ,brussels in character4 ,two stories gather round this lace1 which accounts for its name4 ,one is that the ,english ,government in the time of ,charles ,,ii41 seeing so much money go out of the country1 forbade the importation of ,brussels lace4 ,the ,english lace merchants1 not to be done out of their immense profits1 smuggled it over in large quantities1 and produced it as having been made in ,devonshire1 and sold it under the name of ,english ,point4 ,another legend is that when ,colbert1 in the reign of ,louis ,,xiv41 determined to encourage lace-making in his own country1 made prohibitive the importation of any other lace than ,france's own manufacture1 the ,french ,court1 which had already become enamoured of ,brussels lace1 therefore had it smuggled into ,england and thence to ,france1 as ,english laces were at that time too insignificant to come under ,colbert's ban4 ,illustration3 ,,point ,d',,angleterre4 ,period of ,louis ,,xiv4 7,author's ,collection47 ,whichever tale we choose to believe is of little consequence4 ,it is sufficient to say that fine ,point d',angleterre is simply ,brussels of the best period when the glorious ,renaissance was at its height4 ,it is absolutely indistinguishable from ,brussels of the same period4 ,the specimen lappet1 illustrated1 shows the figure motif which appears in ,point de ,france and the old ,venetian ,point1 and which at once dates its manufacture4 ,practically the term ,flanders or ,flemish lace can be applied to all the laces made in ,flanders and ,belgium of the earliest periods4 ,it is peculiarly fine2 the specimen shown is as fine as gossamer1 showing a total absence of ,cordonnet1 of course1 and not even having the loose thread which marks the stems and leaves of ,brussels and ,angleterre4 ,the flax of ,flanders was at the time of the great lace industry known and imported to all the towns engaged in making it4 ,italy could procure nothing so fine and eminently suitable to the delicate work she made her own as this fine thread1 grown in ,flanders1 and spun in dark1 damp rooms1 where only a single ray of light was allowed to enter4 ,the thread was so fine1 it is said1 that it was imperceptible to the naked eye and was manipulated by touch only4 ,the cost of this thread was #bdj a pound1 and one pound could be made into lace worth #gbj6 ,real ,flanders lace thread even now1 spun with the help of machinery1 costs #gj1 and is nothing like so durable as the old threads4 ,when we consider that lace to be known as ,old ,lace must be two hundred or three hundred years old1 we can understand the strength of this fairy thread1 which was like a spider's web in filminess and yet durable enough to last centuries of wear1 and remain as a lasting memorial of its beauty4 ,,brussels ,the early ,flemish laces cannot be traced to any particular town1 but ,brussels early obtained a reputation for the production of the soft1 elegant laces which are variously known as ,real old ,brussels1 ,point d',angleterre1 ,point d',aiguille1 and ,point de ,gaze4 ,almost every woman1 although knowing little about lace as an art1 knows and easily recognises ,brussels4 ,it has ever been the most popular lace1 partly because its price has never been actually prohibitive1 although always costly4 ,choice pieces of ,old ,brussels1 with real ground1 rank among the laces of ,france and ,venice as pieces of price1 but the later period1 especially the kind known as ,brussels applique1 is within everybody's reach1 even if only as a border for a best handkerchief4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,brussels 7,,hand-,,made ,,ground74 7,author's ,collection47 ,illustration3 ,,brussels ,,lappet1 ,,made ,,in ,,imitation ,,of ,,alen,,on ,,and ,,argentan4 ,lace made at ,brussels at all periods has one characteristic that places it at once and makes identification easy at a glance4 ,the threads of the toil--that is1 the pattern--follows the curves1 instead of1 as in other ,flanders laces1 being straight up and down and across1 each thread being exactly at right angles to the other2 ,brussels lace also has a distinctive edge to its pattern4 ,it has no ,cordonnet1 but a little set of looped stitches worked along the edge of the design1 afterwards whipped over to keep the edge in place4 ,this is most clearly seen in every specimen1 and1 in conjunction with the curved toil1 at once settles the vexed question of the origin of ,point d',angleterre4 ,the mesh or ground is1 again1 quite different to other laces4 ,it has three varieties of ground-- #a4 ,one1 mostly used in ,point d',angleterre1 being of fine brides with four or five picots1 but this ground is also seen in ,venetian and ,french laces4 #b4 ,a hand-made ground made of looped buttonhole stitches1 which is the finest and most gossamer-like of all2 and #c4 ,a woven ground made on the pillow with plaited thread1 very like ,mechlin1 but under the magnifying glass having two longer sides to its hexagonal mesh1 and therefore being more open and clear4 ,the hand1 or rather needlepoint1 ground was three times more expensive than the woven1 as it was stronger and more lasting4 ,the special value of the vrai reseau in our own day is that it can be imperceptibly repaired1 the broken stitches replaced1 whereas in the woven ground the point of junction must show4 ,the needle-made net is so fine that one piece in my possession1 though measuring #c_/d yard by #h inches can easily1 in its widest part1 be gathered and passed through a finger ring4 ,at the present day this net is not made1 and even the fine woven ground is not used except for ,royal wedding orders or for exhibition purposes4 ,a magnificent piece belonging to ,messrs4 ,haywards1 of ,new ,bond ,street 7which cannot be photographed1 unfortunately1 as it is between two sheets of glass1 and might fall to pieces if taken out71 was made for ,george ,,iv41 and not delivered1 owing no doubt to the usual depleted state of that monarch's exchequer4 ,messrs4 ,haywards 7whose courtesy is as boundless as their reputation7 are always pleased to show this and their other splendid specimen collections to those interested in old lace4 ,perhaps no lace is so diversified in style as ,brussels4 ,at first it was purely ,flemish1 and almost indistinguishable from it4 ,then the ,venetian influence crept in1 and elaboration of pattern and the ,renaissance scrolls and flower work showed itself4 ,at the ,louis ,quatorze period the introduction of the fairy people1 seen at its finest and best in ,point de ,france1 marks a time of special beauty4 ,afterwards the influence of ,alenon was shown 7though it never rivalled the exquisite lace of this factory71 and from that time to the present day these designs have remained for use in its best work4 ,some of the choicest specimens of old ,brussels are shown in the now discarded lappets1 which when a lace head-piece and lappets were part of every gentlewoman's costume1 were actually regulated by ,sumptuary ,laws as to length4 ,the longer the lappets the higher the rank4 ,illustration3 ,,brussels ,,lappet4 ,eighteenth ,century4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,the great ,napoleon1 while reviving the lace-making of ,alenon1 specially admired fine old ,brussels1 and at the birth of his only son1 the little ,king of ,rome1 ordered a christening garment covered with the ,napoleonic ,n's1 crowns and cherubs4 ,this was sold in #aijc at ,christie's for #abj4 ,at the same sale a ,court train realised #adj4 ,in the ,creevy ,papers1 #agfh-ahch1 mention is made of ,lord ,charles ,somerset complaining of not having slept all night1 not having had a minute's peace through sleeping in ',cambrik sheets1' the ,brussels lace with which the pillows were trimmed tickling his face6 ,this occurred at ,wynyards1 the seat of the ,earl of ,londonderry4 ,queen ,anne followed the extravagant fashion of wearing the costliest laces which ,william ,,iii4 and ,queen ,mary carried to such an excess4 ,in #agaj she paid #aea for #ba yards of fine ,brussels edging1 and two years later the account for ,brussels and ,mechlin laces amounted to #a1dah4 ,in the succeeding reign the ladies of ,george ,i4's period wore lappets and flounces1 caps1 tuckers1 aprons1 stomachers1 and handkerchiefs1 all made of ,brussels4 ,in the time of ,george ,,ii4 lace was even more worn1 but ,english lace began to rival ,brussels1 not in quality1 but as a substitute4 ,george ,,iii4 and his wife1 ,queen ,charlotte1 were economists of the first order1 and personal decoration was rigidly tabooed2 hence the almost total extinction of lace as an article of apparel1 while in ,george ,,iv4's time dress had evolved itself into shimmery silks and lawns1 lace being merely a trimming1 and the enormous head-dress decorated more frequently with a band of ribbon4 ,an exquisite portrait of ,louis ,philippe's ,queen1 ,marie ,amelia1 by the early ,victorian painter ,winterhalter 7whose paintings are again by the revival of fashion coming into favour7 shows this fine old grande dame in black velvet dress covered with three graduated flounces of ,brussels lace1 cap and lappets and tucker of the same lace1 lace fan1 and1 sad to relate1 a scarf of ,english machine-made net1 worked with ,english run embroidery6 ,although good ,queen ,adelaide had a pretty fancy for lace1 she wore little of it1 and it was left to ,queen ,victoria to revive the glory of wearing ,brussels to any extent2 and she1 alas6 was sufficiently patriotic to encourage home-made products by wearing almost exclusively ,honiton1 which ,i personally am not good ,englishwoman enough to admire except at its latest stage 7just the past few years71 when lace-making1 as almost every other art work in this country1 is emerging from what1 from an artistic point of view1 has been one long ,slough of ,despond4 ,illustration3 ,,comtesse ,d',,artois1 ,,wife ,,of ,,one ,,of ,,louis ,,xiv4',s ,,grandsons1 ,,wearing ,,fine ,,brussels ,,lace4 ,,viii ,,the ,,modern ,,brussels ,,laces ,,and ,,mechlin ,illustration3 ,,an ,,old ,,print ,,of ,,marie ,,antoinette1 ,,showing ,,the ,,simplicity ,,of ,,adornment ,,she ,,affected4 ,,mechlin ,,lace4 ,,viii ,,the ,,modern ,,brussels ,,laces ,,and ,,mechlin ,modern ,brussels1 ,point ,gaze--,ghent--,duchesse ,point--,mechlin 7the ,queen of ,laces74 ,magnificent laces are still made at ,brussels1 but almost wholly on a machine-made ground1 the workers and merchants apparently finding the old hand-made ground unprofitable4 ,the machine-made ground is cheap1 and often of mixed flax and cotton instead of being of purely ,flanders flax thread1 as in the old days4 ,both quality and colour suffer from this admixture1 the lace washing badly and wearing worse4 ,the most common lace is the ,point ,applique1 in which the sprays1 groups1 and borders on the design are made separately by hand on the pillow1 and are afterwards applied by tiny stitchings to the machine-made net4 ,some qualities are better than others4 ,in the better class the sprays are appliqued to the net1 which is then cut away and the interstices of the design filled in with hand-made modes and brides1 making a very pretty and showy lace4 ,the best lace made in ,brussels now is ,point ,gaze1 in which the finest modern lace is produced4 ,its chief characteristics are its superb designs1 repeating many of the fine ,renaissance patterns1 its clear ground1 and its use of shading in leaves and flowers1 which1 while it adds much to the sumptuous effect1 is possibly too naturalistic4 ,this lace is a mixture of hand and machine lace1 the ground being of the best machine net1 the flowers and sprays frequently needle made1 the various fillings being composed of a variety of designs1 and the shading often being produced in the needle-darning as in modern ,ghent and ,limerick4 ,point de ,gaze is costly1 but it has the reputation of appearing worth its money to which few other laces of the present day can aspire4 ,other lace-making towns in ,belgium and ,flanders are-- ,ghent1 which produces a fine machine-made net1 worked and embroidered in exact imitation of the earliest ,limerick lace4 ,so real is this imitation that a fine flounce of #d yds4 #cb in4 wide was sold at a ,london auction-room a few months ago1 as real old ,limerick1 for #fj6 ,ghent executes vast quantities of hand-made imitations of ,valenciennes1 a good and durable lace1 but much more expensive than the machine-made varieties which flood the shops as real ,val4 ,illustration3 ,,mechlin ,,lappet4 ,eighteenth ,century4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,perhaps the only other lace worth mentioning in smaller and later varieties is that known as ,duchesse point or ,bruges1 which while being a showy1 decorative1 and cheap lace1 is anything but satisfactory either in design1 manufacture1 or wear4 ,it is largely composed of cotton1 is heavy and cumbrous in design1 and after washing becomes thick and clumsy4 ,it is pillow-made1 the flowers being made on the cushion and afterwards united by coarse and few brides4 ,almost equal in favour with old ,brussels lace was ,,mechlin1 which was aptly termed the ,queen of ,laces4 ,old ,mechlin was wondrously fine1 and transparent4 ,it is often spoken of as ,point de ,malines which1 of course1 is entirely wrong1 as it is not ,point at all--being made entirely1 all at one time1 or in one piece1 on the pillow4 ,much of the lace known under the general name of ,flemish ,point is really ,malines or ,mechlin1 the only difference being the fine silvery thread which runs all through the designs of real ,mechlin4 ,the earliest date of the manufacture of ,mechlin is unknown1 but in #afha1 it is recorded1 that the people of ,malines busied themselves with making a white lace known as ,mechlin4 ,it became a fashionable lace in ,england in #afii1 ,queen ,mary using it considerably and ,queen ,anne buying it largely1 in one instance purchasing #hc yards of it for #bdg4 ,it has always remained a favourite lace with ,english royalties1 ,queen ,charlotte almost exclusively using it4 ,the other day ,i discovered in a bric--brac shop about twenty yards of it1 old and discoloured1 it is true1 which came directly from ,queen ,caroline1 the ill-used wife of ,george ,,iv4 ,in the earlier ,mechlin1 although pillow-made1 the introduction of the brides with picots1 and also the may-flower patterns of ,brussels1 helped to make it more decorative4 ,the ground or rseau was very similar to ,brussels hand-made1 but the hexagonal mesh is shorter1 as reference to the diagram of rseaux will show4 ,the exquisite lightness of ,mechlin1 so specially adapted to quillings and pleatings1 accounted for its popularity4 ,it was specially suitable to the lawns and muslins of the eighteenth century1 but little of this lace is left owing1 no doubt1 to its great favour except the ubiquitous lappets1 for which it was no doubt the ,queen of ,lace4 ,the immediate cause of its extinction was the introduction of ,blonde laces1 and later its final overthrow came from its being the easiest lace to reproduce by machinery4 ,illustration3 ,,marie ,,antoinette1 ,,queen ,,of ,,louis ,,xvi41 ,,showing ,,how ,,mechlin ,,lace ,,was ,,used4 ,from an old fashion plate4 ,,ix ,,other ,,continental ,,laces ,,ix ,,other ,,continental ,,laces ,spanish lace2 ,gold and silver laces of ,spain--,german laces--,russian laces--,maltese silk and thread laces4 ,outside the great lace-making countries of ,italy1 ,france1 and ,flanders1 little lace was ever made1 and that little of less consequence4 ,spanish ,lace4 ,much of the old lace known as ,spanish ,point is not ,spanish at all1 but the best of ,italian ,rose ,point on a large scale1 being the variety known as ,gros ,point4 ,it was not extensively used for dress purposes1 as contemporary portraits show1 but ,spain being such an ultra-,romanist country1 vast quantities of it were imported into ,spain for church use4 ,when ,spain fell on unhappy days1 in #ahcj1 and the religious houses were dissolved1 this lace was eagerly bought by connoisseurs and collectors and became known as ,spanish ,point4 ,it is not unlikely that the ,italian lace was copied by the nuns of the ,spanish convents2 indeed1 at ,south ,kensington ,museum there is a set of church altar lace which is admittedly ,spanish work and is a distinct but far off imitation of ,italian ,point4 ,spain made gold and silver laces of fine quality and gorgeous design4 ,blonde laces in both cream and black are almost indigenous to the soil1 and a particular kind of black ,blonde1 embroidered with colours1 specially appealed to the colour-loving people4 ,german ,laces4 ,perhaps at the present day more lace is made in ,germany than at any other period4 ,an enormous manufacture of good machine-made lace is exported yearly1 the variety known as ,saxony being both popular and cheap4 ,germany has no national lace1 the clever hausfraus caring more to decorate their table and bed-linen than their persons1 and using the substantial and practical embroideries of the cross-stitch patterns more than the elegant frailties of lace trimming4 ,lacis network darned into patterns has always been popular here1 as also in ,denmark1 ,sweden1 and ,norway4 ,illustration3 ,,duchesse ,,lace4 ,modern4 ,russia4 ,the ,russian laces need little more than a passing note4 ,as in ,germany1 ,lacis and ,cutworke form the only hand-made lace known1 the people contenting themselves with these varieties and using coloured threads to further decorate them4 ,their laces may be called merely ,russian embroideries4 ,peter the ,great did much to found a lace school1 but only gold laces were made1 of a barbaric character4 ,recently an attempt has been made to imitate the ,venetian laces1 with very fair results1 but the character is very stiff and mechanical1 going back to the primitive forms of ,reticella rather than the elegancies of ,italian ,point4 ,the only other ,continental lace requiring note is ,maltese1 a lace made entirely with bobbins and on a pillow4 ,this lace is of ancient make1 being known as early as the old ,greek laces1 which it strongly resembles4 ,its very popularity has killed its use as a fine lace1 and at the present day it is copied as a cheap useful lace in ,france1 ,england1 ,ireland1 and even ,india4 ,the old ,maltese lace was made of the finest flax thread1 afterwards a silk variety1 which is well known1 being made in cream4 ,black lace was also manufactured1 and at the time of the popularity of black lace as a dress trimming it was much used4 ,at the present day the lace is not of the old quality1 cotton being frequently mixed with the flax threads4 ,there is no demand for it1 and it is about the most unsaleable lace of the day4 ,x ,a ,,short ,,history ,,of ,,lace ,,in ,,england ,illustration3 ,,queen ,,elizabeth3 ,,ruff ,,of ,,venetian ,,point4 7,national ,portrait ,gallery47 ,x ,a ,,short ,,history ,,of ,,lace ,,in ,,england ,early samplers--,lace worn by ,queen ,elizabeth2 by the early ,stuarts--,extravagant use of lace in time of ,charles ,,ii4--,william and ,mary's lace bill4 ,even at the risk of being considered utterly unpatriotic1 ,i cannot give much more than faint praise to the lace-making of ,england up to the present date1 when notable efforts are at last being made to raise the poor imitation of the ,continental schools to something more in accordance with artistic conception of what a great ,national ,art might become4 ,as in all countries1 lace-making apparently commenced in its early ,english stages by drawn-thread and cutwork4 ,in many of the charming old sixteenth-century ,english samplers just as exquisite cut-work1 and its natural successor ,reticella1 or punto in aria is shown1 as in the finest examples of the ,venetian schools4 ,unfortunately1 however1 ,english fine lace-making came to a sudden and inexplicable end1 although we know that any quantity of fine ,venetian1 exquisite ,brussels1 or ,flemish laces1 and the wonderful ,point de ,france were being imported into the country and lavishly used4 ,as early as the reign of ,edward ,,iv4 lace was mentioned as being prohibited for importation amongst other items of feminine luxury1 such as ribans1 fringes of silk and cotton1 but it is considered that the word laces here means only the twisted threads that go to make up a lace or tie1 commonly ending in tags or points4 ,it must be allowed1 however1 that laces1 or more probably gimps of gold and silver threads were used for trimming both lay and ecclesiastical garments1 and in ,henry ,,vii4's reign we find that importation of ,venetian lace was permitted1 but this is generally admitted still to refer to gold and silver lace1 more probably coming from ,genoa4 ,it was not really until the time of bluff ,king ,hal that lace became an article of fashion1 when during the life of the last of his unfortunate queens he permits the importation of all manner of gold and silver fringes1 or otherwise1 with all new 'gentillesses' of what facyion or value1 for the pleasure of our dearest wyeff the ,queen4 ,henry himself also began to indulge in all these little elegances of fashion1 and wore his sleeves embroidered with cutwork1 and handkerchiefs edged with gold and silver1 treating himself liberally to coverpanes and shaving-cloths trimmed with gold lace4 ,illustration3 ,,edmund ,,spenser3 ,,collar ,,trimmed ,,with ,,reticella4 ,early period4 ,little mention of white work was made in the inventories of ,henry ,,viii4 or his ,queens1 but ,cardinal ,wolsey seems to have had more than his share of cutwork embroideries1 judging from contemporary portraits4 ,in ,queen ,mary's reign white work began to be more frequently spoken of1 and in #aeef it is stated that ,lady ,jane ,seymour presented the ,queen with a smock of fair white work1 ,flanders making4 ,it was not until ,queen ,elizabeth's time that lace became freely mentioned2 then suddenly we are introduced to an endless variety of lace and trimmings1 both of gold and silver1 pearl and embroideries1 and various white work6 ,in some of the old ,chronicles mention was made of drawn work1 cut-work1 ,crown lace1 bone lace for ruffs1 ,spanish chain1 parchment1 hollow1 and diamond lace4 ,many of these terms cannot be understood4 ,the enormous ruffs worn by ,queen ,elizabeth were introduced into ,england in the time of her sister ,mary4 ,portraits both of ,philip of ,spain and ,queen ,mary show ruffs1 but not edged with lace4 ,queen ,elizabeth's1 on the contrary1 are both edged with lace and1 in some instances1 covered with it4 ,on her poor old effigy at ,westminster ,abbey1 where her waxen image is dressed in her actual garments1 the only lace that appears is on the enormous ruff1 three-quarters of a yard wide1 covered with a fine lace of the loose network kind4 ,the rest of her garments are trimmed with gold and silver lace and passementerie4 ,in the succeeding reign lace of a geometric design shows itself on the ruffs of the richest people4 ,pictures in the ,national ,portrait ,gallery show many exquisite examples of the beautiful ,reticella of ,venice1 which must have been very costly to the purchaser1 as twenty-five yards or more of this fine lace were required to edge a ruff4 ,it was in the reign of ,james ,i4 and his consort1 ,anne of ,denmark1 that ,flanders lace and the expensive ,point laces of ,italy first became widely popular4 ,then1 as now1 they were costly--to such an extent that many gentlemen sold an estate to buy laces for their adornment4 ,it was during this reign that we first learn of a lace being made in ,england1 as ,queen ,anne of ,denmark on her journey south purchased lace at ,winchester and ,basing1 but history mentions not what kind of lace it was4 ,apparently only a simple kind of edging was used1 made on a pillow4 ,the enormous ruffs went out of fashion with the death of ,james ,i4 ,charles ,i41 in all his portraits1 wears the falling collar edged with ,vandyke lace4 ,it was during this reign that ,venetian lace reached its apotheosis in ,england4 ,the dress of the day has never been surpassed1 though it became much more elaborate and ostentatious in the time of ,charles ,,ii4 and ,william and ,mary4 ,falling collars were specially adapted to the display of the handsome laces of ,venice4 ,the cuffs of the sleeves were likewise trimmed with the same2 scarves were worn across the breast1 trimmed with the narrower ,reticella4 ,illustration3 ,,seventeenth ,,century ,,falling ,,collar ,,trimmed ,,with ,,fine ,,reticella4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,during the ,commonwealth the laces of ,venice suffered a temporary eclipse1 and the plainer laces of ,flanders were freely used4 ,cromwell himself1 it is said1 did not disdain the use of it4 ,his effigy at ,westminster was dressed in a fine ,holland lace-trimmed shirt1 with bands and cuffs of the same4 ,this effigy1 by the way1 was destroyed at the ,restoration4 ,charles ,,ii41 who during his exile in ,france had become imbued with the extravagant taste of the ,french ,court1 gave vast orders for ,points of ,venice and ,flanders1 on the plea of providing ,english lace-workers with better patterns and ideas4 ,the falling collar certainly went out of fashion1 but lace was liberally used on other parts of the dress4 ,lace frills of costly ,point edged the knee-breeches1 lace cravats were worn and deep falling cuffs4 ,charles ,,ii41 in the last year of his reign1 spent #bj for a new cravat for his brother's birthday4 ,during ,james ,,ii4's reign extravagance in lace purchases are still mentioned1 but it surely reached its culmination in the joint reign of ,william and ,mary1 when enormous sums were spent by both ,king and ,queen4 ,in one year ,queen ,mary's lace bill amounted to #a1iah4 ,new methods of using lace were fashioned4 ,a huge head-dress called the ,fontange1 with upright standing ends of ,venetian ,point1 double hanging ruffles falling from elbow sleeves1 lace-trimmed aprons1 lace tuckers1 characterised the feminine dress of the day1 while the ,steinkirk cravat and falling cuffs of ,william ,,iii4's day ran up accounts not much less than that of his ,queen4 ,in #afij his bill was #a1fjc1 and in #afie it amounted to #b1dei6 ,the effigies of ,william and ,mary in the ,abbey1 wear the very finest ,venetian ,point laces4 ,none of the other figures wear such costly lace1 nor in such profusion4 ,illustration3 ,,collar ,,in ,,gros ,,point ,,de ,,venise4 ,louis ,,xiv4 period4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,,xi ,,english ,,laces ,,xi ,,english ,,laces ,queen ,anne and ,mechlin--,establishment of lace-making in ,bedfordshire and ,buckinghamshire--,buckingham lace--,wiltshire lace--,devonshire lace--,modern ,honiton revival4 ,it was in ,queen ,anne's time that the earliest really good lace manufactured in ,england appeared4 ,driven from ,france by the edict of ,louis ,,xiv41 the refugees found a home in ,england1 and encouraged by ,queen ,anne's fondness for laces other than ,venetian1 they made and taught the ,english lace-workers1 among whom they settled1 the art of real lace-making1 which up to this time had apparently been only half understood4 ,numerous lace schools now sprang up1 the counties of ,bedfordshire1 ,buckinghamshire1 and ,northampton specially becoming known4 ,valenciennes and ,mechlin were the varieties of laces principally copied2 a very pretty lace1 very reminiscent of ,mechlin1 being the ,baby lace1 which received its name from being so much used to trim babies' caps4 ,although very much like ,valenciennes and ,mechlin1 the laces were much coarser both in thread and design than their prototypes4 ,bedfordshire and ,northamptonshire did not long retain the art of lace-making1 but ,buckingham lace remained a staple manufacture1 and is much esteemed even to-day1 many connoisseurs considering it far better as a lace than the somewhat clumsy laces of ,devonshire4 ,the specimen shown is a piece of old ,buckingham lace closely copying the rseau and sprigs of ,lille which most lace-lovers consider it excels4 ,the net of ,buckinghamshire is an exact copy of the ,lille mesh1 being made of two threads twisted in a diamond pattern1 the sprays being worked on the pillow at the same time4 ,the patterns of the old ,buckingham lace are not very varied1 the best known being what is called ,spider lace1 a coarse kind of open mesh being worked in the pattern4 ,the principal town engaged in the eighteenth century was ,newport ,pagnel1 which was cited as being most noted for making ,bobbin lace4 ,old ,brussels designs were used1 and some quaint lace of early ,flemish design1 was made4 ,the early ,english run lace1 which was even so late as fifty years ago very popular1 was mostly made here4 ,aylesbury1 ,buckingham1 and ,high ,wycombe also made lace1 and in the last-named old town cottage lace-making may be seen to this day4 ,very quaint are the old lace bobbins that may be purchased in the antique shops of these lace-making towns4 ,the lace-workers apparently indulged many a pretty fancy in shaping them in a diversity of ways1 very few bobbins being alike4 ,some were made of bone1 really prettily turned1 with dotted and pierced patterns on them4 ,others were silver-studded1 and again others were banded in silver4 ,the wooden ones were always decorated1 if possible1 each one differently from the others1 so that the worker might distinguish each thread without looking at it4 ,nearly every bobbin was ended with a bunch of coloured beads strung on wire1 and a collection of these bobbins1 with their gingles1 often yields up a pretty and quaint necklace4 ,one in my possession has a quaint bead made of ancient ,roman glass1 worth at least ten shillings4 ,one wonders how this bit of ,roman magnificence had strayed into an ,english cottage home6 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,buckingham4 7,author's ,collection47 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,devonshire ,,lace4 7,author's ,collection47 ,buckinghamshire is the only one of the ,midland counties which has produced wide lace2 the adjoining counties confined themselves to edgings at most some #f inches wide4 ,a flounce in my collection measures #ba inches1 and is of very elegant design1 and of fine quality4 ,in ,wiltshire lace appears to have been made at an early date in the eighteenth century1 but little lace is left to show its quality4 ,a curious piece is said to belong to an old family in ,dorset1 who vouch for the lace having belonged to ,queen ,charlotte1 the wife of ,george ,,iii4 ,like many other traditional antiques1 this is undoubtedly a fairy story1 as it claims to have been made in commemoration of the defeat of the ,spanish ,armada1 at contemporary times4 ,it is exceedingly handsome1 showing one of ,philip's ships1 very suggestively surrounded by big sea fish and apparently resting on the rocky bottom of the ocean4 ,in the next panel ,tilbury ,fort is portrayed1 and another ship1 one of ,england's glory1 proudly rules the waves4 ,the design is undoubtedly ,english1 and most probably it was made in commemoration of the historic event--but the lace is ,point d',argentan1 and was most likely manufactured specially for ,queen ,charlotte4 ,lyme ,regis at one time rivalled ,honiton1 the laces of both towns being equally prized4 ,queen ,charlotte wore a head and lappets made here when she first came to ,england1 and afterwards she ordered a splendid lace dress to be made4 ,when1 however1 ,queen ,victoria1 in her wish to encourage the ,english makers1 sent an order for her marriage lace1 not sufficient workers were found to produce it4 ,,devonshire ,,lace4 ,as early as #afad the lace-makers of ,devonshire were known4 ,the influx of refugees from ,flanders in the ,midlands and southern counties undoubtedly established lace-making in both parts of the kingdom4 ,many of the ,honiton lace-workers married these refugees1 and to this day the people are of mixed descent4 ,quaint names of ,flemish extraction appear over the shop doors4 ,in the early days both men1 women1 and children seem to have pursued the art of lace-making1 boys learning and working at it until the age of sixteen1 when they were either apprenticed to some trade or went to sea4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,honiton 7,,needlepoint ,,ground74 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,honiton4 7,author's ,collection47 ,most of the old ,devonshire laces bear distinct likeness to the fine ,flemish lace1 only the clumsiness of the design or the coarse workmanship differentiating them4 ,it has1 however1 one special feature which gave it the name ,trolly lace1 as1 unlike the perfectly flat lace of ,flanders1 it has a coarse thread or trolly outlining its patterns1 and being made of ,english thread1 it was coarse and not very durable4 ,honiton has always easily ranked first amongst our ,british laces1 although by many not considered equal to fine ,bucks4 ,like the ,midland lace1 it has been always made with ,flanders thread1 and therefore has maintained its popularity because of its wear and its colour4 ,the early ,honiton workers copied ,brussels lace1 but because of their inability to produce an artistic design it has never been anything but a poor copy4 ,even when the ,brussels influence was most direct the flowers and sprays were placed inartistically1 while the scroll copies of the early ,flemish schools can only be termed the imitative handiwork of a child4 ,the most prized specimens of old ,honiton are those with hand-made ground1 made of ,flanders flax4 ,very little of this real ground ,honiton lace is left4 ,queen ,victoria did much to make ,honiton lace the lace of the land2 but although a regular trade has been established1 and much good work accomplished1 ,honiton of the past will never be regarded on the same plane as the laces of ,venice1 ,france1 and ,brussels4 ,even in its best variety it lacks the exquisite filmy touch of ,brussels1 the dainty grace of ,alenon1 and the magnificence of ,point de ,france and ,venetian ,point4 ,the ,honiton laces made since the introduction of machine-made net is especially poor4 ,flower sprigs and sprays are made separately on the pillow1 and afterwards applied to the machine-made ground4 ,these are1 as a rule1 flowers and foliage treated naturalistically1 and are heavy and close in design4 ,these are often very sparingly applied over a wide expanse of net in order to make as much lace with as little trouble as possible4 ,this is very different to the work of the old ,honiton lace-worker1 who made every inch of it herself--first the sprays and scrolls1 then worked the ground round it1 and received1 it is said1 from the middleman 7who purchased it for the town market7 as many shillings as would cover the lace offered for sale4 ,we are glad to say1 however1 that very praiseworthy efforts are being made to introduce better methods and more artistic designs in the many lace schools which are being formed in various parts of ,devon4 ,mrs4 ,fowler1 of ,honiton1 one of the oldest lace-makers in this centre1 making exquisite lace1 the technique leaving nothing to be desired1 and also showing praiseworthy effort in shaking off the trammels of the traditional designs4 ,illustration3 ,,modern ,,honiton1 ,,made ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,fowler4 ,,xii ,,scotch ,,and ,,irish ,,laces ,,xii ,,scotch ,,and ,,irish ,,laces ,hamilton lace--,mary ,queen of ,scots--,modern lace-making in ,ireland--,limerick lace--,carrick-ma-cross--,irish crotchet--,convent laces4 ,scotch lace can hardly be said to exist4 ,at one time a coarse kind of network lace called ,hamilton lace was made1 and considerable money was obtained by it1 but it never had a fashion1 and deservedly so4 ,since the introduction of machinery1 however1 there has been considerable trade1 and a tambour lace is made for flounces1 scarfs1 c4 ,the more artistic class of work made by ,scotswomen is that of embroidering fine muslin1 and some really exquisite work is made by the common people in their homes4 ,much mention is often made of ,mary ,queen of ,scots and her embroideries and laces4 ,it must be remembered that she married firstly the ,dauphin of ,france1 and while at the ,french ,court imbibed the taste for elegant apparel and costly lace trimmings4 ,there is no record that she ever wore lace of her own country's manufacture1 and1 although ,english writers often quote the lace made by her fair hands1 really the needlework made by ,queen ,mary at ,fotheringay was embroidery4 ,irish ,laces4 ,the early lace of ,ireland was the usual cut and drawn work1 and it was not until the earlier part of the nineteenth century that lace-making actually became a craft4 ,in the eighteenth century many brave attempts were made to commence lace schools1 and the best work was done in the convents1 where really fine work was executed by the nuns1 the patterns having been sent from ,italy4 ,it was not until #ahbi that the manufacture of ,limerick lace was first instituted4 ,this really is not lace at all1 as it is merely chain-stitch worked in patterns on machine-made net4 ,this pretty so-called lace was first made at ,limerick by an ,oxford man1 who established a school there1 taking with him twenty-four girls as teachers4 ,it quickly became very popular1 in the early fifties every woman of either high or low degree possessing herself of at least a lace collar or fichu of ,limerick lace4 ,in #ahee more than #a1ejj workers were employed1 but decidedly the best lace of the manufacture belongs to the time prior to this date4 ,the quality of the net ground has also deteriorated1 or perhaps the best net has not been purchased4 ,illustration3 ,,limerick ,,fillings4 ,very dainty little sprays and flowers are produced in the fine chain or tambour stitch1 the hearts of the flowers or the centres of the scallops being worked over in an endless variety of extra stitches1 as will be seen in the illustration4 ,another variety of lace is ,carrick-ma-cross1 which was contemporary with ,limerick4 ,this is merely embroidery again1 but has more claim to the title of lace1 as the tiny little flowers and scrolls are connected with brides made of buttonhole stitch ornamented with picots4 ,this is really a very handsome lace1 its only drawback being that it will not wash4 ,the fine lawn of which it is made is buttonholed round and then cut away4 ,this1 in cleaning or washing1 contracts and leaves the buttonhole edging1 and in a few cleanings it is a mass of unmendable rags4 ,slightly more serviceable is another variety of ,carrick-ma-cross1 on which the lawn is appliqud to a machine-made net1 the pattern outlined with buttonhole stitches1 and the surplus lawn cut away1 leaving the network as a grounding1 various pretty stitchings filling up the necessary spaces4 ,yet another kind of lace is made1 and is really the only real lace that ,ireland can claim4 ,this is the ,irish crotchet1 which in its finer varieties is a close imitation of ,venetian ,point1 but made with fine thread and with a crotchet needle4 ,some of the best is really worth purchasing1 but it is costly1 realising as much as five guineas per yard4 ,a very delicate ,tatting also comes from the ,emerald ,isle1 and in comparing ,english and ,irish laces one is inevitably struck with the reflection that there is more artistry in the production of ,irish laces and embroidery than in ,england with all her advantages4 ,the temperamental differences of the two races are distinctly shown in this1 perhaps more than any other art4 ,much really notable work is now being executed in the ,irish lace schools4 ,at ,youghal1 co4 ,monaghan1 an exact replica of old ,venetian ,point is being worked4 ,various fine specimens from the school occupy a place at ,south ,kensington ,museum1 and the lace industry of ,ireland may be said to be in a healthy condition4 ,illustration3 ,,carrick-,,ma-,,cross ,,lace4 7,author's ,collection47 ,,xiii ,,how ,,to ,,identify ,,lace ,illustration3 ,,the ,,centre ,,strip ,,is ,,old ,,reticella1 ,,with ,,genoa ,,borders4 7,author's ,collection47 ,,xiii ,,how ,,to ,,identify ,,lace ,style--,historical data--,rseaux4 ,the great difficulty in attempting to identify any specimen of lace is that from time to time each country experimented in the manners and styles of other lace-making nations4 ,the early ,reticella workers copied what is known as the ,greek laces1 which were found in the islands of the ,grecian ,archipelago4 ,specimens of these laces found in the excavations of the last thirty years show practically no difference in method and style4 ,france copied the ,venetian laces1 and at one period it is impossible to say whether a given specimen was made at ,alenon or ,venice4 ,italy1 in turn1 imitated the ,flemish laces--to such an extent that even the authorities at ,south ,kensington ,museum1 with all their leisure and opportunities for study and the magnificent specimens at hand for identification1 admit that certain laces are either ,italian or ,flemish4 ,valenciennes was once a ,flemish town1 and though now ,french1 preserves the ,flemish character of lace1 some specimens of ,mechlin being so like ,valenciennes as to baffle certainty4 ,later1 ,brussels borrowed the hand-made grounds of ,france and ,venice1 and still later ,england copied ,brussels1 the guipures of ,flanders1 and the ground and style of ,lille6 ,all this makes the initial stages of the study of lace almost a hopeless quest4 ,the various expensive volumes on lace1 although splendidly written and gorgeously illustrated1 leave the student with little more than an interesting and historical knowledge on which to base the actual study of lace4 ,here ,i may refer my readers to the one and only public collection of lace1 ,i believe1 in ,england--that of the ,south ,kensington ,museum1 where specimens of lace from all countries and of all periods are shown1 and where many magnificent bequests1 that of ,mrs4 ,bolckow especially1 make the actual study of lace a possibility4 ,it is to be hoped that the governing body of the museum will1 in its own good time1 make this a pleasure instead of a pain4 ,the specimens1 the most important to the student1 are placed in a low1 dark corridor4 ,not a glimmer of light can be obtained on some of the cases1 which also are upright1 and placed so closely together that on attempting to see the topmost specimen on one side the unfortunate student literally bangs her head into the glass of the next one4 ,a gentle complaint at the ,directors' office concerning the difficulty brought forth the astonishing information that there was no room at their disposal1 but that in good time better light might be found4 ,as these cases have been in identically the same place for the past fifteen years1 one hopes that the good time may come before one becomes a spectacled pantaloon with no desire to see the wonders of that ,palace of ,art4 ,illustration3 ,,point ,d',,angleterre4 ,style ,louis ,,xv4 ,eighteenth ,century 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,this little protest is made in the hope that the ,lords of the ,committee may possibly have their attention drawn to what amongst the lace-lovers and students in this country is a standing grievance4 ,it is almost impossible1 even from the best of photographic illustrations1 to learn all the intricacies of identification4 ,the photographs clearly show style1 but it needs specimens of the actual lace to show method of working4 ,from the illustrations in this book1 specially selected from the ,south ,kensington ,collection1 and from specimens in my own collection1 every variety of style may be easily understood1 as they have been particularly selected to show each point of difference4 ,commencing with the earliest form of lacework--i4e41 cutworke--nothing will better show this than the ,sampler specimen1 which1 half way down1 shows two rows entirely typical of this kind of early lace-making--for such it is4 ,a little lower1 examples of drawn threadwork are seen1 