Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-05-16
THE LACE CRAZE.
lis Revival in the Fashionable
World.
Expensive Laces and Why They are Es-
teemed So Precious-Spanish Lace
Mantiilas the Reigning
fayorite.

nlahlDS imam mas Deen Known III many
| years. In 1872 q school was started in
the Island of Burano, under the direc-
ton of two ladies of honor to Queen
Margaret, who kindly lent her collec-
ton of laces to the school for reproduce
ton. They were already so fortunate
as to possess some handsome specimens
Of old Venetian lace that had been
made in her youth by very old wo-
man of BuranO. Copies OF these and
some sixteenth century laces have been
their most important work.
Lace was first made in the fifteenth
century and it may please those who
like TO weave romance in with the
commonplace things of life to believe
that lace was first made by girl to
preserve her sailor lovers gifts of inner
maids lace" Seaweed and coral. She
saw that they were perlshable aud
finally copied them with her needle.
IL deed all the patterns of old Italian
rose point were copied from coral
branches. A beautiful set of raSe point
was on exhibition in large jewellers
store few years since that had be-
lODged to the Empress Josephine. 1t
was not as fine rs our more modern
point d'Alencon, but was beautiful
and intricate pattern, and had the
peculiar soft yellow that only age can
give lace.
JosephIne's Laces.
Josephine was fond of laces, for at
the Centennial Exhibition there was
complete set of laces for evening toilet,
including the handkerchief which ar
ticle of wearing apparel she always car
ried to hide her defective teeth. 1t was
she who set the fashion for using hand
kerChiefS openly. Before she set the
fashion people carried them in close
pockets and were not so bold in using
them as in the nineteenth century.
This Centennial lace bore Il near re-
semblance TO Irish point, one OF the
most beautiful and distinctive of white
laCes. 1t is chiefly made by the nuns
in the converts in Ireland, and is rs
different from the crochetted lace, that
Americans insist upon calling Irish
point, as il is from point de Venice, and
all this trimming so much in vogue at
the present time is clear imitation of
Irish Cut-wOrk.
The Lace Passion.
I
leaves and flowers dawn in such
manner that each flower touches some
other flower; the edges are then en-
broidered, and the main body of the
cloth is cut away, leavinga lovely open
design, while loops and wheels join the
whole and give it lace-like finish, but
it bears not even the most remote re-
sem blance to Irish point.
The fascination and delight that the
study of lace affords is only revealed 10
the genuine lover of the art-an art as
instructive Us il is beautiful, and no
more faithful pOrtraiture of the floral
peculiarities of various countries is pro-
duced than will he found in lace pat
terms. Spanish lace contains large
heavy-headed tropical roses and lilies,
Irish lace the beautiful hawthorn
blooms, France reproduces her own
fleur-de-lis and glOire de Dion, Italy
delights in the productions of the sea,
and Germany in tulips and hyacinths,
while the lace made in Mexico is an eX-
quisite picture of the prickly pear and
cactus.
NO American Laces
In America We do not work in lace
at all, and il is only lately that machine
its want of uniformity and frequent inn
projections it is not used except on
ready-made dresses. We are too rest
less in temperament and too anxious
for results to make patient lace work
ers. But for women who can judge for
themselves America has its advantages
to buyers. Owing to the want ofappre-
citation for handmade lace merchants
oftentimes become discouraged with
having stock on hand for long time,
and the most wonderful bargains are
offered. For instance, Macy sold the
other day lot of guipure capes for
3 30 apiece, that cost ST. 80 to import
TO this country. They were not exact
" the modern style, but very nearly so,
and extremely pretty lace.
The Lace Revival.
Mantillas will be worn this summer
for the first time in many years and
there is no more charming style in the
world than these Spanish wells. They
differ in shape from the old mantilla,
which was high on the arms; these are
really only large points and can very
well be utilized for Overskirts. They
come chiefly in hand-rue Spanish lace,
which is great improvement on the
| ordinary Spanish lace; the little cord
around the flowers and leaves gives it q
definiteness and character that 1t has
| always lacked. Lace-makers Of late
wears have found out the advantage and
| beauty of combining different kinds of
lace. II is in fact a revival of lace of
| the sixteenth and seventeenth GEN.
| turtles. Duchesse with point de Venice
makes lighter lace than duehesse and
| not so expensive as point de Venice.
Point and point de Venice is another
happy thought and q triple combina-
| ton is seen in duchesse, point de Venice
and round point. In Chantilly the
heavy, thick look is made more trans
parent by the introduction of escurial
! leaves and medallions.
| Manila Laos.
Among the white laees very effect
i've lace is the Florentine, an imitation
| of lace made in the sixteenth century
| in Burano by the new school there.
Manila lace is rare in this country. A
| naval officer brought q short time ago,
beautiful veil from the Island of Man.
lila, and his wife presented it to the Con.
vent Of the Visitation at Georgetown,
where it now adorns the statue of the
Blessed Virgin. He speaks of one of
the curiosities of the island being q
priests robe made of Manila lace, and
valued at Sll, 900. For six years five
girls labored patiently at this one gar
ment. A far more difficult task than
making lace with the ordinary thread,
as pima is brittle and breaks, therefore
the greatest perseverance and patience
IS required. What hopes and fears and