The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-02-18
Laces Rich and Rare.

The New York World gives the follow
ing description of some of the laces in the
collection of the late Mrs. John Jacob
Astor, which under her will go to the
Metropolitan Museum of Art:
"The choicest bits in Mrs Astor's col
lection are representative of the best
schools of the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries. One Point de France fichu
cost Mrs. Astor $1,000. 1t was made
by French peasants wife in the Arden
mes between 1856 and1 730, and at one time
belonged to Empress Josephine. Similar
ly most of the laces in the collection belonged
at one time or another to famous ladies of
royal and aristocratic families, for their
high cost precluded any but the very rich
estpeople from possessing them. The Point
Coupe is the Oldest piece in the collection,
having been made by the cunning hand of
Frenchwoman in 1850. 1t cost over g.
800, and another piece of similar make,
which dates from 1880 to 1000, cost
nearly as much. Another old piece is a
Guipure de Belgique, which cost 50, 100,
and was made at Brussels between 1890
and 1850 by Nine. Quimet. A dress
trimming of Point de Venise, which cost
$4,000, is one of the largest pieces in the
collection, and was made in the half cen
tury between 1850 and 1700 The EN-
press Eugene, who was at one time great
lace lover, is said to have been negotiating
for its purchase when it came into Mrs.
Astor's collection. Another very old piece
of lace which the collection contains is q
Point Cerepe which was made in 1880.
"0ne of the most precious specimens Of
Valenciennes in existence is bit in the
collection dating from 1870, and which the
late Mrs. Astor frequently wore. Another
favorite with her was Guipure d'Angle-
terre, made between 1870 and 100, one
of the few specimens representing this
school in existence, and perhaps the only
one in America. 1t cost, it is said, 81 800.
The high cost of these laces even forty
years ago, when they were relatively cheap
er than at present, is explained partly by
the few people who knew the secret of
their manufacture in those old times, and
the great time and labor involved in their
production, and partly by their rarity,
only small number of undoubted anti
putty having survived intact. Others, too,
were more highly priced because of their
associations and former possession by his
toric personages. It is not too much to
say that many of these laces have witness
ed .some of the great court pageants of
Europe,
"a Guipure de Malines made in the
latter part of the seventeenth century, one
of the valuable specimens in the collection,
and q Point de France, of somewhat ear
lier date, are said to have belonged 10
two Orleans Princesses long since gathered
to their fathers. There are likewise two
beautiful pieces of Point de Brabant made
between 1850 and 1900, and which cost
81 800 apiece, that are associated with
memories of the ladies of the first Napoleo-
mic generation. Two exquisite specimens
of Point de Venise, made between 1850
and 1900, and Point d 'Alencon, of 1900,
have ecclesiastical associations, being said
to have come from the estate of one of the
Roman Cardinals.
"Besides the laces mentioned there are
ffty-6ve other pieces in the collection of
scarcely less value and interest and each
of which cost Mrs. Astor from Sa00 to ST.
sA00.n