Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1897-11-17
A WONDERFUL CARPET.
English Women Will Present Il to the
Queen,

Queen.
At Bridgnorth, within stones
throw of the home OF Bishop Percy,
whose "Reliques" have justified the
preservation of his house, for nearly
four months past women have been
weaving with deft fingers the magnifi-
cent fabric which will be offered for
Queen Vlctoria's acceptance. 1t ia in
keeping with the loyalty OF the giVers
says the London Chronicle, that the
carpet should be manufactured in a
town which claims as its civic motto.
"Fideltas Urbis Salus Regis" That
such a carpet was in course of manu-
facture was generally known, but no
description of it has been made pub
lic
In fact few, except the Prince of
Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, and the
Duchess of Teck-in whose mind orig
mated the form which the gift was to
take-have had an opportunity of in
specting the designs. When finished
it will measure IS feet by 16, and, al
though of unusually fine texture, is up
ward Of an inch in thickness.
It was originally intended that the
material should be mohair, but on
subsequent consideration the finest
worsted yarn was used, inasmuch as
this gives the frmest and most dur
able service. The coloring Is regal in
its richness, the whole being conceived
with view to harmonizing with the
surroundings of the throne room,
where it will be used on state occas-
ions.
The centre, which is IN two shades
of crimson damask, contains the mono.
gram "V. R. 1" in bold letters Of gold.
supported by the Tudor rose and the
Star of India, the whole being inclosed
in garter bearing the motto, "Honi
soft uui NAL y pense," surmounted by
the imperial crown entwined by
wreath of oak leaves, tied with rib
bon.
A marked feature Is the border in
which, On an ecru ground, ana In pro-
per colors, the rose, the shamrock, the
thistle and the lotus flower (tne latter
emblematical of India) are continued
until the corners are reached:
At the angles are animals allegorl-
cal Of the colonies; the tiger repre-
senting India, the elephant Africa, the
beaver Canada, and the kangaroo Aus
tralia. The whole Of these animals
are lifelike in coloring and attitude,
and were specially sketched at the Zoo
for the purpose of the design. The eX-
treme edge Of the carpet has the coI-
ventional band, worked in soft gold.
The Midland looms have rarely pro-
duced anything SO strik;ngly beautiful.
Technically described, the carpet Is
what is known as royal Administer,
every one of the thousand cords being
separately tied by skilled female
hands. This fact lends additional in
terest to a gift offered by women u
their queen.
The loom on which the carpet Wa
produced consists mainly Of two stron,
wooden beams, over each of which Tie
work is stretched, and is in every way
identical with those on which the old
est examples of Oriental carpets were
made. Real Administer is only pro-
duced by very few firms in England
at the present time, the exceedingly
slow process necessary rendering 1t ex-
tremely costly, and consequently Great
ing 4 somewhat exclusive demand.
Since the middle of February no
fewer than twelve girls have been reg
ularly employed on the carpet, the
number of hands being limited by the
size of the loom. All of them showed
the greatest interest in the national
gift, and individually endeavored to
turn out an article which will not only
be credit to the firm by whom they
are employed, but will be singularly
handsome example of the superiority
of this branch of British industry.
A case composed of polished oak is
being made for its reception, and as
the latter is only to be used on state
occasions, there is no reason why it
should not remind many future sover.
eigns of the love and reverence in
which Queen Victoria was held by the
women of England throughout all tho
years of her record reign.