The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-28

SONS. birds and dragon flies IT'S fora
sprays, like those in the f1ounce oil
point d'Angleterre in the central case
mo. XXTV.l, suggest the plates Of
floral ornament designed by Pillement
In Case XIII. a group Of French and
Flemish laces has been arranged to
illustrate characteristic patterns of the
eighteenth century. No. SO, a striI
of point d,Angleterre, shows an in
verted pattern with an interesting
swan motive. No. "a is a strip of old
Mechlin (Malines) with floral sprays
medallions and bowknots. Mechlin lace
is perfectly fiat fabric made on the
pillow. the pattern and mesh at the
same time, the pattern being outlined
with a thread that often has a silky
texture. The mesh is what is known
as the Flemish "droschel" or oral
resedu, hexagonal with two sides
braided and four sides twisted. In
bobbin lace the threads of the mesh
are always twisted or braided, while
those of the pattern have a woven
technique like the warp and weft
threads of linen. In needlepoint the
whole pattern is built up on the but
tonhole stitch, the solid part formed
by each row of stitches being looped
into those of the preceding row. No.
65 Is strip of Brussels, with delightful
personnd0es, courtiers and ladies in
costumes of the Louis XIV. period. Gu
pids, swans, and dogs. The details of
the pattern are made on the pillow
and then arranged face downward and
the mesh of reseau worked in after
ward This has the same droschel
ground as the Mechlin, differing only
in the number of stitches in the two
braided sides of the hexagonal mesh.
No. Sc is a charming strip of Binche,
often referred to as "old Valenciennes."
with a ground of forde de nei0e--a
stitch resembling snow crystals and
distinctly characteristic of this fabric.
No. 81 is Valenciennes. a typical spec
linen Of the late eighteenth century
differing in texture from the modern
fabric that more frequently has the
square rather than the round mesh
and is always more sheer.
The founce shown in Case XIV.
(No. 6S) illustrates the most difficult
Brussels technique, the filmy threads
OF the ground being woven on a pill
low in narrow strips of about half an
inch in width and then Joined at the
edges until a piece of the necessary
width Is acquired. The sprays of the
pattern are made separately on a pill
low and afterward applied on the
delicate grounding. The figure mo-
in M ~
point. This without question is one
of the finest examples of Flemish lace
work in existence, by reason of its
extreme delicacy OF texture, charm of
pattern and remarkable dimensions.
The two pieces in Case XIV. (Nos.
$500 represent north italian bobbin
lace of the seventeenth century, when
the patterns were still bold in outline.
In the early days of lacemaking the
fabric was confined principally to tho
ornamentation OF fine household and
church linen. No 60, probably Geno-
ese, has for its design a highly con-
ventionaliZed branch of leaves worked
in quadrangular units on a square pill
low, while No. 70 has an inverted pat
tern of formal vases.
Case No. XVI. contains other exam
Piles of applied lace of the same tech
mque as the flounce in Case XIV.
No. II again represents the marvellous
patience of Flemish lacemakers-an
exquisite dress such as was worn
toward the close of the eighteenth
century and we'll on into the Empire
period, short wasted frock with
low cut bodice and small pulled
sleeves of the finest droschel net
worked in needlepoint with a leaf
pattern in field SEINE with dots. The
five sets of lappets (Nos. 1916 in this
case are of the same general charac-
ter, the droschel ground with dots and
sprays of bobbin work.
Case XVII. shows still another type
Of applied lace, but OF much earlier
date (No. I'D; a Sicilian church piece
the trimming of an alb. The pattern
is of fine linen cut in a foliated scroll
a technique similar to the Irish Car
rlckmacross work, and applied on a
net ground called Buratto, which was
made in narrow strips on small hand
looms. An interesting feature of this
piece is jeu d'esprit introduced by
the worker. single animal figure that
appears but once in the entire length
of the strip and may possibly be some
heraldic device of the person for whom
the lace was made.
In the first of the central cases (No
XVIII) may be seen two beautiful
examples of point de France. one. No.
IS, in the style of the fiat Venetian
with an elaborate foliated scroll; the
second, No. 70, typical French work
with an ornate design of pome-
granates. Directly above this piece is
a strip Of great delicacy (No. 500 I'm a
Brussels fabric OF the Empire period
with wreath motives inclosing alter
nately the Napoleonic bee and the
monogram of Maria Louisa, Empress
of France and second wife of Napoleon
or equal interest is the wedding lace
OF Queen Charlotte (No. S1), wife of
George III. of England, displayed IN
Case XIX. This beautiful flounce ~
point dArgentan has a design Of
floral and ribbon motives and is NJ
unusual size. Following the custom of