while the upper portion illustrates satin stitch patterns1 which more properly belong to embroidery4 ,the ancient collar from the ,south ,kensington ,collection1 page #adi1 shows some of the finest developments of cutwork1 when the foundation of linen was entirely dispensed with4 ,the work is exceedingly fine1 the threads being no coarser1 indeed in many cases less so1 than the fine linen it adorns4 ,this is known as ,reticella1 or punto in aria4 ,the last name is applicable to all the laces of ,venice which succeeded ,reticella1 and means lace literally made out of nothing or without any building foundation4 ,the specimen is still of the same class1 but where before the design was simple geometric square and pointed as in all the early lace1 it now takes on the lovely flowing scroll of the ,renaissance that marks the latter half of the seventeenth century4 ,the same grand styles may be noted all through the great period of ,italian ,needlepoint lace4 ,it will be seen in a lesser degree in the ,guipure laces of ,milan and ,genoa1 but here the cramping influence of the ,flemish school shows itself distinctly4 ,illustration3 ,,italian ,,ecclesiastical ,,lace4 ,illustration3 ,,flemish ,,or ,,genoese ,,ecclesiastical ,,lace4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,the same bold lines may be noted in the early ,needlepoint lace of ,france1 which had not then become sufficiently sure of her capacity to develop a style of her own1 and all show the ,renaissance spirit4 ,afterwards when the superb ,point de ,france was at its height of manufacture along with grand outline and exquisite handicraft1 the influence of the mighty monarch ,louis ,,xiv4 asserted itself and although the lace itself commands unbounded admiration1 fantastic little notions1 symbolical and naturalistic1 showed itself--as an illustration page #ge3 little figures representing the ,indian1 canopied crown over a sealed lady1 trees growing all manner of bizarre fruit and flowers1 all symbolical of ,louis the ,magnificent's unbounded power and sway4 ,in the ,south ,kensington ,museum there is a still finer specimen1 which has not yet been photographed1 ,i believe--a magnificent flounce1 about eighteen inches wide 7really two boot top pieces joined71 of what is known as pseudo-,oriental character1 which shows amongst the usual exquisite scrolling no less than seven different figures on each piece--viz41 an ,indian1 a violinist in dress of ,louis ,,xiv4 period1 a lady riding on a bird1 two other ladies1 one with a pet dog and the other a parrot1 a lady violinist1 and another lady seated before a toilet-table4 ,these little figures are not more than three-quarters of an inch high1 but are worked with such minuteness that even the tiny features are shown4 ,this fantastic adoption of the human figure was copied in ,italy and ,flanders4 ,the finest specimens of ,point d',angleterre 7,brussels7 show the same designs2 and it may broadly be stated that all lace with figures is of the ,louis ,,xiv4 period1 and over two hundred years old4 ,succeeding this period came the dainty elegance of the ,french laces1 when the workers of ,alenon and ,argentan had developed a purely ,french style4 ,note the ,point d',alenon1 illustration page #hc1 where the characteristics of the period are fully shown4 ,the illustration shows a mixed lace1 which only recently has been acknowledged by the ,south ,kensington people as ,point d',argentan4 ,along with the typical ,argentan ground of the upper portion is the fine ,alenon mesh and varied jours of the border4 ,this also is ,louis ,,xiv4 style4 ,the lappet shown next is exceedingly instructive1 as till quite lately the people who professed to understand lace agreed to call this ,genoese1 although it was quite unlike anything else made there4 ,this lappet was so labelled at ,south ,kensington1 but now is admittedly ,argentella 7or little ,argentan74 ,it is remarkably like ,alenon1 being of the same period1 the only points of difference being that the design is not outlined with a raised ,cordonnet 7though in different places of the design a raised and purled ,cordonnet is often stitched on it7 and the special ground 7partridge eye7 which is agreed to denote ,argentella lace--page #hc4 ,it is sometimes called the may-flower ground1 but this is somewhat misleading as that design occurs in other laces4 ,the only other great style is that of ,flanders1 which at its earliest period had received no influence from the ,renaissance that had seized the southern countries of ,europe and was still in the grip of medival art4 ,it was not until ,italian influence permeated ,france that ,flemish lace perceptibly altered in character4 ,these are to all intents and purposes the three great styles of lace4 ,england had no style3 she copied ,flemish1 ,brussels1 and ,mechlin laces4 ,ireland1 on the contrary1 copied ,italian in her ,irish crotchet and ,carrick-ma-cross 7in style only1 but not workmanship71 and adapted ,lille and ,mechlin and ,brussels and ,buckingham in her ,limerick lace4 ,the student must next make herself familiar with the methods pursued by the old lace-workers1 and here the difficulty commences4 ,all lace is either ,needlepoint1 pillow-made1 or machine-made4 ,needlepoint explains itself4 ,every thread of it is made with a needle on a parchment pattern1 and only two stitches are used1 buttonhole and a double-loop which is really a buttonhole stitch4 ,illustration3 ,,brussels ,,lappet4 ,nineteenth ,century4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,this can be clearly understood by referring to ,charts ,nos4 ,i4 and ,,ii41 where the two ,brussels grounds are shown4 ,the ,needlepoint ground1 ,no4 ,i41 is formed by a buttonhole stitch1 which loops over again before taking the next4 ,the pillow-made ground1 ,no4 ,,ii41 shows the threads plaited or twisted together to form a hexagonal or a diamond-shaped network4 ,this is all the difference between needle-made and pillow-made lace1 and in itself helps to identify in many instances its country and period when it was produced4 ,all the early ,italian laces were ,needlepoint1 and all the early ,french laces were the same4 ,all the ,flemish laces 7including ,brussels7 were pillow-made1 and mixed laces in any of these countries are of later make4 ,italy adapted the ,flemish pillow-lace1 and produced ,genoese and ,milanese guipures1 in addition to the coarse imitation of ,reticella which she now made by plaiting threads on the pillow4 ,brussels adopted the needle-made motifs and grounds of ,italy1 and produced perhaps her finest lace1 weaving her beautiful designs and outlines on the pillow1 and afterwards filling the spaces with needle-made jours and brides1 as in ,point d',angleterre4 ,a study of ,chart ,,ii4 will show the different style of grounds or rseaux of both ,needlepoint and pillow-made lace1 the buttonhole grounds being either of brides with or without picots1 or buttonhole loops1 as in ,brussels1 and ,alenon 7with a straight thread whipping across to strengthen the ground71 loops buttonholed over all as in ,argentan1 or made of tiny worked hexagons with separate buttonholed threads around them as in ,argentella4 ,the pillow-made grounds are made of two plaited or twisted threads1 except in the case of ,valenciennes1 when it is made of four threads throughout 7hence its durability74 ,in ,brussels1 it will be noted1 the threads are twisted twice to commence the mesh4 ,these meet two other threads1 and are plaited four times1 dividing into two again1 and performing the same twist1 the whole making a hexagon rather longer than round4 ,mechlin has precisely the same ground1 only that the threads are plaited twice instead of four times1 as in ,brussels1 making the hexagon roundish instead of long4 ,the ground of ,lille lace is of exactly the same shape as ,valenciennes1 but is composed of two threads twisted loosely twice each side of the diamond1 and that of ,valenciennes being made of four threads plaited4 ,with the aid of these little charts1 a remembrance of the various styles and a few actual specimens of lace1 and a powerful magnifying glass1 it is not beyond the power of any reader of this little book to become expert in the identification of old lace4 ,illustration3 ,,real ,,point ,,de ,,gaze 7,,needle-,,made ,,ground74 7,author's ,collection47 ,,xiv ,,sale ,,prices ,,xiv ,,sale ,,prices ,lace is such an article of luxury1 and1 as a rule1 only belonging to the wealthiest class1 that it seldom or ever comes into the open market4 ,in #aijg two collections were dispersed at ,christie's--those of ,mrs4 ,massey-,mainwaring and ,mrs4 ,lewis ,hill4 ,the most costly laces are the ,venetian ,points1 some of the fine ,rose ,points being priceless4 ,it is so fragile that little of it remains1 and the smallest piece is eagerly snapped up by collectors4 ,in #aijd at ,christie's lace sold for the following prices-- ,a #eh-;inch length of #bd-;ins4 deep ,point de ,venise #fjj ,a #d-yards length of ,rose ,point1 #aa inches deep #dbj ,the same year-- #d yards of ,point d',argentan1 #be inches deep #dfj #dd inches ,point d',alenon1 #ag inches deep #dc #b-a_/b yards ,point d',alenon1 #ad inches deep #df ,in #aijg1 ,march #aa1 ,massey-,mainwaring ,sale at ,christie's-- sold for s4 d4 #a-a_/b yards ,venetian ,gros ,point1 #h inches deep #af #af #j #e yards length of ,reticella1 #g-a_/b inches deep #cc #ab #j #d short lengths #db #j #j #g pieces of ,point d',alenon #ba #j #j #d yards narrow ,point d',argentan #ae #ae #j #c pairs ,point d',argentan lappets #ae #ae #j #cj yards narrow ,mechlin in odd lengths #ba #j #j ,april #aeth1 the ,lewis-,hill ,sale at ,christie's3-- sold for s4 d4 #d yards ,venetian ,point1 #ae-a_/b inches deep #fh #e #j #d #h-a_/b #eb #aj #j #c yards ,spanish ,point1 #f-a_/b inches deep #gc #aj #j ,an ,old ,brussels scarf in two pieces #aj #aj #j #f yards ,brussels applique #bc #aj #j ,a ,point ,gaze parasol-cover #f #af #j ,a ,brussels flounce #ab #a #f #c yards ,honiton flounce1 #ag inches deep #fi #f #j ,another similar #fi #f #j #f yards ,honiton lace in three pieces #bd #c #j ,an old lace coverlet #be #d #j ,another ditto #bf #e #j ,a lace altar-frontal #ba #a #j ,with the exception of the ,honiton flounces1 which sold beyond their market value1 all the above pieces were bought by ,london lace dealers6 ,the famous collection of the late ,mrs4 ,hailstone was sold in #aiji4 ,this lady had for many years been known as a lace collector1 and the sale of her effects was eagerly anticipated4 ,the result was extremely interesting to the collectors1 as ,mrs4 ,hailstone had collected specimen lengths of almost every known lace4 ,no huge prices obtained1 but the sale may be regarded as representative1 and the prices quoted as being open-market value4 s4 d4 ,a set of bed-hangings1 forming six curtains1 made of ,italian lace and linen #dj #j #j ,a large portire curtain of ,italian lacis-work #aj #aj #j ,a ,point d',alenon fichu #cj #j #j cravat end1 a pair of sleeves1 one odd piece #ah #j #j ,a pair of ,argentan lappets and six yards lace #ab #j #j ,a panel fine raised ,venetian ,point1 #bb inches wide1 #bh inches long #bd #j #j ,a ,berthe1 ,point de ,venise1 #a yard #abj inches1 #ab inches deep #be #j #j ,a ,point de ,venise ,berthe #cf #j #j ,a #a yard #ac inches x #g inches panel ,venetian lace #ej #j #j ,two specimen pieces1 #c-a_/d inches1 all of ,point de ,venise rseau #ad #aj #j ,a ,buckinghamshire collar1 sleeves1 and pieces #e #e #j ,a specimen of old ,honiton1 baby's cap1 bodice1 and handkerchief #c #e #j ,an old ,honiton baby's robe1 said to have belonged to ,princess ,charlotte #ae #aj #j ,seven volumes of lace specimens of old and modern lace #ce #j #j ,in ,december1 #aiaj1 probably the most valuable collection ever placed upon the market was dispersed at ,messrs4 ,christie's4 ,the late ,sir ,william ,abdy ,bt41 had for many years devoted his time and money to the collection of valuable lace1 such as now can only be seen in the great national collections4 ,the prices obtained are significant of the huge sums which must be paid to obtain wearable pieces of valuable lace such as skirt lengths1 #c- or #d-yard lengths of deep flouncings1 shawls1 coverlets1 aprons1 c4 s4 d4 ,a fine ,point d',alenon skirt1 #b-a_/b yards1 #dd inches deep #afj #j #j ,a fine ,point d',alenon scarf1 #b yards #i inches #aj inches deep #gb #j #j ,a ,point d',argentan ,berthe1 #i-a_/b inches deep #ci #j #j ,a ,point d',argentan flounce1 #f yards #cj inches #e-a_/b inches deep #adj #j #j ,a ,point d',argentan flounce1 #b yards #bf inches long #be inches deep #baj #j #j ,a ,point d',argentan flounce1 #c yards #bh inches long #bd inches deep #caj #j #j ,a ,point d',argentan flounce1 #c yards #ce inches long #be inches deep #dca #j #j ,a ,point d',argentan flounce1 #c yards #af inches long #bd-a_/b inches deep #bij #j #j ,an ,italian gold and thread lace flounce1 #d yards long1 #bi inches deep #gdj #j #j ,a length of ,italian ,rose ,point1 #d yards #ae inches long1 #c inches deep #gj #j #j ,an old ,italian ,rose ,point flounce1 #c yards #ca inches long1 #ag-a_/b inches deep #ffj #j #j ,an old ,italian ,rose ,point square1 #ca inches #cd inches #ahj #j #j ,an old ,italian ,rose ,point flounce1 #c yards #ai inches long1 #g-a_/b inches deep #ebj #j #j ,an old ,italian ,rose ,point panel1 #cd inches #i inches #ie #j #j ,a ,point de ,venise lappet rseau1 #df inches long1 #e-a_/d inches wide #bb #j #j ,point de ,venise trimming1 #h yards long #d inches deep #fe #j #j ,a piece of flat ,venetian insertion1 #d yards #c-c_/d inches deep #ib #j #j ,a ,rose ,point flounce1 #d yards long #e inches deep #bjj #j #j ,a ,rose ,point flounce1 #c yards #ca inches long #bb inches deep #fjj #j #j ,a ,rose ,point flounce1 #d yards #g inches long #bd inches deep #edj #j #j ,a ,rose ,point flounce1 #c yards #cb inches long #ae inches deep #efj #j #j ,a ,rose ,point flounce1 #d yards #aa inches long #ah inches deep1 and a pair of sleeves en suite #fej #j #j ,a ,rose ,point flounce1 #d yards #c inches long #aa-a_/b inches deep #eaj #j #j ,a raised ,point de ,venise square1 #a yard #bd inches long #a yard #f inches wide #dej #j #j ,an ,old ,brussels apron1 #da inches wide1 #cg inches deep #ade #j #j ,a specimen piece of early ,valenciennes1 #b yards long #g inches deep #db #j #j ,the following prices have been given by the ,south ,kensington authorities for specimens shown3-- s4 d4 ,a ,venetian ,point altar-frontal1 #h #c feet #cej #j #j ,a ,venetian chasuble1 stole1 maniple1 and chalice veil #bjj #j #j ,a #b yards #e_/h yard ,venetian flounce #abe #j #j ,a ,gros ,point collar #ba #j #j ,a ,brussels lappet #bc #j #j ,a drawn-thread jacket #aj #aj #j ,linen cutwork tunic #bj #j #j ,illustration3 ,,egyptian ,,embroidery4 ,found in a tomb at ,thebes4 ,,chats ,,on ,,needlework ,i ,,old ,,english ,,embroidery ,needlework pioneer art--,neolithic remains--,earliest known ,english specimens--,bayeux tapestry4 ,while the subject of lace-making has been treated as almost cosmopolitan1 that of embroidery1 in this volume1 must be regarded as purely national6 ,i purposely refrain from introducing the embroideries of other countries1 other than mentioning the ancient civilisations which shared the initial attempts to decorate garments1 hangings1 c4 7of which we really know very little71 and shall confine myself to the needlework of this country1 more especially as it is the one art and craft of which ,england may be unfeignedly proud4 ,it is assumed that needlecraft was the pioneer art of the whole world1 that the early attempts to decorate textiles by embroideries of coloured silks1 and the elaborate use of gold and silver threadwork1 first suggested painting1 sculpture1 and goldsmith's work4 ,certainly early ,egyptian paintings imitated embroideries1 and we have good ground for supposing that stained glass was a direct copy of the old ecclesiastical figures or ancient church vestments4 ,the ,neolithic remains found in ,britain show that at a very early period the art of making linen-cloth was understood4 ,fragments of cloth1 both of linen and wool1 have been discovered in a ,british barrow in ,yorkshire1 and early bone needles found at different parts of the country are plentiful in our museums4 ,there is no doubt that we owe much of our civilisation to the visit of the ,phoenicians1 those strange people1 who appear to have carried all the arts and crafts of ancient ,babylon and ,assyria to the wonder isles of the ,greek ,archipelago1 to ,egypt1 to ,southern ,spain1 and to ,cornwall and ,devonshire4 ,these people1 dwelling on the maritime border of ,palestine1 were the great traders of their age1 and while coming to this country 7then in a state of wildest barbarism7 for tin left in exchange a knowledge of the arts and appliances of civilisation hitherto not understood4 ,the ,roman ,invasion 7#de ,b4,c47 brought not only knowledge of craftsmanship but also ,christianity4 ,st4 ,augustine1 to whom the conversion of the ,britains is credited1 carried with him a banner embroidered with the image of ,christ4 ,after the ,romans had left the country1 and it had become invaded by the ,celts and the ,danes1 and had again been taken possession of by the ,saxons1 a period of not only rest but advancement arrived1 and we see early in the seventh century the country prosperous and settled4 ,aldhelm1 ,bishop of ,sherborne1 wrote a poem in which he speaks of the tapestry-weaving and the embroidery which the women of ,england occupied their lives4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,length ,,of ,,the ,,famous ,,bayeux ,,tapestry4 ,the earliest specimen of embroidery known to have been executed in ,england is that of the stole and maniple of ,st4 ,cuthbert1 which is now treasured at ,durham ,cathedral4 ,these were worked by ,aelfled1 the ,queen of ,edward the ,elder1 ,alfred the ,great's son4 ,she worked them for ,bishop ,fridhestan in #ije ,a4,d4 ,her son ,athelstan1 after her death1 visited the shrine of ,st4 ,cuthbert1 at ,chester-le-street1 and in an inventory of the rich gifts which he left there1 there is recorded one stole with a maniple1 amongst other articles4 ,these very embroideries were removed from the actual body of ,st4 ,cuthbert in #ahbg4 ,they are described by an eyewitness as being of woven gold1 with spaces left vacant for needlework embroideries4 ,exquisitely embroidered figures are in niches or clouds4 ,the whole effect is described as being that of a fine illuminated ,,ms4 of the ninth century1 and indescribably beautiful4 ,another great prelate1 ,st4 ,dunstan1 ,archbishop of ,canterbury1 designed embroideries for the execution of pious ladies of his diocese 7#ibd ,a4,d474 ,emma1 ,queen of ,ethelred the ,unready1 and afterwards of ,canute1 designed and embroidered many church vestments and altar-cloths1 and ,editha1 wife of ,edward the ,confessor1 embroidered the ,king's coronation mantle4 ,the great and monumental ,bayeux tapestry--which is miscalled1 as it is embroidery--was the work of ,queen ,matilda1 who1 like ,penelope1 wove the mighty deeds of her husband and king in an immense embroidery4 ,this piece of needlecraft comes upon us as a shock1 rather than an admiration1 after the exquisite embroideries worked by and for the ,church4 ,it is interesting1 however1 as a valuable historic document1 showing the manners and customs of the time4 ,the canvas is #bbg feet long and #bj inches wide1 and shows events of ,english history from the accession of ,edward the ,confessor to the defeat of ,harold1 at ,hastings4 ,it is extremely crude2 no attempt is made at shading1 the figures being worked in flat stitch in coloured wools1 on linen canvas4 ,certainly it is one of the quaintest and most primitive attempts of working pictures by needlecraft4 ,the evidence of the costumes1 the armour1 c41 are supposed to tell us that this tapestry was worked many years after the ,conquest1 but it can be traced by documentary evidence as having been seen in ,bayeux ,cathedral as far back as #adgf4 ,in the time of ,napoleon ,i4 it was removed from the cathedral and was actually used as a covering for a transport waggon4 ,finally1 however1 it was exhibited in the ,muse ,napoleon1 in #ahjc1 and was afterwards returned to ,bayeux4 ,in #ahdj it was restored and relined1 and is now in the ,htel de ,ville at ,bayeux6 ,illustration3 ,,king ,,harold4 7,from the ,bayeux ,tapestry47 ,,ii ,,the ,,great ,,period ,,of ,,embroidery ,,ii ,,the ,,great ,,period ,,of ,,embroidery ,opus ,anglicanum--,the ,worcester fragments--,st4 ,benedict--,legend of ,pope ,innocent--,the ,jesse cope--,the ,syon cope4 ,the great period of ,english embroidery is supposed to have been from the twelfth to the thirteenth century4 ,very little remains to show this1 except a few fragments of vestments from the tombs of the bishops dating from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries1 and other data obtained from various foreign inventories of later date referring to the use of ,opus ,anglicanum4 ,some portion of the ,worcester fragments may be seen in the ,south ,kensington ,museum1 and can only be described as being so perfect in workmanship1 colour1 and style as even at this day to be more like a magnificent piece of goldsmith's work than that of needlecraft4 ,the background is apparently one mass of thread of fine gold worked in and out of a silken mesh1 the embroidery appearing just as clear and neat in manipulation as an illumination4 ,the coloured photographs1 which may be seen in the same room1 of the stole and maniple of ,st4 ,cuthbert are of precisely the same work4 ,judging from these1 and the embroidered orphrey which the authorities bought from the ,hockon ,collection for #aai #as4 #aj;d4 and which is only #d feet #h inches long1 there is no doubt that this was1 par excellence1 the finest period4 ,the work can only be described as being like an old ,italian painting on a golden ground4 ,we see precisely such design and colouring in