The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-27
LACES OF THE UNIVERSE
A Hidden Collection of Rare Speci-
mems in This City.
famous Designs In the Possession of
nm Official of the Smithsonian In
Needle Illustrating the Grnndeurs
Of Art In Centuries Long Gone by.

|
for that purpose.
The collection contains what are proba-
bly, the finest specimens OF the airy fabric
In this country 1t is worth many thous-
ands OF dollars, and besides being so ex-
tensive as to offer a complete illustration
OF the art OF lace making from the earlies.
examples of the fifteenth century to those
of present day, it contains pieces
which are not only exquisite in themselves,
but interesting from an historical point o,
view.
Thus, there is a superb spread which
once adorned the bed OF Catherine Da Me-
dici. and there is most wonderful ard
| puzzling piece Of handiwork in the figure
Of woman worked on the original n ate
rial with bu.tonhole stitch and cross ID
| and laid over till the figure Is PERFECTLY
| wrought. yet the whole is so delicatsly
| done that it is scarcely discernible with
I out the aid of microscope. From the ear
| lest specimens OF drawn work the collec-
ton embraces examples CT Pom Point Coui e,
Rose Point de Venise. Point Plat. Raised
Point de Venice. and Bobbin lace, OF
which the earliest examples come from
Milanese villages and Milan itself. There
are some splendid Genoese founces. ons
Of them nearly twelve feet long and four
teen or sixteen inches wide. The Flemish
laces are the most perfect examples that
the professor could secure. and the de-.
signs. 1t Is said. show very distinctly the
work OF the different Flemish towIs and
in some cases their effect on the work II
certain Valenciernes laeemakers There
ap orxvff1
style as we'll IS Point de Binche, beautiful
Duchesse parasol covers. and a Chantiliy
!, black bordered shade of white Duchesse
centre
Some specimens Of valenciennes from
Client date from IT'S. there are exquis sits
pieces CT rare Maline lace. a fairy web
shawl OF Brussels. Point d'Alepcon bits.
Spanish lace (made. however. in nort!sern
Frarce), and hundreds OF fantasies In
thread, each one of which would merit al
separate description. g
Prof. Wilson has made an exhaustive
enquiry into the history of lace and Lace
making, which he intends publishing at no
very distant date. 1t appears that the
early examples of drawn net work adorned
with geometrical patterns the Oldest OF
which come from Venice, were probably
derived from the Ionian Islands and
Greece. and. indeed. the cut work itself
The intimate connection of the proud and
powerful Venetian Republic with Greece
and the East sufficiently explains the early
transplanting of these arts into Venice.
Once established. they were developed by
the italian artistic genius of the sixteenth
century into things of beauty and Joy, as
many present-day owner and wearer will
attest
The making of the principal and most
frvrr- -fovx -f-&~~
lace. the 'punto in aria" began to be
practiced in the middle of the sixteenth
century. One Of the features of lace
making at that time. and one showing the
immense impetus given to the industry
throughout Europe was the number of
pattern books published. The earliest OF
these. SO far as known. was published at
Venice in 1921. and another in the same
year at Cologne. A similar book OF lace
fashion plates was published at Paris in
1880. From these early dates until the be-
ginning of the seventeenth century pat
tern books for embroidery in Italy, France.
Germany. and England were produced and
published in great abundance. The de-
signs contained in many of those dating
from the early sixteenth century were to
be worked for costumes and hangings and
consisted of scrolls. arabesques. birds,
animals, flowers. foliage. herbs, and
grasses.
1t is a remarkable fact that the two
widely distant regions of Europe where
pictorial art first fourished and attained
a high perfection. north Italy and FIan-
ders. were precisely the localities where
lacemaking first took place and became an
industry of Importance. both from an ar
tistic and commercial point of view. e.
Pillow lace is usually regarded as 8
Flemish invention. but there is no proof OF r.
this fact. \ picture attributed to Quentin
Matsys G495). in the Church of st. CAM
mar. at Lierre. represents a girl working
lace with pillow. bobbins. ETC.. which are
somewhat similar to the implements at
present in use. France and England were
not far behind Venice and Flanders in
adopting lace Henry III of France u51i-
1881 appointed Venetian. Frederick Vim
colo. to be pattern-maker for varieties of =
linen needle works and laces to his court
Through the influence of this artistic de-
signer the taste for lace in France was first
But the influence which made
France eminent in the industry of lace
making. an art so suited to the taste
and skill of the people was primarily due
to Colbert, then Minister of State to Louis
XIV. Colbert. himself a draper by early
avocation. foresaw the immense benefit the
country would derive from the new indus
try, and he secured in 1865 an edict from
the King establishing acemaking centres
at Alencon. Quesnoy Arras, Rheims Sc
dan. Chateau Thierny Londun and else
where. The State made a contribution Of
80. Geo francs in aid of n company to carry
out the organization of these establish
.nents. and at the same time the importa-
ton Of Venetian. Flemish and other faces
was strictly forbidden. This edict also con-
tanned instructions for producing all sorts
Of thread work. founded upon the most ap-
proved methods then in vogue at Venice.
Genoa. Ragusa. and other places. These
French limitations were to be called
bassador at Paris writes "Gallantly is the
Minister Colbert on his way to bring the
'favonia d'aria' to perfection
The French laces rapidly attained. IL
anything greater perfection than the
Italian models and the State revenues de-
rived from the factories fully justified the
wisdom of Colbert in establishing the in
dustry. This method of putting an i'm
portant branch of industrial enterprise
under the Government was appreciated by
the great English philosopher Bishop
who writes, "How could France
and Flanders have drawn much money
rom other countries for figured silk lace.
and tapestry II they had not had their
academies of design"
Spain and Russia have produced some
wonderfully fine lace work. and the ma
thine made article (which, however. does
not obtain the attention of connosseursJ
IS a large industry in England and this
1t may be remarked that since
1880 no distinctly new pattern or style has
been wrought in lace.
Former President Question Solved.
(From the Minneapolis Tribune)
The beautv of the caue nf poIf ia thar IL ,Hnpf-