The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-09-19
Modern Point-lace.

On certain daytwe visited Belgian
gentleman and vhisVWlfe, in whose DOS
session were two OF the most remark
able pieces ot modern point-lace (needle
polnt) that have ever seen. The, first
was u three-cornered point or shawl,
and was made of creamy white diamond
shaped silken pieces Joined together for
aground, upon which glowed the forms,
colors, and shades of from fifty to Que
hundred field flowers and eXotics, deli
cate wlstarias, blue-eyed forget.me-nots,
gorgeous dahlias and roses, and many a
1oral gem OF name unknown save to the
practfcalob0tanlst or florist. The web
was as delicate as If woven of the
SPIDERS attenuated thread, and as
strong and elastic as horse-hair. 1t was,
in fact, needle point in both white and
colored silk. phe whole piece was 50
hlmy fine it could be drawn through
Madame Esthers wedding-ring. l burst
into rapture of delight when Nj.
Eugene held it up between us and the
light.
81 have found itv' l exclaimed; II
have found It'll This is the magic web with
colors gay woven by the fairy Lady of
Shalott. L always suspected that won
drous web to be lace, and now L am sure
of It,"
"softly," said Madame Esther. smiI.
ing. II think this is modern point de
BruXelles, and none but the def fingers
OF Belgian girls could have perfected
these flowers. TheLady OF Shalott was
no doubt lace artist, and her web was
doubtless colored basement au tuscan,
but it was not equal TO this. Beautiful,
beautiful, indeeU! 1t is the rarest piece
OF work of the kind | have ever seen, and
IN my day L have handled the laces OF
imperial and royal wardrobes. Here
are MOWERS oil hundred tInts and forms
growing into beauty, and arranged and
grouped by an artists hand"
M. Eugene: 1.-The haud OF D'Huyghens
himself'-gazing fondly at the marvel
Gus creation, as he held il up in such a
as to show to the greatest ad-
vantage the glowing hues that were i'm.
in its delicate mesh. "D'huy-
ghens Designed the pattern, and then
painted eacn Hover, petal, leaf, and ten
drll separately for the parchment lace
and the fingers of no less than
eighty experts in needle point were en-
ployed whole year in executing this
wonderful triangle"
Ihls chei-PoeuVre, fit for an empress
or queen Of American society, would
nave found It's place among the treas
afes oil some crowned head OF Europe,
along with the lace dress of as marvel
1us beauty that was brought with it to
this country, il it had not been for the
ate Franco-Prussiauew In fact, both
pieces were made with the expectation |
u fnding purchaser for them in the |
Empress Eugene. But the revolution
n European affairs which banished |
n Napoleon Ill and Eugene from France |
seriously atfe cted the lace industries of |
Belgium as we'll as those of France. and |
he lace artists Of N. Eugene's manu-
actory are to-day engaged in selling |
oranges i'll the streets OF Brussels or are |
starving, and his beautiful laces are in |
he hands of the New York Custom. |
louse officials. Such pieces of work as
he bankrupt lace manufacturer brought |
Yer are not at present in demand in Eu-
ope. Political affairs there are too-uu-
ettled, the situation too uncertain, Tor
ven queens and expresses to order
25,0OO dresses OF $4,000 shawls.-THar-
er's Magazine ior October.