Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-07-30
MISCELLAN A n Y
Laces and Embroideries.

In no one article, perhaps, is female extrava
gance in dress carried to greater length than
in the use of elegant and costly laces and EN-
broideries. Almost fabulous prices are some
times paid for them The rich laces used in this
country are all imported from Europe. The
reason of this is, that American girls are not
willing-and we trust they never will be COM
compelled-to work for five dollars a month,
and foreign manufacturers could undersell the
native artisan. The costliest specimens of lace
are easily disposed of Lace at twenty dollars a
yard-and that but enc tenth of a yard wide
saws the New York Herald, finds ready purcha-
sers SO do capes at two hundred dollars apiece,
and lets at one hundred. The demand for rich
laces is constantly increasing, outrunnng the
supply, thus apprecating the prices, and conse-
ouently the genuine article can only be worn by
the wealthy. The signing of the treaty Of peace
at Paris, too, it is said, will have the erect OF
greatly enhancing the price OF laces; for the Rus
sian ladies, who doat upon laces, and are not de,
tered by expense, having had the market closed
against them for the last eighteen months, will
now open wide their purses to obtain the covet-
ed articles. There never being surplus of laces,
their value must consequently be augmented.
Belgium supplies the American ladies' with
more laces than all the countries OF Europe to-
gether and laces of the rares kind, finest quality
and most artistic design. In fact lace is indigo
nous to Belgium, and has been so for genera
tions. In some parts of Belgium the flowers are
made separately, and then worked into the
ground, while Others carry on the pattern and
design together The division of labor is very
great. The drocheleuSe continues to work at the
ground, and the platteuse at the flowers, ard
when they have finished, the stiQuese works one
into the other, and the task is complete. The
thread required for lace-making is manufactured
in Belgium, the finest kind being made in cellars
and kept there, lest exposure to the air should
render it liable to break This thread sells for
800 francs . pound and has been known to
bring 10000 francs
The labor of washing lace is almost an art,
and only the most skillful in that line are en-
gagged in it. After washing, the lace is spread
out to dry on cushioned table, and pins of a
peculiar sort are run through each hole to pre-
vent the fabric from shrinking When very fine,
or the pattern intricate, an entire day will be
spent upon one yard of lace. "Mechlin" was
formerly the ''queen of lace" but Point de We
Mise antique now occupies the first place. 1t is
) rare old lace, light and open, raised in some
parts like embossed work, and has On air of an
tiquity that is highly priced. The manufacture
of it is said to be entirely abandoned, and it is
only found now as heirlooms in families, except
when stray specimen finds its way into market,
in which case there is great competition for its
possession. The Point de Veuise antique is seen
more frequently in Italy than in any other coun-
try, for the high dignitaries of the Catholic
church have their official robes trimmed with
flounces of this costly material. 1t finds its way
into this country chiefly through the medium of
American travellers who seize upon every OPP
portunity to obtain these relics of ancient fash
| ion One lady returned lately with cape and
berthe of Venetian point for which she paid
! $500.
Next in value is point d'Alencon, of which it
is said nearly fifteen thousand dollars worth was
used in the outfit of the youthful King of Algiers
1t has dingy hue, and the first idea connected
with it by unsophisticated minds, is that it needs
washing. Fashion, however, coyrects this no
ton Point de glaze is as fine as spiders web,
and as light as thistle-down. Brussels point d
applique ranks very high. 1t is formed by sewing
sprigs of the real point upon illusion or any other
kind of plain laces. 1t is very much used for
flounces, and costs from thirty-fve to forty dol
lars per yard, five-eighths width. 1t is very
pure in color, which is owing to white powder
with which it is saturated, and which it contin-
ues to retain and obvates the necessity of wash
ing Honiton lace came into fashion in 1S42
I auu O"So iSS PiSSShe pOSitiou W NCuceu
Commiserating the miserable condition of the
lace-workers of Devon, she determined to assist
them by bringing their manufacture into fashion,
and, in furtherance of this laudable purpose had
! her wedding dress made of it. Honton at once
became the rage, and has continued popular and
expensive ever since, although previously pur-
chasers could hardly be found for it. Chantilly
lace is always black, is exceedingly fine, and is
much used for wells and tiounces. Last year it
was dearer than usual, and this was occasioned
by the Crmean war. So many families were
thrown into mourning by the deaths in that con-
test, that the demand for chantily became enor-
nous, and the prices went up.
Our supply Of embroideries is derived chiefly
from France, Switzerland and Scotland-the two
former supplying all the finer and more elaborate
specimens. Although the Swiss laces are really
superior to the French, yet so despotically do
French fabrics rule the fashionable world, that
they are obliged to be sold as French
A CuRIous FAor.-It seems of the ninety-one
counties in Indiana the inhabitants ofeighty can
leave home in the morning, go to Indianapolis