ancient paintings for altars as in the old ,italian ,triptychs4 ,this style was carried out as literally as possible4 ,even the defects1 if so they may be called1 are there1 and a slight topheaviness of the figures serves but to accentuate the likeness4 ,there is a legend that during the times of the ,danish incursions ,st4 ,benedict travelled backwards and forwards through ,france and ,italy1 and brought with him during his seven journeys artificers in glass and stone1 besides costly books and copies of the ,scriptures4 ,the chief end and aim of monastic life1 both of monk and nun1 in those early days was to embroider1 paint1 and illuminate their sacred books1 vestments1 and edifices with what was to them a newly-inspired faith4 ,dr4 ,rock1 in his ,church of ,our ,fathers1 says that from the twelfth century to the time of ,henry ,,viii4 that only the best materials that could be found in our country or that of other lands were employed1 and that the art that was used on them was the best that could be learnt or given4 ,the original fabrics often came from ,byzantium or were of ,saracenic origin4 ,illustration3 ,,from ,,the ,,jesse ,,cope 7,south ,kensington ,museum74 ,english1 early ,fourteenth ,century4 ,the story of ,pope ,innocent ,,iii41 who1 seeing certain vestments and orphreys1 and being informed that they were ,english1 said1 ,surely ,england must be a garden of delight6 must be quoted to show how ,english work was appreciated in those early days4 ,the choicest example in this country of this glorious period of ,english embroidery is the famous ,syon cope1 which is supposed to rank as the most magnificent garment belonging to the ,church4 ,it may be regarded as a typical example of real ,english work1 the ,opus ,anglicanum or ,anglicum1 which1 although used for other purposes1 such as altar-cloths and altar-frontals1 found apparently its fullest scope in these large semicircular mantles4 ,amongst the many copes treasured at ,south ,kensington there are none1 amidst all their splendour1 as fine as this1 although the fragment of the ,jesse cope runs it very closely4 ,there are many copes of this period in different parts of the ,continent--the ,daroca ,cope at ,madrid1 one at ,ascagni1 another at ,bologna1 at ,st4 ,bertrand-de-,comminges1 at ,st4 ,john ,lateran at ,rome1 at ,pienza and ,toleda1 and a fragment of one with the famous altar-frontal at ,steeple ,aston4 ,these are all assumed to be of ,opus ,anglicanum1 and they may be described as being technically perfect1 the stitches being of fine small tambour stitch1 beautifully even1 and the draperies exquisitely shaded4 ,the illustration showing the ,syon ,cope requires some little explanation4 ,it is wrought on linen1 embroidered all over with gold and silver thread and coloured silk4 ,it is #i feet #g inches long1 #d feet #h inches wide4 ,the whole of the cope except the border is covered with interlacing quatrefoils outlined in gold4 ,the ground of these quatrefoils is covered with red silk and the spaces between them with green silk4 ,each quatrefoil is filled with scenes from the life of ,christ1 the ,virgin1 and figures of ,st4 ,michael and of the ,apostles4 ,on the green spaces are worked figures of six-winged angels standing on whorls4 ,the chief place on the quatrefoils is given to the crucifixion1 where the body of the ,saviour is worked in silver and cloth of gold4 ,the ,virgin1 arrayed in green tunic and golden mantle1 is on one side and ,st4 ,john1 in gold1 on the other4 ,above the quatrefoil is another representing the ,redeemer seated on a cushioned throne with the ,virgin1 and below another representing ,st4 ,michael overcoming ,satan4 ,other quatrefoils show ,christ appearing to ,st4 ,mary ,magdalen1 ,the ,burial of the ,virgin1 ,the ,coronation of the ,virgin1 ,the ,death of the ,virgin with the ,apostles surrounding her1 ,the ,incredulity of ,st4 ,thomas1 ,st4 ,simon1 ,st4 ,bartholomew1 ,st4 ,peter1 ,st4 ,paul1 ,st4 ,thomas1 ,st4 ,andrew1 and ,st4 ,james4 ,portions of four other ,apostles may be seen1 but at some period the cope has been cut down4 ,in its original state the cope showed the twelve ,apostles4 ,the lower portion has been cut away and reshaped1 and round this is an edging apparently made out of a stole and maniple which point to a later date1 as they are worked chiefly in cross-stitch4 ,on the orphrey are emblazoned the arms of ,warwick1 ,castile and ,leon1 ,ferrars1 ,geneville ,everard1 the badge of the ,knights ,templars1 ,clifford1 ,spencer1 ,lindsay1 ,le ,botelier1 ,sheldon1 ,monteney of ,essex1 ,champernoun1 ,everard1 ,tyddeswall ,grandeson1 ,fitz ,alan1 ,hampden1 ,percy1 ,clanvowe1 ,ribbesford1 ,bygod1 ,roger de ,mortimer1 ,grove1 ,b4 ,bassingburn1 and many others not recognisable4 ,these coats of arms1 it is suggested1 belonged to the noble dames who worked the border4 ,the angels which fill the intervening spaces are of the six-winged varieties1 each standing on whorls or wheels4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,syon ,,cope4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,the cope is worked in a fine tambour or chain stitch principally4 ,all the faces1 bodies1 and draperies are composed of this4 ,a specially noticeable point is that the faces are worked spirally1 beginning in the centre of the cheek and being worked round and round1 conforming with the muscles of the face4 ,the garments are worked according to the hang of the drapery1 very fine effects being obtained4 ,after the work has been completed a hot iron something like a little iron rod with a bulbous end has been pressed into the cheeks1 under the throat1 and in different parts of the nude body4 ,occasionally1 but seldom1 the same device may be seen in the drapery4 ,all the work is exquisitely fine and perfectly even4 ,the groundwork of the quatrefoils is of gold-laid or couch work1 as is also that of the armorial bearings4 ,the name ,syon is somewhat misleading1 as the ,cope was not made here1 but came into the hands of the ,bridgettine nuns in #adad1 when ,henry ,v4 founded the convent of ,syon at ,isleworth4 ,its origin and date will ever be a matter of conjecture1 but ,dr4 ,rock infers that ,coventry may have been the place of its origin4 ,taking ,coventry as a centre with a small radius1 several of the great feudal houses the arms of which are on the border of the cope may be found1 and ,dr4 ,rock further supposes that ,eleanor1 widow of ,edward the ,first1 may have become a sister of the fraternity unknown1 as her arms1 ,castile and ,leon1 are on it4 ,the whole must have taken long in working1 and the probability is that it was embroidered by nuns of some convent which stood on or near ,coventry4 ,however this may be1 it is certain that this splendid piece of ,english work came into the hands1 by some means1 of the nuns of ,syon1 and after remaining with them at ,isleworth till ,elizabeth's time1 it was carried by them through ,flanders1 ,france1 and ,portugal4 ,they remained at the latter place till the same persecution which dispersed the famous ,spanish ,point lace over the length and breadth of the ,continent1 and about eighty years ago it was brought back to ,england1 and was given by the remaining members of the ,order to the ,earl of ,shrewsbury4 ,after further vicissitudes of a varied character it was bought by the ,south ,kensington ,museum for #aaj1 and now sheds the glory of its golden threads in a dark transept unnoticed except by the student4 ,,iii ,,ecclesiastical ,,embroideries ,,and ,,vestments ,illustration3 ,,half ,,of ,,the ,,steeple ,,aston ,,altar ,,frontal4 ,english1 ,fourteenth ,century4 ,,iii ,,ecclesiastical ,,embroideries ,,and ,,vestments ,the ,pierpont ,morgan purchase--,the ,steeple ,aston ,altar-frontal--,the ,nevil ,altar-frontal at ,s4 ,k4 ,m4--,city palls--,diagram of vestments4 ,other copes of the same period are in the ,madrid ,museum1 two copes at ,bologna1 and the ,ascoli cope recently purchased by ,mr4 ,j4 ,pierpont ,morgan and generously returned by him4 ,some cushions from ,catworth ,church1 ,huntingdon1 now at the ,south ,kensington ,museum1 were probably cut from copes1 and bought by permission of the ,bishop of ,ely for #bg4 ,a long band of red velvet at ,south ,kensington ,museum embroidered with gold and silver and coloured silk has evidently been made from the ,apparels of an alb4 ,it is in two pieces1 each piece depicting five scenes divided by broad arches4 ,the first five are from the life of the ,virgin1 and are3 ,the ,angel appearing to ,anna1 ,the ,meeting of ,anna and ,joachim1 ,birth of the ,virgin1 ,presentation of the ,virgin1 ,education of the ,virgin4 ,in the second piece are3 ,the ,annunciation1 ,the ,salutation1 ,the ,nativity1 ,the ,angel appearing to the ,shepherds1 and the ,journey of the ,magi4 ,another piece of similar work is the altar-frontal of ,steeple ,aston1 which was originally a cope1 and the cope now at ,stonyhurst ,college1 originally belonging to ,westminster ,cathedral4 ,it is made of one seamless piece of gold tissue4 ,during this great period of ,english embroidery certain characteristics along with its superb workmanship must be noticed4 ,the earlier the work the finer the modelling of the figures4 ,in the figures of the ,st4 ,cuthbert and the ,worcester fragments the proportions of the figures are exquisite2 at a later date1 while the work is just as excellent1 the figures become unnatural1 the heads being unduly large1 the eyes staring1 and the perspective entirely out of drawing4 ,until the fourteenth century this comes so gradually as to be scarcely noted2 but after and through the fifteenth century this becomes so marked as to be almost grotesque1 and only the genuine religious fervour with which these poor remnants have been worked prevents many of them being ridiculous4 ,the faces gradually show less careful drawing and working1 and the figures become squat and topheavy4 ,the emblems of the saints are often omitted4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,nevil ,,altar ,,frontal4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,this decline in the embroiderer's art is specially noticeable in an extraordinary panel to be seen at ,south ,kensington ,museum1 where an altar-frontal of stamped crimson velvet is appliqued in groups of figures in gold1 silver1 and silks4 ,in the middle is the ,crucifixion1 with the ,virgin and ,st4 ,john standing on a strip covered with flowers4 ,on the left is ,ralph ,nevil1 fourth ,earl of ,westmoreland1 #aebc1 kneeling1 and behind him his seven sons4 ,on the right is ,lady ,catherine ,stafford1 his wife1 also kneeling1 and behind her kneel her thirteen daughters4 ,the frontal cost the museum #ej and is well worth it as an historical document4 ,other important embroideries of the period to be found in ,england are at ,cirencester ,cathedral1 ,ely ,cathedral1 ,salisbury and ,carlisle ,cathedrals1 ,chipping ,norton and ,little ,dean in ,gloucestershire1 ,east ,langdon in ,kent1 ,buckland and ,stourton in ,worcester1 ,littleworth in ,leicestershire1 ,lynn in ,norfolk1 and the ,parish ,church at ,warrington4 ,many of the palls belonging to the great city companies belong to this date4 ,the ,saddlers' ,company's pall is of crimson velvet embroidered with angels surrounding ,i4,h4,s41 and arms of the ,company4 ,the ,fishmongers' ,pall1 made at the end of the fifteenth century1 has at one end the figure of ,st4 ,peter 7the patron saint of fishermen7 enthroned1 and angels on either side1 and at the other end ,st4 ,peter receiving the keys from our ,lord4 ,the ,vintners' ,pall is made of ,italian velvet and cloth of gold and embroidered with ,st4 ,martin of ,tours4 ,religious influence characterised the embroideries of ,england practically from the ninth to the sixteenth centuries4 ,practically all needlework prior to #afjj is entirely ecclesiastical1 and from its limited range in choice of subjects barely does justice to the fine work this period produced4 ,dr4 ,rock says that few persons of the present day have the faintest idea of the labour1 the money1 the time1 often bestowed on old embroideries which had been designed by the hands of men and women each in their own craft the best and ablest of the day4 ,we do not know the length of time these ancient vestments occupied in the making1 but twenty-six years is stated to be the period of making the vestments for the ,church of ,san ,giovanni1 in ,florence4 ,this is all worked in close stitches similar to our ,english work4 ,ancient ,church ,vestments4 ,the names of the ecclesiastical vestments are somewhat puzzling to those of us who do not belong to the ,romish ,church1 or even to the ,english ,high ,church4 ,the vestments described are1 we believe1 in use in the ,romish churches now as in the early times when church embroidery was the pleasure and the labour of all classes of ,english women4 ,the accompanying diagram will better illustrate the use of these vestments than a page of writing4 ,illustration3 ,,ecclesiastical ,,vestments4 #a4 ,amice4 #b4 ,orphreys4 #c4 ,chasuble4 #d4 ,sleeves of ,alb4 #e and #i4 ,apparel of ,alb4 #f4 ,maniple4 #g4 ,stole4 #h4 ,alb4 ,from ,a ,guide to ,ecclesiastical ,law1 by kind permission of ,mr4 ,henry ,miller4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,alb is often trimmed handsomely with lace1 the apparels are stitched on to the front4 ,the ,stoles ought to have three crosses embroidered on it and be #c yards long4 ,over this comes the ,chasuble1 which is the last garment the priest puts on before celebrating ,mass4 ,the ,cope is a huge semi-circular #aj ft4 wide cape4 ,the ,maniple is a strip of embroidery #c ft4 #d in4 long worn over the left wrist of the priest4 ,illustration3 ,,ecclesiastical ,,vestments4 ,english1 ,fifteenth or early ,sixteenth ,century4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,,iv ,,tudor ,,embroidery ,,iv ,,tudor ,,embroidery ,the influences of the ,reformation--,queen ,catherine of ,aragon's needlecraft--,the gorgeous clothes of ,henry ,,viii4--,field of the ,cloth of ,gold--,queen ,elizabeth's embroideries4 ,after the ,reformation and the wholesale destruction of the cathedrals1 monasteries1 and churches1 the gentle dames of ,england found their occupation gone4 ,the priestly vestments1 the sumptuous altar-cloths1 and gorgeous hangings were now needless4 ,those which had been the glory of their owners1 and the pictorial representations of ,biblical life to the uneducated masses of people1 had been ruthlessly torn down and destroyed for the sake of the gold to be found on them4 ,as in the time immediately preceding the ,french ,revolution1 costly embroideries were unpicked1 and the amount of gold and silver obtained from them became a source of income and profit to their destroyers4 ,apart from her household1 women had no other interests in those days1 unless we accept such anomalies as ,lady ,jane ,grey1 who was a marvel of learning and wisdom4 ,all their long leisure hours had been spent1 not in improving their minds1 but in beautifying the churches with specimens of their skill4 ,catherine of ,aragon1 one of the unfortunate queens of ,henry ,,viii41 was a notable needlewoman1 and spent much of her short1 unhappy time as ,queen of ,england in embroidery4 ,the lace-making of ,northampton is said to have been commenced by her during her period of retirement after her divorce4 ,the ,spanish stitch1 which was known and used in embroidery of that period1 was introduced by her from her own country1 and many examples of her skill in embroidery are to be seen in the ,british ,museum and the various homes belonging to our old nobility4 ,during the reign of ,henry ,,viii4 dress became very sumptuous1 as the contemporary pictures of the times show4 ,indeed1 all the fervour and feeling which ladies had worked in religious vestments now seemed to find refuge in the over-elaboration of personal wear4 ,very little lace was used1 and that of only a primitive description1 so that effect was produced by embroidery in gold and silver threads and the use of pearls and precious stones4 ,the dress of the nobles in the time of ,henry ,,viii4 was especially gorgeous1 the coats being thickly padded and quilted with gold bullion thread1 costly jewels afterwards being sewn in the lozenges4 ,it is related that after his successful divorce ,king ,henry gave a banquet to celebrate his marriage to ,anne ,boleyn1 and wore a coat covered with the jewelled letters ,h1 and in the height of his satisfaction allowed the ladies to cut or tear away the jewels as souvenirs of his triumph over ,wolsey and ,catherine4 ,it is said that he was left in his underwear1 so great was the competition for these favours6 ,robes made of gold tissue1 then called ,cloth of ,gold1 were used1 and in ,henry's meeting with ,francis ,i4 the ,english and ,french armies vied with each other as to which should present a greater magnificence4 ,the name the ,field of the ,cloth of ,gold remains as a guarantee of its splendour4 ,under the more austere and religious rule of ,queen ,mary we might suppose that ecclesiastical embroidery would have somewhat regained a foothold4 ,but the landmarks had been entirely swept away1 and we have little to record of the reign1 except that ,mary herself was a clever needlewoman and worked much of her heartache1 at the neglect of her ,spanish husband1 into her needlework4 ,her jealousy of her sister ,elizabeth caused the latter to spend her life away from the pomps and ceremonies of the ,court1 and she has left many records of her handiwork1 some well authenticated1 as1 for example1 the two exquisite book-covers in the ,british ,museum4 ,queen ,elizabeth cannot1 however1 be said to have been in any way a patroness of the art of needlecraft4 ,her talent seems rather to have been devoted to affairs of ,state--and her wardrobe6 ,on her death1 at seventy years of age1 she left over one thousand dresses1 most of which must have been a cruel weight1 so overburdened were they with stiff bullion and trimmed with large pearls and jewels4 ,her dresses were literally diapered with gold and silver gimps inset with heavier stones1 but little real embroidery is shown4 ,mary ,queen of ,scots1 on the contrary1 was a born needlewoman4 ,during her married life in ,france she learned the gentle arts of embroidery and lace-making1 accomplishments which1 as in many humbler women's lives1 have served their owners in good stead in times of loneliness and trouble4 ,the ,duke of ,devonshire possesses specimens of ,queen ,mary's skill1 worked during the long1 dreary days of her imprisonment at ,fotheringay4 ,it is said that ,queen ,elizabeth was not above helping herself to the wardrobe and laces that the unfortunate ,queen of ,scotland brought with her from ,france4 ,much embroidery must have been worked for the adornment of the house after the ,reformation1 but beyond an occasional old inventory nothing is left to show it4 ,after the ,reformation greater luxury in living obtained1 and instead of the clean or rush-strewn floors some kind of floor-covering was used4 ,furniture became much more ornamental1 and the use of hangings for domestic purposes was common4 ,not a thread of these hand-worked hangings remain1 but we have the immense and immediate use of tapestry1 which first became a manufacture of ,england in the reign of ,henry ,,viii4 ,it is easy to conceive that ,english women would readily seize upon the idea supplied in tapestry and adapt its designs to that of embroidery4 ,it is certain that hangings for the old four-post beds were embroidered1 as in the inventory of ,wolsey's great palace at ,hampton ,court there is mention of #bcj bed-hangings of ,english embroidery4 ,nothing of this remains1 so that its style is simply conjectural2 and we can only suppose these hangings to have been replicas of the magnificent velvet and satin hangings1 covered with laid or couched gold and silver threads1 such as ,catherine of ,aragon would bring with her from ,spain4 ,this also would account for their absolute disappearance4 ,the value of the gold and silver in embroidery has always been a fertile source of wealth to the destroyer of ancient fabrics1 while many embroideries worked only in silks have escaped this vandalism4 ,v ,,early ,,needlework ,,pictures ,,and ,,accessories ,illustration3 ,,early ,,petit ,,point ,,picture4 ,late ,sixteenth ,century4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,v ,,early ,,needlework ,,pictures ,,and ,,accessories ,petit point--old list of stitches--,stuart bags--,gloves--,shoes--,caps4 ,towards the end of ,james ,i4's reign it is supposed that the earliest needlework pictures appeared4 ,they were obviously literal copies of the tapestries which had now become of general use in the homes of the wealthy1 being worked in what is known as petit point1 or little stitch4 ,this stitch was worked on canvas of very close quality1 with fine silk thread1 one stitch only being taken over the junction of the warp and the weft of the canvas instead of the cross stitch of later days4 ,very few of these specimens are left of an early date4 ,a panel1 measuring #cj inches by #af inches1 in perfect condition1 and dated #afja1 was sold at ,christie's ,rooms this year for #aae4 ,the purchaser1 ,mr4 ,stoner1 of ,king ,street1 sold it next day at a very considerable profit4 ,at this period the workers of these pictures did not draw upon ,biblical subjects for their inspiration 7with great advantage to the picture1 it may be stated74 ,the subjects were either fanciful adaptations from real life1 with the little people dressed in contemporary costume1 or dainty little mythological subjects1 such as the ,judgment of ,paris1 ,corydon wooing ,phyllis1 with most absurd little castles of ,tudor construction in impossible landscapes1 where the limpid stream meandered down fairy-like hills into a shining lake1 which held dolphins under the water and water-fowl above it4 ,the illustration depicts such a specimen1 