New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-03-28
NATIVE LACE EXHIBITED
Wives and Daughters of TivoIi
Farmers Do Good Work.
SHOW LITTLE ORIGINALITY
Their Work in Copying Pieces,
However, Compares with That
of Foreign Creators.

I'm exhibition and sale Of laces was held
yesterday under the auspices Of ST. sylvia
Cottage Industries. Of Tivoli, \. Y, at the
house Of the Countess de Laugier-Villars
No 3tl Fifth avenue. The school was
founded by the Countesss sister, Mrs
Geraldyu Redmond, for the purpose II
teaching lacemaking and embroidery to the
country women living IN the neighborhood
OF Tiyoli where the countess and Mrs. Red
mond have country estates.
Mrs. Redmond gave the building and pro-
vided expert teachers i'm the making Of
Italian flet and Irish lsces and so expert
have the women become IN the work that
the school is now almost on a Support
ing basis
The countess, Mrs. Redmond, Mrs. How
land Pell, Mrs. Campbell Steward and 9TH
ers acted as saleswomen yesterday.
When one thinks Of handmade lace one
thinks instantly of Italian women or
French women or Irish women as the
makers. And they do make most Of 1t,
even in this country. Whenever a revival
OF the lacemaklng industry is undertaken
by school or settlement or society It is
the daughters OF immigrants who are the
pupils and workers.
There is one exception. however-up in
the little town of Tivoli on the Hudson
and this exception proves that American
women can II they're taught make lace as
beautiful as tho handiwork OF any child Of
Italy or Ireland.
All sorts OF pieces were shown at the sale
yesterday. from a hedspread to shoes for i
baby. Many were copies OF old European
pieces, for a friend Of the work who has
travelled n great deal acts as designer for
st. Sylvia's. one table throw shows four
OF the twelve squares Of flet, illustrating
the twelve months Of the year, that mako
up a bedspread in the South Kensington
Museum, in London other pieces copy the
designs in the famous tapestry at BayeuX.
Some Of the cushion covers shown were
lovely-wonderful pieces OF cut work and
flct done in pure white, H. for the most
immaculate boudoir. Then there were
cases for nightgowns and wonderful centre
pieces and doilIcs for the table jabots like
cobwebs and baby caps which an infant
princess might be proud to wear. with the
caps went baby shoes upon whose ridcu-
lous two inches Of length no end Of deli
cate embroidery had been lavished.
Design is not taught at the little model
factory at Tiyoi The women who foster
the industry say that the farmers dauSh-
ters do not possess the requisite inventive
ness, and that II could not be awakened
IN them. thing they are very slow to
learn is to sew the different parts Of a
bedspread or table cover or whatever they
may be making together
Girls in Europe do not have TO be shown
how TO put the parts OF a work together:
they are taught in the schools 10 sew:
but our American girls and women don't
know how 10 sew friend of St Syl-
Was industries said Yesterday.
Work Is given out at tho little Tivoli
factory 10 those who desire 10 do it at
their homes. Some pretty pincushlons
shown yesterday had covers OF Irish lace
made by sick mother OF little children.
II is her one accomplishment and she
earns a nice little sum by IT. Al the little
factory the lace covers are washed and
fitted on elaborate satin pincushlons,
which are made Of Che very best materials.
The friend who does the buying for St.
sylyia's Cottage Industries insists that
everything shall DO OF the best.