New-York tribune., 1902-01-26
PLACE OF LACE IN HISTORY
RUFFS LIKE PAPER IN STIFFNESS
NIGHTCAPS FOR TIE DYING FOR
TUNES SPENT BY QUEENS AND
ROYAL PERSONAGES.
ROYAL PERSONAGES.

All collectors or students of antique handmade
lace familiar with the classic work on the
subject written by the late Mrs. Bury Pallser, the
last edition which published nearly thlrty
years ago. and has long been out of print says
The London Daily Telegraph A new edition mas
just been issued by Messrs. Sampson Low MarStoh
& Co. which has been entirely revised, rewritten
and enlarged. under the editOriship OF NJ Jourdain
and Miss Alice Dryden. The chapters on Spaln'
Arencon and Argentan and the introductory chap
ters on needlework have been wholly remodelled
and rewritten, and hundred new Illustrations
have been added, together with several his'
portraits to show the different fashions oil wearing
lace The result is volume of singular peaut!
and completeness giving practically for the first
time an exhaustive history of what Is one OF 'he
dointiest and most exquisite products OF lndusrE-
Its popularity has not been confined to any one
country or any century though the days OF
gigantic ruffs and ruiies and long dTooplhs cO'"'s
have long since passed away
The ruff at the close Of the sixteenth century
had attained such outrageous size that the
wearers could scarcely turn their heads. They
were so stirrened that they cracked like paper. and
the story is told that queen MargOt Of Navarro
was compelled one day. when seated at dinner, to
send for a spoon with a handle two feet in length
wherewith to eat her soup. England suffered rom
the same mania. and the rage lasted in one form
or another down to the close of the eighteenth
century affecting both men and women alike
when a princess of France married. 1t was no
uncommon thing for the bill for her laces and
!ace-edged linens and counterpanes 10 amount 10
ce5GO and a 5000 trOusseau was OF ordinary
occurrence. Similarly. throughout the stuart
regime In England. cavaliers and their wives de-
lighted to cucumber their estates In order 10
crafty their taste for lace: and even II Cromwe'
lived as a Puritan. his body after death was more
gorgeousy attired than that of deceased sover-
eign. with purple velvet. ermne and the richest
Flanders lace.
James IL died at St Germans in laced night
wbcp the King was in extremis as a compliment
to Louis XIV. 1t was the court etiquette for all
ioquet IS stn preserved in the museum at Dun Dun
Tk 299Tnns an m wnd nd nsen Marg had passion
for lace. The Queens lace bill for 1854 reached the
The lace for six new razor cloths cost him 30
and the cut work for twelve handkeTchieis , afs";
patronage. and Bandford point lace sold for as
Gt minister ABBEY the queen is represented wear
ing lace tucker and double sleeves Oh Tue lIt ;b
Iads faiseG draval HrmGg and PGlna rncs %''s '"S ~
the reign boS of ~ feP er AFne Fneneh pon or p
head and rufles. 40 for handkerchief and TO Tor
oy E"EH dr the Year m providing the with
Mechn and Brussels lace amounted 6 to an II as Iase
iongued Dean Swift in a letter to young woman.
you entertain yourselves with the price and choice
and rufies' as II the whole business of your life
and the public concern depended ON the cut OF your
Brussels lace was the fashion during the reigns
Galiicans was founded by certain patriots for the
distribution of prizes for bone point lace and other
articles OF English manufacture. Yet, though the
import of French. Spanish and Venetian lace was
forbidden by edct, women would have the foreign
product and the smugglers drove profitable trade
George Ill did his best for the native manufacturer
l64 he ordered that all the laCes and stuhs worn
at the wedding OF his sister. Princess Augusta,
should be made in England Three days before
the ceremony the customs officers raided the shop
OF the leading court miiner OF the day and carried
off neQ rIy the whole of the clothes, silver, gold
StufTs and lace found there In disgust the French
woman retired with fortune of fll,en to Versailles,
where she purchased villa and called IL La Fole
des DANES Anglaises.'
Various passed for the benefit of the
home lacemakers but fashion still In favor of
the foreign article. Men well women col
lected lace. and were known by their points and
ruffles People buried in their cOstliest lace
apparel For example. Mrs Oldheld. the actress,
was laid her coffin "in a very fine Brussels lace
head Holland shift with tucker of double
ruffles and a pair of kid gloves
Then. suddenly. at the close of the eighteenth
century, the fashion changed.