and shows one of these tiny pictures worked in no less than ten different stitches of lacework1 in addition to the usual petit point4 ,the number of these stitches is legion4 ,in the reign of ,charles ,i41 ,john ,taylor1 the water-poet1 wrote in #afdj3 ,for tent worke1 raised worke1 first worke1 laid worke1 net worke1 ,most curious purl1 or rare ,italian cut worke1 ,fire1 ferne stitch1 finny stitch1 new stitch1 chain stitch1 ,brave bred stitch1 fisher stitch1 ,irish stitch1 and ,queen stitch1 ,the ,spanish stitch1 ,rosemary stitch1 and mowle stitch1 ,the smarting whip stitch1 back stitch1 and cross stitch2 ,all these are good1 and this we must allow1 ,and they are everywhere in practice now4 ,illustration3 ,,very ,,early ,,petit ,,point ,,picture4 7,author's ,collection47 ,these are not all the stitches in vogue during the first era of needlework pictures4 ,a single glance at one of the early specimens1 though it may not charm1 fills one with amazement at the amount of toil1 ingenuity1 patience1 and downright love for the work the ancient needlewoman must have possessed4 ,not only pictures1 however1 were made in petit point4 ,many dainty little accessories of the toilet gave scope to the delicate fancy and nimble fingers of the ladies who had found solace from the cessation of their labours for the priesthood in making dainty little handbags and other pretty articles1 each a marvel of minute handicraft4 ,one bag in my possession measures only four inches square1 and is worked on fine canvas1 about forty threads to the square inch1 the design being the favourite ,tudor rose1 each petal worked in lace stitch1 and raised from the centre which is made of knots worked with golden hair1 flat green leaves exquisitely shaded1 and a charming bit of the worker's skill in the shape of a pea's pod1 open and raised1 showing the tiny little peas in a row4 ,an exquisitely worked butterfly with raised wings in lace stitch is on the other side4 ,the grounding of the whole is run with flat gold thread1 making a cloth of gold ground1 strings made of similarly worked canvas1 with gold thread and silk tassels complete a bag fit for the ,princess ,golden ,locks of our fairy tales4 ,this little bag cost the writer #e guineas1 and was cheap at the price4 ,the ,south ,kensington ,museum have several specimens1 and although many are very exquisite1 there is not one quite so perfect in design nor in such condition4 ,other little trifles made in similar style are the embroidered gauntlets of the buff leather glove worn at the time4 ,these have become rarer than any other embroideries1 as they were not merely for ornament but for actual wear4 ,four or five of these gauntlet gloves are in the ,south ,kensington ,collection1 but are of a later date than the petit point period4 ,the use of gloves in ,england was not very general1 we may infer1 in the earlier ages of embroidery4 ,there are certain evidences1 however1 showing that the glove was part of the priestly outfit1 remains of gloves having been found on the bones of ,thomas ,becket when they were transferred from the crypt of ,canterbury ,cathedral to the special shrine prepared for them2 and a crimson leather pair1 bearing the sacred monogram in embroidered gold1 are preserved in the ,new ,college1 ,oxford1 belonging to the founder1 ,william of ,wykeham1 who opened the college in #achf4 ,it was not until the fourteenth century that the wearing of gloves became general1 and practically nothing remains to show what manner of hand-covering was worn until the ,tudor period4 ,henry ,,viii4 was exceptionally lavish and extravagant in the use of handsomely embroidered gloves1 and few of his portraits show him without a sumptuous glove in one hand4 ,he had gloves for all functions--like a modern fashionable woman4 ,a pair of hawking gloves belonging to him are in the ,ashmolean ,museum1 ,oxford1 and in ,south ,kensington is one of a pair presented by ,henry to his friend and ,councillor ,sir ,anthony ,denny4 ,it is of buff1 thin leather1 with a white satin gauntlet1 embroidered with blue and red silk in applique work1 decorated with seed-pearls and spangles1 and trimmed with gold lace4 ,the ,tudor rose1 the crown1 and the lion are worked amidst a splendour of gold and pearls4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,stuart ,,glove4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,queen ,elizabeth must have inherited her love for gorgeous apparel along with her strong personality and masterful spirit1 as her expenditure for gloves alone was proverbial4 ,the favourite offering to her was a pair of gloves1 but she was not above accepting shoes1 handkerchiefs1 laces1 and even gowns from her faithful and admiring subjects4 ,on her visit to ,oxford in #aegh she was presented by the ,chancellor of the ,university with a pair of perfumed gloves1 embroidered with gold and set with jewels1 which cost the ,university sixty shillings1 an immense sum in those days4 ,other historic gloves are in the various museums of the country1 seldom or never coming into the open market4 ,in the ,braikenridge ,collection sold at ,christie's in ,february of this year ,i was able to secure one for #b #abs4 #f;d41 immediately afterwards being offered double the price for it4 ,the gloves belonging to ,charles ,i4 and ,queen ,henrietta ,maria were very ornamental1 and it is said that even ,oliver ,cromwell1 with all his austerity1 was not proof against the fascination of the decorated glove4 ,with ,charles ,,ii4 the embroidered gloves seem to have vanished along with the stumpwork pictures1 of which more anon4 ,dainty shoes were embroidered in those old times4 ,these1 being articles of wear1 like the gloves1 are very rare4 ,the same fine petit point work is seen on them2 seed-pearls and in-run gold threads adorn them1 and frequently the ,tudor rose1 in raised work1 forms the shoe knot4 ,two pairs in ,lady ,wolseley's ,collection1 sold in #aijf1 fetched six guineas1 and nine and a half guineas4 ,tiny pocket-books were covered with this pretty work1 and charming covers almost as fresh as when they were worked are occasionally unearthed1 made to hold the old-fashioned housekeeping and cooking books4 ,one wonders oftentime how many1 and yet1 alas6 how few1 specimens of this old petit point work have been preserved4 ,it is only during recent years that the cult of the antique has been fashionable1 and is also becoming a source of income and profit to the many who indulge in its quest4 ,only members of learned antiquarian societies or born reliquaries troubled themselves to acquire ancient articles of historic interest because they were old1 and served to form the sequence in the fairy tales of ,time4 ,anything old was ruthlessly destroyed1 as being either past wear1 shabby1 or old-fashioned1 and countless treasures1 both in ecclesiastical and secular art1 have at all periods been recklessly destroyed for the sake of their intrinsic value in gold or jewels4 ,in the early days of my life ,i was allowed to pick out the corals and seed-pearls from an old ,stuart needle picture for a doll's necklace6 the picture itself probably going into the rag-bag of the mid-,victorian good housekeeper4 ,,vi ,,stuart ,,caskets ,,and ,,mirrors ,,vi ,,stuart ,,caskets ,,and ,,mirrors ,secret drawers and hidden receptacles--,high prices in the ,salerooms4 ,among the many treasures of this exquisite period of needlecraft are the well-known ,stuart caskets4 ,very interesting and valuable are these charming boxes1 many of them being in a fine state of preservation1 owing to their having been enclosed in either a wooden or leathern box specially made to contain them4 ,these queer little boxes are frequently made in the shape of ,noah's ark4 ,the lid being raised1 a fitted mirror is disclosed4 ,the mirror slides out1 and a secret recess may be discovered to hold letters4 ,the front falls down1 disclosing any number of tiny drawers1 each drawer being silk-lined and the front of it embroidered4 ,here1 again1 we may look for secret drawers4 ,very seldom does the drawer run to the width of the cabinet1 but by removing every drawer and carefully searching for springs or slides many a tiny recess is disclosed1 where costly jewels1 and perhaps a love-gage1 has reposed safely from the sight of unworthy eyes4 ,every square inch of these caskets is covered with embroidery1 sometimes in canvas1 worked with the usual scriptural or mythological design1 and in others with white satin1 exquisitely embroidered with figures and floral subjects4 ,those in best preservation have been covered with mica1 which has preserved both the colour and the fabric4 ,the fittings are generally of silver4 ,on the few occasions when these boxes or caskets come into the market high prices are realised4 ,messrs4 ,christie last year obtained #dj for a good specimen4 ,i have never seen one sold under #cj1 and as much as #ajj has been given4 ,another pretty fancy was to cover small trays1 presumably for the work or dressing table1 with embroidery4 ,not many of these remain1 the wear of removing them from place to place having been too much for their staying powers4 ,one in my possession is a small hexagonal tray with raised sides1 embroidered in coloured silks in floral design1 on what was once white satin4 ,it is by no means a thing of beauty now1 but as a specimen it is interesting1 and a poor thing1 but mine own1 which covers a multitude of shortcomings in these old relics1 fortunately4 ,illustration3 ,,stuart ,,mirror ,,frame4 7,lady ,wolseley's ,collection47 ,far more frequently met with1 though quite prohibitive in price1 are the ,stuart embroidered mirrors1 which easily command #hj to #ajj in the salerooms4 ,they are generally set in a frame of oak1 leaving five or six inches 7which would otherwise be covered with carving or veneer7 for the embroidery4 ,the mirror itself is comparatively small1 being only a secondary consideration1 and often little remains of it for its original purpose1 as the glass is blurred and the silvering gone4 ,many of these mirrors have bevelled glass1 which1 of course1 is wrong4 ,the mirror shown in the illustration is one recently belonging to ,viscountess ,wolseley and sold by her1 among other ,stuart needlework specimens1 at ,messrs4 ,puttick ,simpson's in #aijf4 ,this mirror sold for #ajj4 ,the figures represent ,charles ,i4 and ,queen ,henrietta ,maria1 one on either side of the mirror4 ,the figure at the top of the frame is difficult to understand2 whether she is an angel or a mere ,court lady must be left to conjecture4 ,the rolling clouds and the blazing sun are above her head1 and a peacock1 with tail displayed1 is on one side and a happy-looking stag on the other4 ,two royal residences adorn the topmost panels on either side1 with all their bravery of flying flags and smoking chimneys1 and the lion and the leopard occupy the lower panels4 ,the latter animal identifies the ,king and ,queen1 who might otherwise be ,charles ,,ii4 and his consort1 as after ,charles ,i4's time the leopard gave place to the unicorn for some unexplained reason4 ,other typical little ,stuart animals and birds fill in the extra panels1 such as the spotted dog who chases a little hare who is never caught1 and the gaily-coloured parroquet and kingfisher1 which no respectable ,stuart picture would be without4 ,the caterpillar1 the ladybird1 and the snail are all en evidence2 and below is a real pond1 covered with talc1 and containing fish and ducks1 the banks being made of tiny branching coral beads and tufted silk and bullion work4 ,about this time1 when ,venetian lace came into fashionable use as an adjunct to the exquisite ,stuart dress1 tiny coloured beads were imported from ,venice4 ,the embroiderers at once seized upon them as a new and possibly more lasting means of showing their pretty fancies in design4 ,many delightful specimens of these beadwork pictures are preserved1 the colours1 of course1 being as fresh as yesterday4 ,the ground was always of white satin1 now faded and discoloured with age1 and often torn with the heaviness of the beadwork design4 ,they are scarcely so charming as the all needlework pictures1 but still are delightful and covetable articles4 ,the exigencies of the beadwork1 however1 lends a certain stiffness and ungainliness to the figures4 ,,vii ,,embroidered ,,books ,,and ,,black ,,work ,illustration3 ,,stuart ,,book ,,cover4 7,british ,museum47 ,,vii ,,embroidered ,,books ,,and ,,black ,,work ,style and symbolism--,specimen in ,british ,museum and ,bodleian ,libraries--,black work ,among the many dainty examples of ,tudor and ,stuart needlework are to be found the exquisitely embroidered book-covers which date from ,queen ,elizabeth's girlhood until the time of ,charles ,,ii4 ,they were always of diminutive size1 and many stitches diversify their covering2 oftentimes they were liberally embroidered with seed-pearls1 and in these instances most frequently this fashion has been their salvation4 ,a book somehow always seems to be a more sacred thing than a picture1 and the costly little volumes which remain to show this dainty handicraft have apparently always been used either for ,church or private devotional purposes4 ,the designs of the book-covers almost always follow certain styles4 ,these are either heraldic1 scriptural1 symbolical1 floral1 or arabesque4 ,the first-named variety usually belonged to royalty or one of the many noble houses whose ladies busied themselves with fair needlework4 ,the shield1 containing the coat of arms of the family1 occupied the centre of the book-cover1 being formed in raised gold and silver guipure or cord1 and on the reverse the worker's initials frequently appear1 with a pretty border in gold and silver1 to outline the edges4 ,the scriptural book-covers are always worked on canvas in fine petit point stitches4 ,one in ,south ,kensington ,museum is larger than most of these volumes1 and has on one side ,solomon in all his glory and on the reverse ,jacob and his ladder and ,king ,david4 ,these canvas-covered books appear to have suffered most from the wear and tear of time1 and very few remain4 ,the symbolical covers are few1 and mostly uninteresting4 ,they are worked as a rule on silk and satin in loose satin stitches1 which have suffered much from friction4 ,the sacred monogram is often the centre of the device4 ,a favourite design was adorning the back of the books with portraits of the martyred ,king ,charles ,i41 ,queen ,henrietta ,maria1 and the popular ,duke of ,buckingham4 ,illustration3 ,,pocket-,,book ,,of ,,satin1 ,,embroidered ,,with ,,coloured ,,silks ,,and ,,silver-,,gilt ,,thread4 ,said to have been the property of ,queen ,elizabeth4 7,in ,countess ,brownlow's ,collection47 ,the stitches used were generally chain-stitch1 split-stitch1 petit point1 and lace-stitch2 and the patterns were most frequently outlined with a gimp made of flattened spiral wire1 or purl1 which was a fine copper wire covered with coloured silks and cut in lengths for use4 ,very often1 also1 small silver spangles were employed1 either stitched down with a piece of purl or a seed-pearl4 ,frequently the covers were of velvet with the designs appliqud down to it1 and laid or couch work outlined the designs4 ,sometimes flat pieces of metal were cut to shape and stitched down1 as in one instance where the corners of the books were trimmed with the rays of the sun cut in gold1 and stitched over with a gold thread4 ,many of the charming little bags of which mention has already been made are supposed to have been worked to hold the ,prayer ,book and ,book of ,psalms1 without which no devout lady deemed herself fully equipped4 ,the most famous book is ,queen ,elizabeth's ,book in the ,british ,museum4 ,the cover is of choice green velvet1 the flat of the back has five roses embroidered in lace1 raised stitches and gold and pearl4 ,the ,royal ,arms are on either side of the book in a lozenge of red silk and pearls4 ,the whole design1 apart from this1 is worked in red and white roses and scrolls of gold and silk4 ,this gorgeous little cover contains ,the ,mirrour of ,glasse of the ,synneful ,soul1 written by ,elizabeth herself1 and of it she writes that she translated it out of french ryme into english prose1 joyning the sentences together as well as the capacities of my symple witte and small lerning could extende themselves4 ,it is dedicated ,to our most noble and virtuous ,queen ,katherine ,katherine ,parr from ,assherige1 the last day of the year of our ,lord ,god1 #aedd4 ,in the ,bodleian ,library there is another treasured little book1 again worked by ,queen ,elizabeth4 ,it is only #g inches by #e inches1 and has the same design on both sides4 ,in this the ground is what is known as tapestry stitch1 worked in thick1 pale-blue silk1 and the design is of interlacing gold and silver threads with a ,tudor rose in each corner4 ,k4 ,p4 is marked on the cover1 and shows that this also was worked for ,queen ,katherine ,parr4 ,yet another little book is in the ,british ,museum4 ,it contains a prayer composed by ,queen ,katherine ,parr1 and is written on vellum by ,queen ,elizabeth4 ,the cover illustrated is a typical example of the class of embroidered works of the period4 ,later the covers showed less intricate work1 and finally developed into mere velvet covers embroidered with silver or gold4 ,illustration3 ,,stuart ,,embroidered ,,cap4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,,black ,,work4 ,a curious phase of ,old ,english embroidery is the well-known ,black ,work1 which is said to have been introduced by ,catherine of ,aragon into ,england1 and was also known as ,spanish work4 ,the work itself was a marvel of neatness1 precision1 and elegant design1 but the result cannot be said to have been commensurate with the labour of its production4 ,most frequently the design was of scroll-work1 worked with a fine black silk back-stitching or chain-stitch4 ,round and round the stitches go1 following each other closely4 ,bunches of grapes are frequently worked solidly1 and even the popular peascod is worked in outline stitch1 and often the petit point period lace stitches are copied1 and roses and birds worked separately and after stitched to the design4 ,there are many examples of this famous ,spanish work in the ,south ,kensington ,museum4 ,quilts1 hangings1 coats1 caps1 jackets1 smocks are all to be seen1 some with a couched thread of gold and silver following the lines of the scrolls4 ,this is said to be the ,spanish stitch referred to in the old list of stitches1 and very likely may be so1 as the style and manner are certainly not ,english2 and we know that ,catherine of ,aragon brought wonders of ,spanish stitchery with her1 and she herself was devoted to the use of the needle4 ,the story of how when called before ,cardinal ,wolsey and ,campeggio1 to answer to ,king ,henry's accusations1 she had a skein of embroidery silk round her neck is well known4 ,the black silk outline stitchery or linen lasted well through the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries4 ,very little of it is seen outside the museums1 as1 not being strikingly beautiful or attractive1 it has been destroyed4 ,another phase of the same stitchery was working cotton and linen garments1 hangings1 and quilts in a kind of quilted pattern with yellow silk4 ,anything more unlike the quilting of fifty years ago cannot be imagined4 ,the finest materials were used1 the padding being placed bit by bit in its place--not in the wholesale fashion of later years1 when a sheet or two of wadding was placed between the sheets of cotton or linen1 and a coarse back-stitching outlined in great scrawling patterns held the whole together4 ,the old quilting work was made in tiny panels1 illustrating shields and other heraldic devices1 and had a surface as fine as carved ivory4 ,when1 as in the case of one sample at ,south ,kensington1 the quilt is additionally embroidered with beautiful fine floss silk flowers1 the effect is very lovely4 ,,viii ,,stuart ,,pictures ,,viii ,,stuart ,,pictures ,petit point--,stump work--,royalistic symbols4 ,though these pictures bear the name of ,stuart1 many of them are undoubtedly ,tudor4 ,the earliest 7if the evidence of costume is of any value7 must have been worked in ,elizabeth's time1 but as the authenticated specimens date only from the reign of ,james ,i4 they are known as ,stuart4 ,the only pictures worked in the early days of this art were worked in petit-point1 the tiny stitch which imitated tapestry1 and very quaint are the specimens left to us4 ,the favourite themes were entirely pagan4 ,gods and goddesses disported themselves among leafy trees4 ,cupid lightly shot his arrows1 the woods were inhabited by an unknown flora and fauna which seem all its own4 ,the very dogs seem to be a different species1 having more likeness to the china dogs of the spotted or liver and white variety which the ,staffordshire potters made at the beginning of our own century4 ,innumerable little castles were perched in perfectly inaccessible positions on towering crags1 and the laws of perspective were generally conspicuous by their absence4 ,the sun in those days was a very visible body1 and apparently delightful to work1 no ,stuart picture being without one2 the rolling clouds oftentimes are confused with the convoluted body of the caterpillar1 little difference being made in the design4 ,the birds were of very brilliant plumage1 and the world was evidently a very gay and sportive place when these fair ladies spent their leisure over this embroidery6 ,these early pictures seldom show the religious feeling that afterwards slowly worked its way through the ,stuart days 7though1 perhaps1 disguised under royalistic symbolism71 until in the reign of ,queen ,anne it became more or less a fashion1 in pictorial needle-craft4 ,it burst out afresh in the early nineteenth century and became an absolute obsession of the early ,victorian ,berlin-wool workers with most disastrous results to both design and work4 ,until the end of ,charles ,i4's reign needlework pictures must have been scarce1 as we find one enumerated in the inventory of his ,closet of ,rarities4 ,it is possible that the many pictures which represent ,charles ,i4 were worked by loyalist ladies1 after his execution and during the ,commonwealth4 ,in many of these pictures his own hair is said to have been used1 thereby becoming relics of him who was known as the ,martyred ,king4 ,on a very finely worked portrait of ,charles ,i41 at ,south ,kensington ,museum1 ,king ,charles's hair is worked amongst the silken threads4 ,illustration3 ,,king ,,charles ,i41 ,,worked ,,in ,,fine ,,silk ,,embroidery4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,throughout this time1 no matter what the subjects1 most of which were notably striking scenes from ,scripture history1 such as ,esther and ,king ,ahasuerus1 ,solomon and the ,queen of ,sheba1 ,the ,judgment of ,solomon 7a very favourite subject71 and other scenes of ,old ,testament history1 all the kings were ,charles ,i4 and all the ,queens ,henrietta ,maria4 ,one and all wore early ,stuart costumes4 ,even ,pharaoh's daughter wore the handsome dress of the day1 with ,point lace falling collar and real pearls round her neck4 ,it is a fashion to jeer at this anachronism2 but may it not perhaps be that we take these pictures too literally1 and deny the workers their feelings of passionate devotion to the lost cause4 ,doubtless they worked their loyalty to their beloved monarch into these pretty and pleasing fancies1 just as it is said that the fashion of finger-bowls was introduced later so that the loyal gentlemen of the day might drink to the ,king over the water4 ,i see no cause to deny intelligence to these dear dead women1 who were capable of exquisite needlecraft and fine design1 and whose devotion was shown in many instances by giving up jewels1 houses1 and lands for the ,king6 ,the fashion of stump or stamp work appears to have been derived from ,italy4 ,italian needlework of this time abounds with it1 and1 it must be admitted1 of a superior design1 and style to that which was known here as stump work4 ,until the eighteenth century ,english work was more or less archaic in every branch4 ,personally1 ,i see no more absurdity in the queer doll-like figures than in contemporary wood-carving4 ,it was a period of tentative effort1 and was1 of course1 beneath criticism4 ,english ,art has ever been an effort until its one bright burst of genius in the eighteenth century1 while the continental nations appear to have breathed artistic perception with life itself4 ,the prototype of our stump work pictures1 the ,italian raised work1 are gracious1 graceful figures perfectly proportioned1 and set in lovely elegant arabesques1 with no exaggeration of style or period4 ,some specimens of this work must have been brought from ,italy1 through ,france1 and the ,english workers quickly adopted and adapted them to their own heavier intelligence4 ,some of the little figures are certainly very grotesque4 ,frequently the tiny little hands are larger than the heads1 but the stitchery is exquisite4 ,no time seems to have been too long to have been spent in perfecting the petals of a rose1 the loose wing of a butterfly1 or to make a realistic curtain in fine ,point lace stitches to hang from the ,king's canopy4 ,some of the ,king's dresses are said to have been made of tiny treasured pieces of his garments4 ,there is no doubt that much devoted sentiment was worked into these little figures1 and these touches of nature add a pathetic interest to them4 ,illustration3 ,,superb ,,example ,,of ,,stuart ,,picture4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,in the illustration of ,king ,solomon receiving the ,queen of ,sheba from the ,south ,kensington ,collection ,solomon is obviously ,king ,charles ,i41 while the ,queen of ,sheba is equally recognisable as ,queen ,henrietta ,maria4 ,the picture is perhaps the finest in the ,kensington ,collection1 the colours being fresh and the work intact4 ,the little faces are worked over a padding of soft frayed silk or wool1 the features being drawn in fine back-stitch4 ,natural hair is worked on the ,king's and ,queen's heads1 and the crowns are real gold thread set with pearls4 ,the canopy is worked solidly in silk and gold thread1 and from it hang loose curtains in old brocade1 worked over and over with gold and silken thread4 ,the ,king's mantle and that of the ,lord ,chamberlain are worked in ,point lace stitches1 afterwards applied to the bodies and hanging loosely4 ,the ,queen's dress is brocade1 worked over with gold and silver1 while strings of real pearls decorate the necks and wrists of the ladies1 and real white lace of the ,venetian variety trims the neck and sleeves of these fairy people4 ,the ,stuart castle we see perched up among the trees and touching the sun's beams is more like an ,english farmhouse than ,whitehall4 ,yet either this or ,windsor ,castle is always supposed to be represented4 ,the ,british lion and the leopard1 again1 make the identity of these little people more certain4 ,the quaint little trees bear most disproportionate fruits1 the acorn and pears being about the same size1 but all beautifully worked in ,point-lace stitches over wooden moulds4 ,the hound and the hare1 the butterfly and the grub1 and the strange birds make up one of the most typical ,stuart pictures4 ,the next illustration shows another development of picture-making4 ,here the grounding is of white satin1 as in the previous illustration1 but the figures are worked on canvas separately1 in fine petit-point stitch1 afterwards being cut away and placed on the white satin ground with a few silk stitches and the whole outlined with a fine black silk cord4 ,the subject is ,the ,finding of ,moses1 and is as full of anachronisms as the last1 only that here again ,pharaoh's daughter is worked in memory of ,queen ,henrietta ,maria1 and the tiny boy in the corner is ,charles ,,ii41 and ,moses the infant ,duke of ,york4 ,the four-winged cherubs are the guardian angels who are watching over the lost fortunes of the ,stuart family1 and the rose of ,england and the lilies of ,france which form the border are emblematical of the royal lineage of their lost ,king's family4 ,the hound and hare still chase each other gaily round the border1 and in the picture the hare is seen emerging1 like the ,stuarts1 from exile and obscurity4 ,sufficient has perhaps been said to cause those who possibly may have misunderstood these pictures to give them another glance1 and allow imagination to carry them back to the times of the exiled ,royal ,family and their brave adherents1 whose women allowed not their memories to slumber nor their labours to flag4 ,these pictures must have been made during the ,commonwealth and the reign of ,charles ,,ii4 ,in no case1 to my knowledge1 has ,king ,charles ,,ii4 been depicted in stitchery1 nor yet ,catherine of ,braganza4 ,james ,,ii4 is equally ignored1 and with him their mission seemed to have been accomplished4 ,possibly the people had had by this time sufficient of the ,stuarts1 and the memory of ,king ,charles the martyr had waxed dim4 ,certain it is that with ,james ,,ii4 ,stuart needlework pictures suddenly ceased4 ,illustration3 ,,stuart ,,picture1 ,,showing ,,the ,,finding ,,of ,,moses4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,stump work ,symbols4 ,the symbolism of the various animals1 birds1 insects1 and flowers which are1 apparently without rhyme or reason1 placed in one great disarray in the ,stuart pictures is said to have been heraldic and symbolic4 ,the sunbeam coming from a cloud1 the white falchion1 and the chained hart are heraldic devices belonging to ,edward ,,iii4 ,the buck and the strawberry1 which are so often seen1 belong to the ,frazer ,clan of ,scotland1 and may have been worked by ladies who were kith and kin of this clan4 ,the unicorn was the device of ,james ,i4 and the siren or mermaid of ,lady ,frazer1 who is said to have worked her own golden hair in the heart of a ,tudor rose on a book cover for ,james ,i4 ,the hart was also a device of ,richard ,,ii4 and the broom pod of the ,plantagenets4 ,the caterpillar and butterfly were specially badges of ,charles ,i41 while the oak-tree and acorn were invariably worked into every picture in memory of ,charles ,,ii4's escape in an oak tree4 ,,ix ,,samplers ,,ix ,,samplers ,real art work--,specimens in ,south ,kensington ,museum--,high price now obtained4 ,a sampler is an example or a sample of the worker's skill and cleverness in design and stitching4 ,when they first appeared1 as far as we know about the middle of the seventeenth century1 they were merely a collection of embroidery1 lace1 cut and drawn work stitches1 and had little affinity to the samplers of a later date1 which seemed especially ordained to show various patterns of cross stitches1 the alphabet1 and the numerals4 ,the early samplers were real works of art2 they were frequently over a yard long1 not more than a quarter of a yard wide1 and were adorned with as many as thirty different patterns of lace and cut and drawn work4 ,this extreme narrowness was to enable the sampler to be rolled on a little ivory stick1 like the ,japanese kakemonas4 ,the foundation of all the early samplers was a coarse linen1 and to this fact we owe the preservation of many of them4 ,those made two hundred years later1 on a coarse1 loose canvas1 even now show signs of decay1 while these ancient ones on linen are as perfect as when made1 only being gently mellowed by ,time to the colour of old ivory4 ,the earliest sampler known is dated #afdc1 and was worked by ,elizabeth ,hinde4 ,it is only #f inches by #f-a_/b inches1 and is entirely lacework1 and apparently has been intended for part of a sampler4 ,the worker perhaps changed her mind and considered rightfully that she had accomplished her chef d'oeuvre1 or as so often explains these unfinished specimens1 the ,reaper gathered the flower1 and only this dainty piece of stitching was left to perpetuate the memory of ,elizabeth ,hinde4 ,the sampler in question is just one row of cut and drawn work and another of fine ,venetian lacework1 worked in punto in aria4 ,a lady in ,court dress holds a rose to shield herself from ,cupid1 a dear little fellow with wings1 who is shooting his dart at her heart4 ,perhaps poor ,elizabeth ,hinde died of it and this is her swan song4 ,illustration3 ,a ,,seventeenth-,,century ,,sampler 7,,english71 ,,showing ,,cut ,,and ,,drawn ,,work4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,the earliest samplers appeared to have been worked only on white cotton or silk4 ,a favourite design1 apart from the lacework samplers1 was the damask pattern sampler1 a specimen of which may be noted1 commencing with the fifth row1 on the sampler illustrated4 ,sometimes the sampler was entirely composed of it1 and although ineffective1 remains as a marvel of skill4 ,it was worked entirely in flat satin stitch and eyelet holes1 known as the bird's eye pattern4 ,in the illustration four rows of cutwork will be noted1 followed by five rows of drawn threadwork1 and above are patterns worked in floral and geometric designs in coloured silks4 ,the alphabet and the date #afdc complete this monument of skill1 which may be seen in the ,south ,kensington ,museum4 ,the succeeding illustration shows a more ambitious attempt1 and is considered one of the finest specimens known4 ,it was worked by ,elizabeth ,mackett1 #afif4 ,it is on white linen with ten rows of floral patterns worked with coloured silks in cross1 stem1 and satin stitches1 with some portions worked separately and applied4 ,five rows of white satin stitch1 two rows of alphabet letters in coloured silks1 and four rows of exquisite punto in aria lace patterns are followed by the alphabet again in white stitches and the maker's name and date4 ,the sampler is in superb preservation1 the colours are particularly rich and well chosen4 ,this sampler is also from the ,south ,kensington ,collection4 ,often the worker's name is followed by a verse or rhyme having a delightfully prosaic tendency4 ,one can imagine the poor girls1 in the early days we are writing of1 writhing under the infliction of having slowly and painstakingly to work the solemn injunction-- ,when this you see remember me ,and keep me in your mind1 ,and be not like a weathercock ,that turns at every wind4 ,when ,i am dead and laid in grave1 ,and all my bones are rotten1 ,by this you may remember me ,when ,i should be forgotten4 ,and we can appreciate how little ,maggie ,tulliver 7,the ,mill on the ,floss7 must have girded at the philosophy she was compelled to work into her sampler-- ,look well to what you take in hand1 ,for learning is better than house or land2 ,when land is gone and money is spent ,then learning is most excellent4 ,with the eighteenth century the beauty of the ,samplers distinctly declined4 ,they became squarer1 and were bordered with a running pattern1 and the whole canvas became more or less pictorial4 ,inevitably the end of this art came4 ,ugly realistic bowpots with stumpy trees decorated the picture in regular order4 ,the alphabet still appeared1 and moral reflection seemed to be the aim of the worker rather than to make the ,sampler show beauty of stitchery4 ,quaint little maps of ,england are often seen1 surrounded with floral borders1 but it remained to the early nineteenth century to show how the ,sampler became reduced to absurdity4 ,one of the quaintest and most amusing ,samplers at ,south ,kensington is a #ab-;inch by #h-;inch example in woollen canvas and embroidered with coloured silk4 ,at the lower end is a soldier1 a tiny realistic house1 a dovecot1 any number of flowering plants1 a stag and other animals4 ,above is a band of worked embroidery enclosing the words1 ,this is my dear ,father4 ,the remaining spaces are filled in with angels blowing trumpets1 double-headed eagle1 peacocks and other birds1 and baskets of fruit4 ,in spite of its absurdity1 this little piece is far more pleasant than the tombstone inscriptions which abound1 and is1 after all1 delightfully suggestive of home and affection4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,english ,,sampler1 ,,showing ,,embroidery ,,in ,,coloured ,,silk4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,english ,,sampler1 ,,showing ,,bird',s-,,eye ,,embroidery ,,and ,,cut ,,and ,,drawn ,,work4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,another quaint piece at ,south ,kensington is a sampler worked by poor ,harriet ,taylor1 aged seven6 ,at the top are four flying angels1 two in clouds flanking a crown beneath the letters ,g4 ,r4 ,in the middle stands a flower-wreathed arch1 with columns holding vases of flowering plants2 above are the words1 ,the ,temple of ,fancy1 and within an enclosed space the following homily3 ,not ,land but ,learning ,makes a man complete ,not ,birth but ,breeding ,makes him truly ,great ,not ,wealth but ,wisdom ,does adorn the ,state ,virtue not ,honor ,makes him ,fortunate ,learning1 ,breeding1 ,wisdom ,get these three ,then ,wealth and ,honor ,will attend on thee4 ,then follows a house called ,the ,queen's ,palace1 standing in an enclosed flower-garden4 ,this masterpiece of moral philosophy from the hands of a child of seven years is dated #ahac4 ,an exaggerated conception of the value of old ,samplers is very widely spread4 ,only the seventeenth-century ,samplers are really of consequence1 and these fetch fancy prices4 ,in the sale-rooms a long narrow ,sampler of lace stitches and drawn-thread work would bring as much as a handsome piece of lace4 ,they are practically unattainable1 and in this case the law of supply and demand does not obtain4 ,it is beyond the needlewomen of the present day to imitate these old ,samplers4 ,life is too short1 and demands upon time are so many and varied1 that a lifetime of work would result in making only one4 ,therefore1 the fortunate owners of these seventeenth-century ,samplers may cherish their possessions1 and those less lucky possess their souls in patience1 and hoard their golden guineas in the hope of securing one4 ,twenty years ago a few pounds would have been ample to secure a fine specimen1 but #cj will now secure only a short fragment4 ,during the last three years ,i have not seen a good ,sampler at any ,london ,curio or lace shop1 and none appear in the sale-rooms4 ,the eighteenth-century ,samplers are comparatively common1 the map variety especially so1 and can be purchased for a pound or so1 but these are not desirable to the collector4 ,x ,,the ,,william ,,and ,,mary ,,embroideries ,illustration3 ,,jacobean ,,wall-,,hanging ,,worked ,,in ,,coloured ,,crewels ,,on ,,linen ,,ground4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,x ,,the ,,william ,,and ,,mary ,,embroideries ,queen ,mary a born needlewoman--,the ,hampton ,court ,embroideries--,revival of petit point--,jacobean hangings4 ,one of the most convincing facts in arguments that there is a revival in the gentle art of needlecraft is that it has become the fashion to drape our windows1 cover our furniture1 and panel our walls with printed copies of the ,old ,jacobean needlework4 ,many people1 knowing nothing whatever about the history of needlework1 wonder where the designs for the printed linens which line the windows of ,messrs4 ,liberty1 ,goodall and ,burnett's colossal frontages in ,regent ,street have been found4 ,in time amazement gives way to admiration for these quaint blues and greens1 roses and pale yellows1 worked in great scrolls with exotic flowers and still more exotic birds1 and the funny little hillocks with delightful little pagoda-like cottages nestling amongst them1 and many and various little animals which seem to keep perpetual holiday under the everlasting blooms4 ,the designs are taken bodily from the historical hangings of the later seventeenth century4 ,after the abdication and flight of ,james ,,ii4 to ,st4 ,germains1 his daughter ,mary came over with her ,dutch husband1 ,william the ,stadtholder--or1 rather1 ,william came over and brought his wife1 the daughter of the late king1 for ,william had no intention of assuming the style and life of ,prince ,consort1 but came well to the front1 and kept there4 ,it was not ,,victoria and ,albert in those days1 but ,,william and ,,mary1 who ruled ,england1 and ruled it well4 ,william ,,iii4 must have been a man of strong personality1 and he managed to quell all the rebellions of his reign1 and during the time he ruled over us the country settled down to a peaceful state that has remained to the present time4 ,queen ,mary had quite sufficient employment in settling herself and her household1 and generally managing the domestic matters pertaining to the new kingdom she had come into4 ,she apparently had a very free hand in rebuilding ,hampton ,court1 which she particularly made her home1 absolutely pulling the interior down1 and rebuilding and redecorating it according to her own taste1 which was not that of the ,stuart persuasion with its gorgeous magnificence1 but the more homely and solid ,dutch4 ,very little of the original ,hampton ,court interior1 built and furnished by ,cardinal ,wolsey1 exists4 ,just here and there we find delightfully dark little dens with the original linen-fold panellings and ceilings that are a ravishment to look upon2 but mostly the rooms are high1 plain-panelled1 and with the quaint ingle-nook fireplaces1 with shelves above1 upon which ,mary placed her lovely blue and white porcelain which had been brought to her by the ,dutch merchants who at that time were the great traders of the sea4 ,illustration3 ,,enlargement ,,of ,,jacobean ,,spray4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,queen ,mary ought to be regarded as the patron saint of ,english needlewomen4 ,she was happiest when employed furnishing every bed-covering1 every chair and stool1 and supplying the hangings for her favourite home4 ,it is said that she spent her days over her embroidery frame1 knowing full well that affairs of ,state were in the capable hands of her husband4 ,there are few relics left of her handiwork outside ,hampton ,court4 ,she left no dainty little book-covers1 bags1 or boxes1 as her ideas were fixed on larger pieces of embroidery4 ,had she lived in the ,berlin-wool picture days1 she would have filled every nook and cranny with these atrocities1 as many humbler devotees to the needle have done to our own knowledge4 ,needlework can become a passion1 and certainly ,queen ,mary must have possessed it4 ,after the complete collapse of the ,stuart stump pictures1 when every vestige of loyalty seems to have been swept away with the hated ,james ,,ii41 the ancient ,petit ,point pictures came back into fashion4 ,very clever work was put into them1 but1 alas6 their scope was purely to depict religious scenes of the rigorous kind4 ,no dainty fairy-like little people now ruled in pictured story1 but actual representations of ,bible history4 ,the illustration of ,the ,baptism of the ,ethiopian ,eunuch by ,st4 ,philip is a fair sample of the needlework picture of this time4 ,the picture is a strange mixture of the early ,stuart ,petit ,point1 the ,jacobean wall-hanging1 and the newly revived religious spirit4 ,the duck-pond1 the swans and the water-plants might have been copied bodily from ,james ,i4's time4 ,the paroquet and the flying bird1 and the immense leaves and blossoms1 are direct from the wall-hangings1 while the figures only too surely foretell the coming dark days of needlecraft1 when a ,scripture picture and a coarsely worked sampler were part of every girl's liberal education4 ,the work in this picture is extremely good1 and it is excruciatingly funny without intending to be so4 ,the pretty little equipage with its diminutive ponies surely was never intended to carry either ,st4 ,philip