The Washington herald., 1909-05-09
Rr RUDoLPH De zAPP.

4 loan collection Of laces, embroideries-
fans and the ike. on view at the Nation
al Museum, in this city. has awakened
public interest in the history OF lace. and
the following lines in this connection will
prove of interest:
The history OF this dainty and exquis-
tie fabric cannot easily be fxed with
precision, for the making Of lace Is 2
development rather than an invention.
The one name covers fabrics made OF
several materials and by two different
methods. which are distinct in their
origin. Point lace is q form Of embroid-
cry; pillow. or more accurately speaking.
bObbin lace-for the other kind Is some
times made on pillows an elaboration
Of plating. and this is almost q species
OF weaving, TO which the modern ma
chine-made lace is still more closely
allied. But the difference OF origin is
only plain 10 experts. and the confusion
Is increased 70 the ordinary mind by the
term point being frequently extended TO
Iaces which are really bobbia-made-
Needle-made lace Is, probably, the
older form for ornamental embroidery.
Long before the days OF Solomon, kings
daughters were adorned with ''raiment
Of needlework" Elaborate netting has
been found even IL Egyptian tornbs. and
many wrappings are adorned with drawn
work Out-work and other open ornamer-
tation. The hangings Of the Jewish
tabernacle were embroidered. as may
have been the gOodly BabyIonish garment
that was fatal 10 Achan- The East, gen
orally, was noted for work OF this kind
Robes thus ornaraenteG. though in simple
fashion, were worn by Scandinavian
chiefs, and none were too elaborate for
the luxurious Romans OF the empire.
Even Christianity. though the church
rightly discountenanced extravagznces in
apparel. did not put an end TO the art,
though It was then more often devoted
20 sacred uses, and many ladies OF high
birth were noted for their skill with the
needle. Il aourished al through and
beyond the Middle Ages. a daily oecu-
patton OF ladies alike in their homes and
nuns in their converts. Indeed. in the
fourteenth century. lace was often known
as nuns work But Il was not TIL about
the sixteenth that the special work which
now bears the name Of lace became gen
eTal and then as q development OF cut
work embroidery
The invention, so far as that term IS
appropriate OF needle-ma6e lace Is
claimed by the Italians. but Il IS uzcer-
tain whence they derived the the primary
idea Some think il was from the Greeks
of the lower empire. some, with less
probability. say from the Saracens, but
/ IL 1-I
IL the fifteenth century. when its head
quarters were al Venice
Before the middle OF the sixteenth
century il had become so fashionable
that extravagant use was forbidden py q
law passed in 15a2 Venetian point lace
Of which there we're several varieties
became famous ali over Europe. One OF
the most beautiful, called mermaid s
( lace has had curious romance corr
nected with IL A young sailor, On his
return from the southern seas. brought
a corraline-or what goes BY that name
as q gift 10 his betrOthed- Struck By It's
beauty. she initiated ii With her needle
and thus produced the guipure. which
was soon in demand all over Europe
Though the Venetian industry suffered
in the seventeenth century from the de-
veIopment Of French lace. the shops OF
Venice continued 70 empty the purses Of
visitors until the days when revolution
and war inteTfered with the Grand
Tour Venetian point. once wrote Mrs.
Palliser. IS no more The art fingered
longest at Burano, where the lace had 6
character Of its own. but IN the middle
Of the last century its day seemed 70
be past. Since then II has revived, thanks
70 the efforts Of sOr1e of the Italian
sristOcracy.
Lace-making. however, was not mon
opOly OF Venice. Milar. Florence, Genoa,
Naples. and other towns we're noted fol
theI- various products, each Of which
! had its distinctive style. Nor was il
restricted to Italy. Malta has long been
noted for its lace. and the fabrics Of other
islands in the Mediterranean are not
without repute. Spanish point" though
always valued in fits Own country, was
less known outside il till about 1880, when
the dissolution OF the converts caused
the sale Of much beautiful work. which
had been made By the nuns Italy. how