Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-02-08

In the show windows of a down
town store there is exhibited a sign
that something new under the sun has
at last been discovered, and the arti-
Gle in question is called metal lace,
with fair samples o. it displayed for
examination. That il is something
new, however. is only partly true, but
in the new forms in which it is eXhib-
tied il probably comes as near to a new
thing as is possible.
The metal lace is a product Of the
metal workers art that shows how
skilfully gold. silver. platinum, or any
other hard Substance can be spun out
and woven into patterns of great deli
cacy. The artisans have practically
made metal lace by spinning the metal
cut into very fine threads. and then
weaving them by hand into a design
which exactly resembles the finest lace.
The patterns are mostly of conven-
iional designs. and are taken direct
iron: lacework. Both common and ex-
rensive lace patterns are initiated.
The work is done in gold silver,
platinum. white metal and occasion
ally in other malleable substances. 1t
Is for the most part laid over back
grounds of solid metal to give 1t an ar
tistic finish. When not attached to
any solid substance ii is SO frail that
Z little handling will break it.
For ornamenting lamp shades. stat.
nary. and metal vases a.. urns. metal
lace has no superior. and it has al
ready become popular in certain lines
Of trade
ii will prove serviceable for indoor
decoration in time" explained an eX-
pert workman in metals few days
ago. Architects today are using more
and more metal. This is all due to
the cheapening processes of manufac-
turing the different metals, and to the
skill of the workman in fashioning
them in artistic forms. Now metal
lace is something that follows along
this same line OF Improvement. Here
is the very acme OF metal workman
snip. made so fine and delicate that
il cannot be handled with impunity
Yet when We lay ii on tie proper
anu IdSttH IL II
should last as long rs the article to
which il is attached. Metal lace will
improve with age. The old. worn look
which attaches TO old brass or gold
work comes in time To metal lace
''Of course. the kind of metal and the
nature of the design determine its
price TO large extent. We rarely
make IL SO that it sells for prices with
in the range of the poor. IL is strict
~ the rich mans ornament. Here is
some gold lace which We can sell for
$500 yard. and we have had some that
retailed AT $1,000 yard. guess that
is about the most expensive lace in
the market Even your genuine old
point lace will have to take back
seat when the finest specimens of gold
lace are exhibited. Silver lace. of
course is cor:espondinsly cheaper
Cold makes the best patterns, be-
cause II is possible TO spin IL out TO
the finest thread Imaginable. and at
the same time it proves strong and
tenacious. II is consequently easier
to work this metal up INTO delicate
lace. Platinum spreads out into very
fine thread. and we have it here woven
into lacework far more delicate than
any woven of cotton or linen. Here
are platinum threads which YOU can
hardly see with your eyes. and when
woven into lace. the effect is about
as cobwebby as you can imagine any
thing. But these cobwebs OF metal are
as bright and FURNISHED as if the sun
had suddenly broken out upon them"
New York Times