or the ,eunuch6 ,the open book1 with ,hebraic inscription1 is very delightful4 ,it brings to mind the ,tables of the ,law rather than the light reading that the charming little ,cinderella coach should carry4 ,these pictures are not common1 and we scarcely know whether to be thankful for them or not4 ,unlike the early petit point1 they were worked in worsteds1 whereas the early pictures were wrought in silk4 ,the moth has a natural affinity for wool1 as we all know1 and his tribe has cleared off many hundreds of examples4 ,why so many of the old ,jacobean hangings remain is that they were worked for use1 and not ornament1 and even after they ceased to be fashionable ornaments for sitting and bed rooms1 they were either relegated to the servants' quarters1 or given to dependants1 who used them constantly1 shaking and keeping them in repair1 as the eighteenth-century housewives liked to keep their homes swept and garnished4 ,illustration3 ,,needlework ,,picture ,,of ,,queen ,,anne ,,period4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,it is strange to see these old ,jacobean hangings 7perhaps the drapery of the now tabooed four-post bedstead71 which might some thirty years ago have been carried off for the asking1 sell at ,christie's for #hjj1 as happened in the dispersal of the ,massey-,mainwaring sale last year4 ,even a panel of no use except to frame as a picture1 say #d feet by #c feet1 will fetch #cj and a full-sized bed-cover can only be bought for over #ajj4 ,the reason is not far to seek4 ,the colouring and the drawing of this fine old ,crewel-work are exquisite 7even though the design savours of the grotesque71 and ,time has dealt very leniently with the dyes4 ,i endeavoured to match some of these old worsteds a little time ago1 and though able to find the colours1 could not get the tone4 ,after much tribulation ,i was advised to hang the skeins of worsted on the trees in the garden and forget all about them1 and certainly wind and weather have softened the somewhat garish worsteds to the soft1 fade colours of the old work4 ,the same class of embroidery was executed during the reign of ,queen ,anne1 though she herself did little of it4 ,costly silks and brocades and ,venetian laces were the dress of the day1 and no little dainty accessories appear to have been made4 ,,xi ,,pictorial ,,needlework ,,of ,,the ,,eighteenth ,,century ,illustration3 ,a ,,fine ,,painted ,,face ,,silk-,,embroidered ,,picture4 7,author's ,collection47 ,,xi ,,pictorial ,,needlework ,,of ,,the ,,eighteenth ,,century ,the painted faces period--,method of production--,revival of ,scriptural motifs--,modern fakes--,black silk and hair copies of engravings4 ,an immense number of pictures must have been worked during the eighteenth century4 ,almost1 we might say1 no ,english home is without an example4 ,much of the work is intensely bad1 and only that ,time has tenderly softened the colours1 and the old-time dresses add an element of quaintness to the pictures1 can they be tolerated4 ,works of art they are not1 and1 indeed1 were never intended to occupy the place their owners now proudly claim for them4 ,just here and there a picture of the painted face type is a masterpiece of stitchery1 as in the example illustrated1 where every thread has been worked by an artiste4 ,looking at this little gem across a room1 the effect is that of a charming old colour print1 so tenderly are the lines of shading depicted4 ,this is the only picture of this class that ,i have seen for years as an absolutely perfect specimen of the eighteenth-century silk pictures1 though doubtless many exist4 ,the discrepancy which is usually found is that1 although the design and outline is perfect1 the faces and hands exquisitely painted1 the needlework part of the picture has been executed in a foolish1 inartistic manner1 and no method of light and shade has been observed4 ,some little time ago ,i published an article in one of the popular monthly ,magazines illustrating this same picture1 and was afterwards inundated with letters from correspondents from far and near sending their pictures for valuation and--admiration6 ,not one of these pictures was good1 though there were varying degrees of badness4 ,but in no instance was the painted face crudely drawn or badly coloured4 ,the explanation is that just as the modern needlewoman goes to a ,needlework ,dept and obtains pieces of embroidery already commenced and the design of the whole drawn ready for completion1 so these old needle pictures were sold ready for embroidering1 the outline of the trees sketched in fine sepia lines1 the distant landscape already painted1 the faces and hands of the figures charmingly coloured1 in many instances by first-class artists4 ,when we remember that the eighteenth century was par excellence the great period of ,english portrait painting and colour printing1 we can understand that possibly really fine artists were willing to paint these exquisite faces on fine silk and satin1 just as good artists of the present day often paint pot-boilers while waiting for fame4 ,illustration3 ,,embroidered ,,silk ,,picture ,,of ,,the ,,last ,,supper4 ,eighteenth ,century4 7,s4,k4,m4 ,collection47 ,angelica ,kauffmann's style was often copied4 ,is it too much to believe that some of these charming faces may have been from her hands8 ,we know that she painted furniture and china1 therefore why not the faces of the needlework pictures so nearly akin to her own work8 ,the eighteenth-century costume was particularly adapted to this pretty work4 ,we cannot imagine the voluminous robes of ,queen ,mary or ,queen ,anne in needle-stitchery1 but the soft1 silky lawns of the ,georgian periods1 the high-waisted bodices1 the bouffant fichus and the flowing head-dresses1 all were specially easy and graceful to work4 ,many of the pretty children ,sir ,joshua loved to paint were copied4 ,innocence made a charming picture1 and several of the less rustic ,morland pictures were copied4 ,we would imagine that when the beginnings of the picture were so glorious the needlewoman would have made some endeavour to work up to it4 ,but1 alas6 it was not so4 ,though often the stitching is neat and small1 not an idea of shading seems to have entered the worker's mind1 and whole spaces1 nay1 a complete garment1 are often worked solid in one tone of colour6 ,on the whole there is far more artistic sense and feeling in the ,stump pictures it is the fashion to deride4 ,not always were dainty pastoral and domestic scenes worked4 ,very ghastly creations are still existent of scriptural subjects4 ,coarsely worked in wool1 instead of silk1 or in a mixture of both4 ,the painting is still good1 but the work and the subjects are execrable6 ,abraham about to sacrifice ,isaac1 on the pile of faggots already laid1 and ,isaac bound on it1 with a very woolly lamb standing ready as a substitute1 was a favourite subject4 ,abraham dismissing ,hagar and ,ishmael1 with a malignant-looking ,sarah in the distance1 vies with the former in popularity4 ,the ,woman of ,samaria1 and ,the ,entombment1 are another pair of unpleasant pictures which we are often called upon to admire4 ,the best of these pictures were worked in fine floss silk1 not quite like the floss silk of to-day1 as it had more twist and body in it1 with just a little fine chenille1 and very tiny bits of silver thread to heighten the effect4 ,the worst were worked in crewel wools of crude colours4 ,fortunately1 the moth has a special predilection for these pictures1 and they are slowly being eaten out of existence1 in spite of being cherished as heirlooms and works of art4 ,another pretty style which we seldom meet with was some part of the picture covered with the almost obsolete rophane1 a kind of chiffon or crape which was much in request even up to fifty years ago4 ,a certain part of the draperies was worked on the silk ground1 without any attempt at finish4 ,this was covered with rophane1 and outlined so as to attach it to the figure4 ,this again was worked upon with very happy effects1 very fine darning stitches making the requisite depth of shading4 ,the illustration shows the use of this1 but this cannot be said to be a very good specimen4 ,illustration3 ,,painted ,,face ,,silk-,,embroidered ,,picture4 ,eighteenth ,century4 7,author's ,collection47 ,these painted face1 silk-worked pictures are the only needlework examples the collector need to beware of1 as they are being reproduced by the score4 ,the method of working in the poorer specimens is very simple1 and it pays the faker to sell for #b or #c what takes1 perhaps1 only half a day to produce4 ,when a well-executed picture is produced it is worth money1 but so far ,i have seen none1 except at the ,royal ,school of ,needlework1 where the copying of old pictures of the period is exceedingly well done1 and not intended to deceive4 ,the prices1 however1 are almost prohibitive1 as no modern needlework picture is worth from #ae to #cj4 ,they are1 after all1 only copies1 and in no sense of the word works of art4 ,during the eighteenth century1 also1 a fashion set in of adorning engravings with pieces of cloth1 silk1 and tinsel4 ,at best it was a stupid fancy1 and was responsible for the destruction of many fine old mezzotints and coloured prints4 ,the hands1 face1 and background of an engraving were cut out1 and pasted on a sheet of cardboard1 pieces of some favourite brocaded gown1 perhaps1 were attached to the neck and shoulders1 tiny lace tuckers were inserted1 and gorgeous jewellery was simulated by wretched bits of tinsel trimming4 ,the realism of the ,stuart stump picture was never so atrocious as this baleful invention1 which was as meretricious as a waxwork show4 ,not so popular1 but far better1 were the pictures worked on white silk with black silk and hair4 ,there were no artistic aspirations about these--they were copies in black and white of the engravings of the day1 just as a pen-and-ink or pencil copy might be made4 ,very dainty stitchery was put in them1 the stronger parts of the lines being in fine black silk1 the finer and more distant being worked in human hair of various shades from black to brown4 ,occasionally golden and even white hair is used1 and the effect is often that of a faded engraving4 ,the silk ground on which these little pictures were worked is1 however1 often cracked with age1 and many pretty specimens are ruined4 ,the illustration shows an example of the type of picture1 and depicts ,charlotte weeping over the ,tomb of ,werther4 ,illustration3 ,,black ,,silk ,,and ,,hair ,,picture4 ,imitation of ,engraving4 ,eighteenth ,century4 7,author's ,collection47 ,,xii ,,needlework ,,pictures ,,of ,,the ,,nineteenth ,,century ,,xii ,,needlework ,,pictures ,,of ,,the ,,nineteenth ,,century ,entire decline of needlework as an art--,miss ,linwood's invention6--,the ,berlin-wool pictures--,lack of efficient instruction--,waste of magnificent opportunity at ,south ,kensington ,museum4 ,it were kindest to ignore #aith century needlework1 but in a book treating of ,english embroidery something must be said to bridge over the time when ,needlecraft as an ,art was dead4 ,during the earlier part of the century taste was bad1 during the middle it was beyond criticism1 and from then to the time of the greenery-yallery sthetic revival all and everything made by woman's fingers ought to be buried1 burnt1 or otherwise destroyed4 ,indeed1 if that drastic process could be carried out from the time good ,queen ,adelaide reigned to the early eighties we might not1 now and ever1 have to bow our heads in utter abjection4 ,the originator and moving spirit of this bad period was ,miss ,linwood1 who conceived the idea of copying oil paintings in woolwork4 ,she died in #ahde4 ,would that she had never been born6 ,when we think of the many years which ,english women have spent over those wickedly hideous ,berlin-wool pictures1 working their bad drawing and vilely crude colours into those awful canvases1 and imagining that they were earning undying fame as notable women for all the succeeding ages1 death was too good for ,miss ,linwood4 ,the usual boiling oil would have been a fitter end6 ,miss ,linwood made a great furore at the time of her invention1 and held an exhibition in the rooms now occupied by ,messrs4 ,puttick ,simpson1 ,leicester ,square4 ,can we not imagine the shade of the great ,sir ,joshua ,reynolds1 whose home and studio these rooms had been1 revisiting the glimpses of the moon1 and while wandering up and down that famous old staircase forsaking his home for ever after one horrified glance at ,miss ,linwood's invention8 ,not only ,miss ,linwood1 but ,mrs4 ,delany and ,miss ,knowles made themselves famous for ,berlin-wool pictures4 ,the kindest thing to say is that the specimens which are supposed to have been worked by their own hands are considerably better than those of the half-dozen generations of their followers4 ,during the middle and succeeding twenty years of the nineteenth century the notable housewife of every class amused herself1 at the expense of her mind1 by working cross-stitch pictures with crudely coloured wools 7royal blue and rose-pink1 magenta1 emerald-green1 and deep crimson were supposed to represent the actual colours of ,nature71 on very coarse canvas4 ,landseer's paintings were favourite studies1 ,bolton ,abbey in the ,olden ,times lending itself to a choice range of violent colours and striking incidents4 ,nothing was too sacred for the ,berlin-wool worker to lay hands upon4 ,the ,crucifixion1 ,the ,nativity1 ,the ,flight into ,egypt1 ,the ,holy ,family were not only supposed to show the skill of the worker1 but also the proper frame of mind the embroideress possessed4 ,pleasing little horrors such as the ,head of the ,saviour in ,his ,agony1 and that of the ,virgin with all her tortured mother love in her eyes were considered fit ornaments for drawing-room1 which by the way were also adorned with wool and cotton crochet antimacassars1 waxwork flowers under glass1 and often astonishingly good specimens of fine ,chelsea1 ,worcester1 and ,oriental china4 ,never was the questions of how having eyes and yet seeing not more fully exemplified4 ,the nation abounded in paintings1 prints1 fine needlework1 and the product of our greatest period of porcelain manufacture4 ,fine examples were at hand everywhere4 ,exquisite prints belonging to our only good period1 the eighteenth century1 were common2 yet rather than try their skill in copying these1 the needlewomen1 who possessed undoubted skill1 enthusiasm1 and infinite patience1 preferred to copy realistic paintings of the ,landseer school and the highly coloured prints of the ,baxter and ,le ,blond period4 ,unfortunately1 the craze is by no means buried4 ,within the last twelve months ,i was invited to see the works of a wonderful needlewoman in a little ,middlesex village4 ,the local clergyman and doctor were sufficiently benighted even in these days of universal culture to admire her work1 and her fame had spread4 ,room after room was filled with #aj by #h-;feet canvases2 every drawer in the house was crammed with the result of this clever woman's work--for clever she undoubtedly was4 ,after exhausting all the known subjects of ,landseer and his school1 she had struck out a line for herself1 and had copied the ,graphic and ,illustrated ,london ,news ,supplements of the stirring scenes from the ,south ,african ,war1 such as ,the ,siege of ,ladysmith1 ,the ,death of the ,prince ,imperial in all its gruesome local colouring1 were worked on gigantic canvases4 ,her great chef d'oeuvre was1 however1 the memorial statue of ,queen ,victoria1 copied from the ,graphic ,supplement in tones of black1 white1 and grey1 a most clever piece of work2 but--well1 she was happy and more than delighted with my perfectly honest remark that ,i had never seen anything like it6 ,ah6 if only this dear woman and the many others who are wasting their time and eyesight over fashions which perish could only be reached and aroused by the influence of the lovely old ,english stitchery of our great period6 ,if only the purblind authorities and custodians of our ,national collections could awaken to the infinite possibilities which they hold1 once again ,opus ,anglicum might rule the world1 and the labour of even one woman's life might be of lasting value4 ,it is useless to refer to the many schools of embroidery there are in different parts of the country1 where fine work is being done on the best lines4 ,these schools1 from the ,royal ,school of ,needlework downwards1 are closed corners1 and no attempt is made to reach the great public4 ,the ,royal ,school of ,needlework is maintained by no subsidy as it ought to be1 but by the many ladies of position and taste who liberally support it1 both for the instruction and employment of ladies of reduced circumstances1 and for the disposal of its work at very high prices4 ,other schools in town are simply private adventure institutions1 run at a considerable profit to the principals4 ,the superb collection at ,south ,kensington might as well be buried in the crypt of ,westminster ,cathedral for all the value it is to the general public4 ,there is not the slightest attempt to allow these unique pieces of ,opus ,anglicum to point a moral or adorn a tale4 ,the magnificent copes and vestments1 of which there are some score1 are merely tabulated1 paragraphed1 and photographed1 and there is an end of them4 ,during my constant visits to these treasures of ,english ,art ,i have not once discovered another interested visitor amongst these beautiful vestments2 and the officials1 when interviewed1 though perfectly courteous1 apparently resent inquiries2 and woe betide the unfortunate inquirers who might have found the required information from the tiny little printed card hidden either too low or too high in the dark recesses of the corridors1 and so spared these savants the trouble of an interview6 ,why a continuous course of lectures on this and every kindred ,art subject is not made compulsory at the ,victoria and ,albert ,museum is one of the burning questions of the hour among the cultured collectors of the day4 ,the custodians are supposed to be men of special insight in the branches over which they preside1 yet for all the advantage to the public they might as well be waxwork dummies4 ,what we want as a nation is culture while we wait1 and writ so large that those who run may read1 and until this consummation is attained we shall ever remain in the ,slough of ,despond1 and ,art for ,art's sake will continue dead4 ,,xiii ,,embroidery ,,in ,,costume ,,xiii ,,embroidery ,,in ,,costume ,early ,greek garments--,biblical references to embroidery--,ecclesiastical garments--,eighteenth-century dresses1 coats1 and waistcoats--,muslin embroideries4 ,the subject of ,costume has been most admirably treated in another volume of this series1 but a reference must be made to it as affecting our topic1 ,english ,embroidery1 as costume has played no little part in its history4 ,from the earliest ages embroidery has been used to decorate garments4 ,the ancient ,greeks embroidered the hems of their graceful draperies in the well-known ,greek fret and other designs so invariably seen on the old ,greek vases4 ,the legend that ,minerva herself taught the ,greeks the art of embroidery illustrates how deeply the art was understood2 and the pretty story told by an old botanist of how the foxglove came by its name and its curious bell-like flowers is worth repeating4 ,in the old ,greek days1 when gods and goddesses were regarded as having the attributes of humanity in addition to those of deities1 ,juno was one day amusing herself with making tapestry1 and1 after the manner of the people1 put a thimble on her finger4 ,jupiter1 playing the rogue with her1 took her thimble and threw it away1 and down it dropped to the earth4 ,the goddess was very wroth1 and in order to pacify her ,jupiter turned the thimble into a flower1 which now is known as ,digitalis1 or finger-stole4 ,this little fairy tale can scarcely be taken as proof conclusive of the existence of either needle tapestry or thimble use1 but its telling may amuse the reader4 ,in all ancient histories we find continuous references to the embroidered garment worn by its people4 ,it was well recognised that no material was sufficiently beautiful not to be further embellished with rich embroideries4 ,in the ,psalms we find that ,pharaoh's daughter shall be brought to the king in a raiment of needlework1 and that her clothing is of wrought gold4 ,phrygia was above all the country most noted for embroideries of gold1 and for many years the name ,phrygian embroidery was sufficient to describe any highly decorated specimen4 ,it is said that the name of the vestment or trimming1 the orphry is derived from the word ,auri-phrygium1 meaning gold of ,phrygian embroidery4 ,the ,phrygians are credited with having taught the ,egyptians the art1 while the ,hebrews1 while sojourning in the land of ,egypt1 learned the art from their captors1 and carried it with them all through their journeys to the ,promised ,land1 and their final settlement in ,palestine4 ,the mention of gold and purple embroideries1 both as garments and hangings1 is conspicuous throughout all ,bible history4 ,the ,egyptian and ,greek arts are in almost all respects concurrent4 ,the ,phoenicians carried examples of each country's work from one to another4 ,after the conquest of ,greece the ,romans absorbed her art1 and developed it in their own special style4 ,they in turn carried their arts and crafts to ,gaul and ,britain1 and by degrees needlecraft permeated the whole of ,europe4 ,dealing with the embroidered costumes of our own country1 the ancient records1 illuminated ,missals1 and other contemporary data show that very sumptuous were both the ecclesiastical and lay garments4 ,heavy gold embroideries were worked on the hems of skirts and mantles4 ,the ,kings' coronation robes and mantles were beautiful specimens of handicraft1 often after a king's death being given to the churches for vestments4 ,from ,anglo-,saxon to ,norman times extensive use was made of the work of the needle for clothing1 but after the ,conquest till quite late in the ,tudor period little has been found to throw light upon the use of embroidery for the lay dress of the time4 ,all woman's taste and energy seem to have been devoted to make monumental embroideries for church use4 ,it was1 indeed1 not until the gorgeous period of ,henry ,,viii4 that embroidery1 as distinct from garment-making1 appeared2 and then everything became an object worthy of decoration4 ,much fine stitchery was put into the fine white undergarments of that time1 and the overdresses of both men and women became stiff with gold thread and jewels4 ,much use was made of slashing and quilting1 the point of junction being dotted with pearls and precious stones4 ,noble ladies wore dresses heavily and richly embroidered with gold1 and the train was so weighty that train-bearers were pressed into service4 ,in the old paintings the horses belonging to kings and nobles wear trappings of heavily embroidered gold4 ,even the hounds who are frequently represented with their masters have collars massively decorated with gold bullion4 ,the skirts of the ladies of this time were thickly encrusted with jewels1 folds of silk being crossed in a kind of lattice-work1 each crossing being fixed with a pearl or jewel1 and a similar precious stone being inserted in the square formed by the trellis4 ,the long stomachers were one gleaming mass of jewelled embroidery1 the tiny caps or headdresses being likewise heavily studded with gems4 ,during the reign of ,charles ,i4 a much daintier style of dress appeared4 ,velvet and silken suits were worn by the men1 handsomely but appropriately trimmed with the fine punto in aria or ,reticella laces of ,venice2 and in this and the three succeeding reigns dress was of sumptuous velvets1 satins1 and heavy silks1 unembroidered1 but trimmed1 and in ,charles ,,ii4's time loaded with costly laces4 ,it will be noted that whenever lace is in the ascendant1 embroidery suffers1 as is quite natural4 ,lace itself is sufficient adornment for fine raiment4 ,illustration3 ,photo by ,e4 ,gray1 ,bayswater4 ,,mrs4 ,,tickell ,,and ,,her ,,sister1 ,,mrs4 ,,sheridan1 ,,by ,,gainsborough1 ,,showing ,,how ,,lace ,,was ,,superseded ,,by ,,filmy ,,muslins4 7,dulwich ,gallery47 ,as the use of the fine ,venetian and ,flemish and ,french laces declined1 and tuckers and frillings of ,mechlin1 ,valenciennes1 and ,point d',angleterre appeared1 the use of embroidery asserted itself1 and the pretty satins and daintily coloured silks of ,william and ,mary1 ,queen ,anne1 and more specially the earlier ,georges1 began to be embroidered in a specially delicate fashion4 ,fine floss silk was used in soft colourings1 and whole surfaces were covered with tiny embroidered sprays of natural-coloured flowers4 ,really exquisite stitchery was put into the graceful honeysuckle1 the pansy1 carnation1 and rose clusters which decorated the dresses4 ,the bodices1 sacques1 and skirts of the early eighteenth-century ladies were embroidered with real artistic taste and feeling4 ,some of the old dresses kept at ,south ,kensington show the exquisite specimens of this class of needlework2 while the coats and waistcoats of the sterner sex are not a whit behind the feminine garments in beauty4 ,the long waistcoats were most frequently made of cream1 pale blue1 or white silk or satin1 delightfully embroidered with tiny sprays of blossoms1 and fastened with fine old paste buttons2 while the coat1 frequently of brocade1 was heavily embroidered down the front with three or four inches of solid embroidery of foliage and flowers1 oftentimes mixed with gold and silver threads4 ,the tiny cravat of ,mechlin1 cuff ruffles1 knee breeches1 silken hose1 and buckled shoes1 along with the powdered hair1 complete a costume that has never been equalled1 either before or afterwards1 in beauty1 grace1 and elegance4 ,during the ,william ,,iv4 and the long ,victorian period1 with the exception of a very fine embroidery on muslin1 in the earlier part of it1 nothing but fine stitchery for the use of underwear was made1 if we except the hundreds and thousands of yards of cut and buttonholed linen which seemed to have been the solace and delight of our grandmothers when they allowed themselves to be torn away from their beloved ,berlin-wool work4 ,to sit on a cushion and sew a fine seam appears to have been the amusement of the properly constituted women of the early and mid-nineteenth century4 ,,xiv ,,sale ,,prices ,,xiv ,,sale ,,prices ,ancient embroideries so seldom come into the salerooms that it is rarely an opportunity occurs for obtaining market prices1 therefore ,lady ,wolseley's sale on ,july #ab1 #aijf1 must be accepted as a standard4 ,immense prices are asked at the antique shops1 the dealers apparently basing their prices on this sale by auction and doubling them4 ,i have visited every shop in the trade in search of prices for this book before procuring the auctioneer's catalogue1 and was aghast at the terrific sums asked for oftentimes indifferent specimens in comparison to what was paid in the auction-room4 ,during the past year anything from #ae #aes4 to #dj has been paid at ,christie's for specimens of varying degrees of perfection of work and condition4 ,the latter state is even of greater importance than the first1 as no matter how good the work originally1 if discoloured and frayed1 prices go down and down4 ,nearly all the finest specimens of the ,stump-work period are marred by the tarnishing of the gold and silver threads4 ,instead of these being a glory and a great enhancement to the embroidery1 they prove a great disfigurement1 and thereby cause a considerable reduction in value4 ,the earlier petit point pictures1 having little or no bullion in their execution 7and when cared for and not exposed to too much sunlight71 have kept their condition very well1 and now are quite the favourite kind for collection4 ,it speaks much for the quality of the silks used and the dyes of nearly three hundred years ago that the fugitive greens and blues and delicate roses in these little works of art1 as in the superb tapestries of the same date1 should be as fine as when made1 whereas to-day's colours are as fleeting as the glories of the rainbow4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the following are the principal prices in ,lady ,wolseley's sale3 s4 d4 ,a small bag1 red and gold brocade #b #ae #j ,a small bag or purse #e #j #j ,a fine bead book-cover #f #j #j ,same1 trimmed with silver lace 7,harris7 #f #af #j ,a pair of embroidered shoes 7,harris7 #f #j #j ,a small pocket-book1 silk embroidery on silver ground #h #ag #f ,a pair of ,stuart shoes #i #ai #f ,a stumpwork picture1 a most curious globe1 showing ,europe1 ,asia1 ,africa1 and ,america1 #afdh 7,s4 ,g4 ,fenton7 #bd #j #j ,a double book of ,psalms1 embroidered binding with ,tudor rose #bc #aj #j ,a petit point picture1 #ab-a_/b #i-a_/b #aa #aa #j ,a small picture1 partly sketched and partly worked #d #ad #f ,a ,stuart stump picture1 #ah #ae-a_/b #ah #ah #j ,a ,stuart stump picture1 ,king under canopy1 #ag-a_/b #ad #ad #ad #f ,a ,stuart bullion picture1 vase1 in tortoiseshell frame1 #bc #ah #h #h #j ,same1 with ,herodias's daughter and ,john the ,baptist #e #e #j ,a portrait of ,henry1 ,prince of ,wales1 in flat-stitch on rose satin #ba #j #j ,another on satin1 ,bathsheba1 spangled1 #ag #ac #f #af #j ,another on satin1 birds on gold and silver1 #ac #ac 7,harris7 #ac #ac #f ,a bead picture1 #ae #aa #aa #aa #j ,a stump and bead picture1 #ab #aa #ab #a #f ,a small book-cover1 #ad #h #ac #ab #j ,a ,stuart stump picture1 figures and silver fountain1 tortoiseshell frame1 #bb #af #ae #ae #j ,a stump picture1 lady with coral necklace1 #ah #ab #bc #aj #j ,a stump picture1 lady under arch with a black swan1 #bj #af 7,stoner7 #cd #j #j ,a stump picture1 ,king ,charles as ,ahasuerus with ,haman and ,mordecai1 and pearl-embroidered carpet1 #bc #ag #bh #j #j ,a stump picture1 lady under a canopy1 large pearls1 #ac #ai1 7,stoner7 #cd #j #j ,a ,stuart ,petit ,point picture1 ,abraham and ,hagar #af #af #j ,a ,stuart petit point picture1 ,judgment of ,paris1 #bd #ag #be #j #j ,a ,stuart petit point picture1 ,king ,solomon and ,queen of ,sheba #ah #ah #j ,a beadwork picture1 lady and gentleman1 lion and unicorn1 #ba #ag #ab #ab #f ,an embroidered picture1 ,peter denying ,christ1 #bd #ag 7,s4 ,g4 ,fenton7 #i #ai #f ,a petit point picture1 lake with boats and figures1 #ae #ab 7,harris7 #ad #ad #f ,a large stump picture1 with horse and rider and figures of four seasons #cj #aj #j ,a stumpwork picture1 four figures1 castle and birds and flowers 7,s4 ,g4 ,fenton7 #cc #j #j ,a picture sketched on white satin1 not worked #d #ae #j ,a ,stuart picture on canvas #i #ai #f ,a fine ,stuart jewel-casket1 numerous secret drawers1 covered in needlework 7,s4 ,g4 ,fenton7 #dg #e #j ,a ,stuart box1 covered with bullion-work 7,s4 ,g4 ,fenton7 #ab #ab #j ,a ,stuart box1 with embroidery and pearls 7,spero7 #af #af #j ,a ,stuart box1 coloured bullion1 #aj #f #i #i #j ,an embroidered box1 with portrait on lid 7,s4 ,g4 ,fenton7 #ec #aa #j ,a ,stuart mirror1 covered with stump embroidery1 representing ,charles ,i4 and his ,queen 7illustrated71 7,rosthron7 #ajb #ah #j ,another mirror1 with painted and embroidered figures 7,harris7 #cd #j #j ,a ,charles ,i4 mirror in old lace and gold frame1 with borders in embroidery1 with portrait1 castle1 and floral decoration #dj #j #j #c yds4 #ac inches long1 #ab inches deep1 ,cornice in ,petit ,point1 ,christie's1 ,july1 #aijh 7,harris7 #bjd #ae #j ,,xv ,,conclusion ,,xv ,,conclusion ,needlework as a national art is as dead as the proverbial door-nail2 whether or not it ever regains its position as a craft is a matter of conjecture4 ,personally1 ,i incline to the belief that it is absolutely extinct4 ,the death-knell rang for all time when the sewing-machine was invented4 ,the machine has been a very doubtful blessing1 as it has allowed even the art of stitchery in ordinary work to slide into the limbo of forgotten things4 ,what woman now knows what it is to back-stitch a shirt cuff1 for instance1 drawing a thread for guidance1 and carefully going back two or three threads in order to make a neat1 firm line of stitching8 ,the sewing-machine does all this1 and does it well1 a clever machinist turning out more work in a week than a seamstress in a year4 ,if this were all1 it would be no matter for regret1 but with the necessity for needlework has vanished the desire4 ,the lady quoted in ,green's ,history is now non-existent4 ,she was a pattern of sobriety unto many1 very seldom seen abroad except at church2 when others recreated themselves at holidays and other times1 she would take her needlework1 and say1 ',here is my recreation4' ,in spite of the many ,schools of ,embroidery1 with a few notable exceptions1 nothing is done to raise the standard of embroidery above making miserable little cushion-covers1 table-centres1 and suchlike pretty fripperies for the temporary adornment of the house4 ,the women of ,germany1 ,holland1 ,sweden1 ,italy1 on the contrary1 take a great interest in the embroidery of the bed and table linen and the really artistic embroidery of their national costumes4 ,nothing of this is seen in ,england4 ,table linen is bought ready hemmed at the shop4 ,dainty tea-cloths and serviettes are purchased ready embroidered 7by machine7 and trimmed with machine-made lace4 ,even lingerie of all classes is machine-made and bought by the dozen1 instead of being made by the daughters of the house4 ,the only hope of a revival lies in the various ,art schools in the country where designing for fine embroidery and lace is encouraged4 ,unfortunately1 however1 equal facilities are offered for designing of machine-made imitations4 ,the ,royal ,school of ,needlework1 not being a ,government institution1 offers no encouragement to outsiders4 ,it is in the hands of a number of ladies1 who manage it as they will2 and although very fine work is accomplished1 they trust too much to modern designers and artists who work out their own pet theories and hobbies4 ,if only they would put aside all theories and new ideas1 and go back to the best periods of ,english art both for their designs and execution1 even yet1 with the intelligent use of the glorious examples in the adjoining ,museum1 much might be done to revivify this expiring art4 ,,finis ,,index ,,index ,,old ,,lace4 7,for ,needlework see page #chd7 ,a ,adelaide1 ,queen1 #aaf ,age of lace1 #ajh1 #aia ,alenon lace1 #bi1 #gh1 #ahc1 #aia ,argentan lace1 #bi1 #gh1 #aia ,argentella lace1 #bi1 #ha1 #aib ,anne1 ,queen1 #aeg ,appliqu1 #age ,aylesbury1 #aeh ,b ,baby lace1 #aeg ,barri1 ,madame du1 #ij ,beading1 #da ,beads on bobbins1 #afa ,bed furnishing1 #gc ,bedfordshire lace1 #cg1 #aeg ,belgian lace1 #cg ,black lace1 #id ,blonde lace1 #id ,bone lace1 #da ,bobbins1 #da1 #aeh ,bolckow1 ,mrs41 #ed ,brides1 #ch1 #abg ,brussels lace1 #cg1 #ha1 #ajd1 #ajh1 #abc1 #aie ,brussels appliqu1 #abc ,brussels ,vrai ,reseau1 #aaa ,buckinghamshire lace1 #cj1 #ce1 #aeg1 #aeh1 #afa ,burano1 #ed1 #ha ,buttonhole stitch1 #aie ,c ,caen lace1 #ig ,carrick-ma-cross1 #age ,catherine de ,medici1 #gc ,chantilly lace1 #cg1 #ic ,charles ,i41 #adh ,charles ,,ii41 #ajd1 #adh1 #aea ,charlotte1 ,queen1 #afa ,christie's sale-room1 #aae1 #bja ,colbert1 #bi1 #gc1 #gg1 #ajb ,collar lace1 #fa ,collar1 ,medici1 #ec ,commonwealth1 #adh ,cordonnet1 #da1 #ec1 #gg ,convents1 #bf ,coptic embroideries1 #ba ,couronnes1 #da ,cravat1 #aea ,creevy ,papers1 #aae ,cromwell1 #aea ,crotchet1 #age ,cut worke1 #gc1 #ahg ,cuthbert1 ,st41 #bb ,d ,danish lace1 #acd ,darned netting1 #agc ,debenham ,storr's sale-room1 #ed1 #bjj ,dentel1 #da ,devonshire lace1 #cj1 #afb ,dorsetshire lace1 #afa ,drawn work1 #ba ,duchesse lace1 #abg ,durham ,cathedral1 #bb ,e ,ecclesiastical lace1 #fb ,edgings1 #ca ,edward ,,iv41 #add ,egyptian netting1 #bb ,elizabeth1 ,queen of ,england1 #ed1 #adg ,embroidered net1 #agb ,english laces1 #aeg ,empress ,eugnie1 #ig ,f ,falling collar1 #adh ,fausse ,valenciennes1 #hi ,fillings1 #dj1 #agc ,figure motifs1 #ajg ,flanders lace1 #bi1 #ajc ,flat point 7point plat71 #ej ,flax thread1 #fa1 #ajg ,florence1 #ec ,flemish point1 #ajc ,fond1 #db ,fontange1 #aea ,fowler1 ,mrs41 of ,honiton1 #aff ,france1 point de1 #gd ,french ,revolution1 #gh ,g ,genoese lace1 #bi ,george ,i41 #aae ,george ,,ii41 #aae ,george ,,iii41 #aae ,george ,,iv41 #aab ,german laces1 #acd ,ghent laces1 #abd ,gingles1 #afa ,gold and silver laces1 #acd ,greek laces1 #ajc1 #ahc ,groppo1 ,punto a1 #fb ,gros1 ,point de ,venise1 #ec ,grounds1 #cg ,guipure1 #db1 #fa ,gold lace1 #bb ,h ,hamilton lace1 #aga ,hayward's1 #aad ,henry ,,vii41 #add ,henry ,,viii41 #adg ,high ,wycombe1 #aeh ,history of lace1 #ba ,honiton1 #cj1 #ce1 #afe ,honiton appliqu1 #cj ,huguenots1 #cj ,i ,identification of lace1 #ahc ,irish lace1 #cj1 #agb1 #agf1 #aib ,italian lace1 #de ,j ,james ,i41 #adh ,james ,,ii41 #aea ,jours1 #da1 #ha ,k ,kenmare1 ,lady1 #ge ,king of ,rome1 #aab ,l ,lacis1 #bi1 #gc ,lappets1 #aab ,lawn1 #ic ,lewis ,hill1 ,mrs41 #bja ,lille1 #ce1 #ia ,limerick1 #abd1 #agb ,l',onray1 #gf ,louis ,,xiv41 #bi1 #df1 #gc1 #gd ,louis ,,xv41 #gh ,lyme ,regis1 #afb ,m ,machine-made ground1 #agb ,macram1 #cg1 #fd ,malines1 #abg ,maltese1 #acg ,mantillas1 #ig ,marie ,antoinette1 #gh1 #abc1 #abi ,massey-,mainwaring1 ,mrs41 #bjj ,marie de ,medici1 #ec ,marie ,stuart1 #aga ,mary1 ,queen1 #adg ,mary ,,ii41 #aea1 #aeb ,mechlin1 #cg1 #abg ,medici collar1 #ec ,mezzo ,punto1 #fb ,milanese lace1 #bi1 #fb ,mixed lace1 #cg1 #fb1 #abd ,modern point lace1 #abd ,montespan1 ,madame de1 #gd ,n ,napoleon ,i41 #gh1 #aab ,national ,library1 ,s4,k4,m41 #ej ,needlepoint lace1 #di1 #gc1 #ajh ,network1 ancient1 #c ,newport ,pagnell1 #aeh ,normandy lace1 #ig ,norway1 #acd ,northamptonshire lace1 #aeg ,nuns1 #bf ,o ,oeil de perdrix1 #hc1 #aib ,origin of lace1 #ba ,p ,palliser1 ,mrs4 ,bury1 #i ,parchment1 #be ,parasole1 #ej ,pearls1 #ig ,peter the ,great1 #acd ,picots1 #db ,pillow lace1 #bi1 #cg ,point lace1 #be1 #cg ,point rseau1 #ec ,point d',aiguille 7,brussels71 #ajh ,point d',alenon1 #gf ,point d',angleterre1 #ajb1 #ajg1 #aib ,point appliqu1 #abc ,point de ,france1 #df1 #gf1 #ahh ,point de ,gaze1 #ajh1 #abd ,point de ,venise1 #di ,point de ,venise ,gros1 #ej1 #ec1 #ed ,point de ,neige1 #di1 #ej ,point plat1 #ej ,punto in aria1 #be1 #adc ,punto a groppo1 #cg1 #fb ,punto tagliato a foliami1 #ec ,q ,quillings1 #abh ,quentin ,matys1 #ajc ,queen ,anne1 #aeg ,queen ,mary ,,ii41 #aag1 #abg1 #aea ,queen ,charlotte1 #aag1 #abh ,queen of ,laces1 #abh ,queen ,victoria1 #aaf1 #afb ,r ,raised stars1 #di ,rose point1 #di1 #ej ,renaissance1 #ec1 #ajg1 #ahh ,reseau1 #cf1 #ci ,reticella1 #bf1 #ej1 #gc1 #ajc1 #adc1 #ahh ,revolution1 ,french1 #gh ,rococo1 #gh ,royal trousseaux1 #ha ,ruffles1 #ij ,russian lace1 #acd ,s ,st4 ,cuthbert1 #bb ,sale prices1 #aii ,samplers1 #be1 #ahg ,saxony lace1 #acd ,scotch lace1 #aga ,silk lace1 #id ,smocks1 #be ,spanish point1 #acc ,steinkirk1 #aea ,sumptuary law1 #aab ,south ,kensington ,museum1 #ahg ,t ,tambour lace1 #agb ,tape lace1 #fb ,tatting1 #age ,thread1 #fa ,toil1 #ajh ,trolly lace1 #afe ,v ,valenciennes lace1 #cg1 #hi ,vandyke1 #fa1 #adh ,venice1 #ahc ,vicellio1 #ej ,venetian lace1 #ej ,victoria1 ,queen1 #afb1 #afe ,vinciolo1 #bi1 #ej ,vraie ,valenciennes1 #hi1 #ij ,w ,westminster effigies1 #adg1 #aea1 #aeb ,william and ,mary1 #adh1 #aea ,wynyards1 #aae ,william ,,iii41 #aae ,wiltshire lace1 #aae ,willis's ,rooms1 #bja ,y ,youghal laces1 #agf ,,needlework ,a ,athelstan1 #bac ,alb1 #bch ,aldhelm1 ,bishop of ,sherborne1 #bac ,aelfled1 ,queen of ,edward the ,elder1 #bac ,angelica ,kauffmann1 #cci ,art1 the pioneer1 #bji ,ascagni cope1 #bbc ,ascoli cope1 #bcc ,b ,bags1 ,stuart1 #bfa ,bayeux tapestry1 #bad ,beads1 ,venetian1 #bgd ,berlin wool pictures1 #cej ,bishop ,fridhestan1 #bac ,black work1 #bhd ,bologna cope1 #bbc ,book-covers1 #bgi ,bridgettine nuns1 #bbg ,c ,catworth cushions1 #bcc ,catherine of ,aragon1 #bdh1 #bea1 #bhd ,caskets1 #bfi ,chain stitch1 #bbg ,charles ,i41 #bfe1 #bgc ,charles ,,ii41 #bfe1 #bgc ,chasubles1 #bda ,christie's sale-rooms1 #beg1 #bfe1 #bgj1 #cfg ,city palls1 #bcg ,church vestments1 #bch ,coventry1 #bbh ,copes1 #bda ,crewel work1 #cbi ,d ,daroca cope at ,madrid1 #bbc ,dr4 ,rock1 #bbg ,e ,earl of ,shrewsbury1 #bbh ,editha1 ,queen of ,edward the ,confessor1 #bac ,egyptian embroidery1 #baj ,emma1 ,queen of ,ethelred the ,unready1 #bac ,elizabeth's wardrobe1 #bdi ,elizabeth's ,book at ,british ,museum1 #bhc ,elizabeth's ,book at the ,bodleian ,library1 #bhc ,elizabeth ,hinde's ,sampler1 #cji ,elizabeth ,mackett's ,sampler1 #caa ,f ,field of the ,cloth of ,gold1 #bdi ,g ,georgian costumes1 #cfc ,georgian pictures1 #cce ,gimps1 #bdi ,gloves1 #bfb1 #bfe ,greek garments1 #cei ,h ,hampton ,court1 #bej1 #cbb ,hair and silk pictures1 #cdc ,henrietta ,maria1 ,queen1 #bfe ,henry ,,viii41 #bdg ,hchon collection1 #bbj ,i ,isleworth1 #bbg ,italian raised work1 #bie ,j ,james ,i41 #beg ,jacobean hangings1 #cba ,jesse ,cope1 #bbc ,john ,taylor's ,needlework ,rhyme1 #beh ,l ,lady ,jane ,grey1 #bdg ,laid1 or couch work1 #bbg ,linwood1 ,miss1 #cej ,m ,maniple1 #bda ,mary ,queen of ,scots1 #bej ,mary ,,ii4 embroidery1 #cbe ,minerva1 #ceh ,mirror frames1 #bgc ,n ,needlework pictures1 #bia1 #cce1 #cdi ,neolithic remains1 #baj ,nevil altar-frontal1 #bcd ,o ,opus ,anglicum1 or ,anglicanum1 #bai1 #bbc ,p ,painted face picture1 #cce1 #cdc ,petit point1 #beg1 #cbe ,phoenicians1 #cei ,phrygian embroidery1 #ceh ,pierpont ,morgan1 #bcc ,pocket books1 #bha ,pope ,innocent ,,iii41 #bbc ,q ,quilting1 #bhg ,r ,reformation1 #bdf ,roman ,invasion1 #baj ,royal ,school of ,needlework1 #cec ,rock's ,church of ,our ,fathers1 #bbj ,s ,samplers1 #cjg ,st4 ,augustine1 #baj ,st4 ,benedict1 #bbj ,st4 ,cuthbert1 #bac ,st4 ,dunstan1 #bac ,steeple ,aston altar-frontal1 #bcd ,stoles1 #bch ,stump work1 #bie ,stump work symbols1 #cjb ,syon cope1 #bbc ,subjects of needle pictures1 #bie ,t ,tambour stitch1 #bbg ,tudor embroideries1 #bdg ,trays1 #bgj ,w ,wonderful needlewoman1 ,a1 #cea ,wolsey1 ,cardinal1 #bdi1 #bej ,wolseley's1 ,lady1 collection1 #bfe1 #bgc1 #cfh ,worcester fragments1 #bai ,printed in ,great ,britain by ,,unwin ,,brothers1 ,,limited1 ,,the ,,gresham ,,press1 ,,woking ,,and ,,london 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,obvious punctuation errors have been corrected4 ,inconsistent hyphenation in the original has been preserved1 e4g4 cutwork1 cut-work2 hand-made1 handmade2 lace-workers1 laceworkers2 may-flower1 mayflower2 needle-craft1 needlecraft2 needle-point1 needlepoint2 salerooms1 sale-rooms2 semi-circular1 semicircular4 ,inconsistent use of accents has been preserved1 e4g4 applique1 appliqu2 rseau1 reseau2 toile1 toil4 ,in the ,index1 ,pierpoint was corrected to ,pierpont to match the body of the text4 ,the main body of the text refers to the ,hockon collection1 which is referred to in the index as the ,hchon collection4 ,it is unclear which of these is correct so they have been preserved as they appear in the original4 ,page #be3 'survival of the fitting' changed to 'survival of the fittest'4 ,page #ch3 'accompanying diagrams' changed to 'accompanying diagram'4 ,page #db3 'little loop' changed to 'little loops'4 ,page #abg3 ',duchesse point of ,bruges1' changed to ',duchesse point or ,bruges1'4 ,page #aib3 'of same period' changed to 'of the same period'4 ,page #aif3 'other two' changed to 'two other'4 ,page #cjj3 'and rose of ,england' changed to 'and the rose of ,england'4 ,page #cjc3 'and butterfly was' changed to 'and butterfly were'4 ,page #cae3 'a long narrow ,samplers' changed to 'a long narrow ,sampler'4 ,page #chc3 ',punto groppo' changed to ',punto a groppo'4