The Hickman courier., 1877-12-07
INTEREST TO THE LADIES.
~,,. Rare Old Laces and Embrciderses al
fhe metropolitan MessuM.


-. Rare Old Laces and EnbrciderAee al /
the MeSroPOsitan Messum.
The McCullum collection of laces and |
o,,,broideries, the arrival of which was
v,,oticed in the World some six weeks ago, |
= of last arranged in the southeast room |
nf the Metropolitan museum of art, on |
Tourteenth street, and will be opened TO |
he nublic to-day. The collection num- |
b1rs over two hundred and sixty pieces,
begjnning with examples Of the earliest
Oriental embroidery, illustrating Persia,
turkey. the Greek islands and Italy,
there through maglia and coupe work,
= DEVELOPS into lace, of which there are
included samples of guipure, cushion,
tame. rocco, burano, Venetian, Alencon,
Pruto in Aria, Spanish, Venetian rnse;
point, etc.
The collection was made by Mrs.
NcCullum, wife of the present owner,
a connoisseur in such matters, during
freauent visits to Italy and the east. 1t
has been twice exhibited-once at the
International exhibition i'll London, in
1874. and later at the South kens'ngton
museum. 1t is at present q loan from
Mr.. Cullum u The museum, with a pro
possI for its sale, provided it shall be kept
intact. The value set upon the cOllec-
tion is CT 900 sterling. The trustees
think this is a reasonable sum. but
whether the purchase is made or not
depends upon the interest taken in the
matter by those interested in the mu-
scum. ShGlId subscriptions be sent in
to the amoant named, the collection will
oe permanently secured.
These rare pieces of haDdiwork, dating
Z from the sixteenth and seventeenth cen
lurie5, are arranged in eases around the
four sides of the room, and two large
cases standing in the center. While there
has been an effort AT order ia the arrange
menU ot tie catalogue of the embroideries
hung in the cases ut the left side OF the
room, the specimens are placed here and
there regardless of the numbers in the
catalogue, and often OF the kinds and
quality OF work represented. Care has
been taken, however, to group the finest
and rsrest examples of lace in three cases,
which have been placed in a good light
for Inspection. In one case, directly in
front OF the ,'windows are arranged on
crimson velvet twenty six pieces each
worthy of study on account OF the design
or the wsIS upon it. Among the more
remarkable of these Is n strip OF needle
point lace representing French Point
q Alencon OF the latter half of the
eighteenth century. In this an arrange
ment of inverted semicircular garlands
rests upon groundwork of buttonhole
stitched hexagons, known to the initiated
as "reseau." The small edging consists
OF four geometric devices let into deli
cate groundwork of ordinary Alencon
'' reseau." A piece of lace near by gives
/ an illustration of "peint de Nenise a
/ reseau' of the seventeenth century. This
/ has scalloped edge, with aowers and
ornamental shapes, and represents the
/ most delicate lace which was produced
by the NenetiRns. Its essential fea-
lures, being all needlework, resemble
those of its successor, the point
+ Il AlencOn," in many respects. A piece
of pillow lace, Flemish, and sometimes
ctllel point de Flandres," OF the
eighteenth century, gives the general
features Of the fiat, close work of Nsleu-
ciennes lace without the special features
OF the true Valenciepnes. In the third
/ case of the rarer piec- of lace is border
for an altar cloth of needle point lace
commonly known as rose-point. 1t i:
/ Venetian and belongs to the seventeenth
century. This is considered remarkable
for It's fine design, execution and state oi
complete preservation, The details OF
. the flowers come out wonderfully under
a strong magnifying glass. This speci
men measures 5lx503 inches. Above
this Is a border of drawn work, with in
sertions and van;.yked edge of Venetian
needle point lace, of the sixteenth cen
turY, and catalogued "a Punto il
( Aria" Another border somewhat of the
same style, called " Guipure a brides .
of the seventeenth century, was PLACED
near hy. A band Of silk pillow lace be
longing 10 the seventeenth century aDC
known 4 " Point de Milan, Is com pOseC
of silk threads with a design OF narrow
inierlscing bands of ioriated arabesque
The center cases, in addition to various
strips snd borders, gave, in fiat Venetian
needle-poiut, q cOifiure not unlike IL
fashion that of the present day Two
specimens Of d" Reticella " cuffs and
needle point tissel add to the variety.
The embroideTies occupying the spac,
al the left side Of the room and one end
give interesting specimens of early Ori
entail embridery. No. ! in the catalOgu,
aud also on the wall is portion of scar
about one hundred and fifty years old
made in Montenegro after n Partisan de
sign, embridered in cOlored silk and golC
thread upon home-spun linen ground
the work showing the same on both sides
4 portion Of bed-cover, embroidered il
colored silks upon linen, was made a
Dardsnelles 50yearsago. A woman veil
embroidered at Brousss, in silk and gold
upon linen ground and a Turkish veil
embroidered in various colOred silks anC
gold thread, on muslin ground, witt
ioliated ornaments, are both curious anC
embroidery on satin, with miniature
cover, 10 years old, shows the style o
old Salonica art in its various coloreC
silks on white ground, with a lace border
N y TVOrf4