The times., 1899-06-11
HISTORICAL Lace
FOR BLENHEIM
1t Is Being Provided by Its
American Mistress.
The gorgeous Web Will Cost a
Fortune.
Consuelo enthusiastically Interests
Guirc Mt Least Four Years.

The Duchess of Marlborough has two
very pronounced tastes-fne jewels and
rare lace. This fondness which her grace
| displays was doubtless inherited from her
mother. Mrs. o. H. p Belmont, who is
extravagantIy fond OF costly lace. and from
the time little Consuelo. the present Ouch
ess. was born Mrs. Belmont was collecting
rare lace for her daughters trousseaa.
The lace which her mother collected for
| her and which the Duchess took 10 Bien-
| helm was valued at over 100000, and
since then her grace has more than dou-
bled her collection and its value
Once she possesses piece OF lace moth
ing viii tempt her to part with it. and it
is said she frequently looks over and fon-
dies her treasures as miser does his gold.
Here is an instance to the point The
Princess of Wales is a great friend OF the
| little American Duchess, and they are in
innate and informal in their relations. The
| Princess is also devoted to old lace, and
| the Duchess spent entire afternoon
showing her treasures to the Princess
In the lot was one very rare and Won
derfuI piece Of old Italian lace, which had
once been part OF a Pope's or high priests
robe. The Duchess bought it when she
was in Rome on her wedding journey, and
paid an enormous sum for the piece. The
lace is exquisitely wrought of finest thread
in design of flowers and scrolls, and the
Princess was greatly taken with it. She
asked the Duchess if she could be tempted
to part with it to any one, and the Ouch
ess replied: No, to no one"
The Princess said no more at the time,
but the next day her royal highness sent
| her equerry to state that the princess
would be willing to give the Duchess ex-
actly double the price she paid for the lace,
and asked IL her grace would let her have
| it as personal favor.
| The Duchess has a good deal of the old
| commodore in her composition. with any
amount of American independence. and
| where any other peeress Of the kingdom
| would have sent the lace post haste and
| deemed it an honor to be allowed to do
| so, the American Duchess returned note
saying that nothing could make her
/ change her mind, not even were Marl-
borough house to be offered in return.
| The Duchess latest investment in lace
makes it doubtful whether so costly and
ambitious an order was ever given before,
unless, perhaps, by some French queens OF
long ago.
| The lace in question is being made by
| the most accomplished French weayers,
and is in nine pieces. 1t is not to wear,
but consists of six curtains. two bed dra-
peries and counterpane, or bed covering.
When the lace is finished. which will be
soon, it will fetch all together the pretty
| figure of $4,000.
| The bed curtains will cost $4,000, the
window curtains 81 600 each, and the coun-
terpane the sum of $1,000.
The lace makers employed have worked
| on these pieces night and day for three
years, and twelve more months will be
required TO complete the order.
The designs for the lace were all sug-
gested by the Duchess herself, who has
had them carried out after her own IDEAS
/ Every year when she goes to Paris to Or
der her wardrobe she examines the work
that has been done, and it has pleased her
greatly as it has progressed.
The designs for the window curtains are
| elaborate scenes from the chase. carried
| out in the minutest detail the faces, the
| figures, the landscape and all being as
clear and fine as the needle can possible
| make them
These scenes are all wrought out on a
| groundwork of Illusion SC sheer and fine
and delicate that il looks as if the lace
| pictures were resting against the clear
| glass Of the window instead of on net.
| These curtains. by the way, are not in
tended to drape back, but to hang straight
down over each window. so that the ex-
| quisite pattern shows of clearly.
| Around these plain lace centres with the
| design is a border of most marvellous work
in flowers and fruit crowded richly to-
| gether The scenes on each curtain are diff
| ferent and all are suggestive of Blenheim
| and Woodstock. There are the familiar
4 1ar,. Of all
Of the scenes some view OF the castle ap-
pears.
| One scene represents stag hunting, an
other the shooting OF birds, one fox hunt
| ing in full cry, another the start and a
| third the finish. The sixth curtain has a
scene representing falcon flying, and in
| this one the Duchess Is in the centre hold
| ing a hawk on her wrist
| All these scenes are distinctly the Blen-
| helm of today and modern in every detail
The costumes are such as are worn at the
| chase, and the figures of the Duke and
| Duchess wherever they appear are perfect
portraits as far as such small figures can
be made portraits with a needle. The little
Blenheim spaniels appear in several of the
! scenes and are perfectly executed.
| The two bed draperies have the same
border of crowded fruit and flowers as the
| window curtains. but the centre design is
| simple, the Marlborough arms being car
ried out in perfect detail with the crest at
| the top and all the quarterings.
| The counterpane is quite as elaborate
| however, as the window curtains. and the
| centre represents the finest view OF Bleu-
| helm palace, with the grounds in front
| This is wrought beautifully and will be
| spread over some pale color TO display
| the design to its fullest beauty.
The Duchess ordered these elaborate
| lace curtains unknown TO the Duke. who
was only let into the secret about six
| months ago. He was inclined to look upon
| it as an extravaganza. but the Duchess
| soon explained 10 him that she desired 10
leave some special thing for posterity. and
! this lace will become famous and Will be
of a certain historic value. as it represents
the chase and the hunt of today In its va
| rious branches
| Flower Fnncies.
| Tho Tananese have n ctlsfnm of ceIehrat-