| PLATE | |
| [I.] | The Alb, preserved at Assisi, said to have been worn by St. Francis |
| [II.] | The Alb which is said to have been worn by Pope Boniface, A.D. 1298 |
| [III.] | (1) Detail of the Alb of Pope Boniface VIII. (2) Detail of the Assisi Alb |
| [IV.] | Three Pieces of Needlework from Egypto-Roman or Coptic Tombs of the Second and Third Centuries |
| [V.] | (1) A Piece of Bobbin-made Lace (2) Darned Work with White Linen Thread (3) Portion of a Mummy Cloth |
| [VI.] | Two Examples of Italian Tela Tirata and Punto Reale |
| [VII.] | An Example of Early Lacis or Sfilatura |
| [VIII.] | Seven Enlarged Stitches used in Lacis and Linen Lace |
| [IX.] | Five Enlarged Varieties of Réseaux |
| [X.] | Seven Enlarged Varieties of Réseaux |
| [XI.] | Border of Lacis or darned Square Mesh Net Punto a Tela or Linen-Stitch |
| [XII.] | Border of Square Mesh Lacis |
| [XIII.] | Two Examples of Lacis Work |
| [XIV.] | Part of a Quilt |
| [XV.] | Lacis Table-Cover |
| [XVI.] | No. 1. Vandyke Border of Lacis No. 2. Part of a Quilt of Squares of Lacis |
| [XVII.] | Border of Lacis with the Twisted Mesh called Buratto |
| [XVIII.] | Two Borders of Lacis called Buratto |
| [XIX.] | Band of Tela Tirata or Drawn Work |
| [XX.] | Part of a Cover of Tela Tirata or Drawn Work |
| [XXI.] | Band or Flounce of Tela Tirata or Drawn Work |
| [XXII.] | An Infant's Swaddling Band or "Fascia" of Tela Tirata |
| [XXIII.] | Band of a Variety of Tela Tirata |
| [XXIV.] | Linen Cloth with Border |
| [XXV.] | Two Bands |
| [XXVI.] | Pyx Veil of Tela Tirata, or Drawn Thread Work |
| [XXVII.] | A Portion of the Pyx Cloth, to show both sides of the work |
| [XXVIII.] | Three Cloths, Fringed |
| [XXIX.] | Two Borders |
| [XXX.] | Two Borders |
| [XXXI.] | Two Examples |
| [XXXII.] | Chalice Cover of Reticello and Punto in Aria |
| [XXXIII.] | A Reticello Pattern worked in very fine Punto in Aria and Punto Avorio |
| [XXXIV.] | Scalloped Border of a Corporal of Flat Needle-Point Lace, called Punto in Aria |
| [XXXV.] | A Cloth with Insertion and Border of Punto in Aria |
| [XXXVI.] | Needle-Point Border of Flat Needle-Point Lace, called Punto in Aria |
| [XXXVII.] | Ornament for the Neck of an Alb of Punto in Aria |
| [XXXVIII.] | Border and Edging |
| [XXXIX.] | A Lady's Camisia or Shirt |
| [XL.] | Bed-Cover of Cut Linen Lace (Tela Tagliata a Foliami and Punto a Festone) |
| [XLI.] | Rabat of Flat Needle-Point Lace à Brides |
| [XLII.] | Part of a Dress Trimming of very fine Needle-Point, called Rose-Point |
| [XLIII.] | Parts of a Collar of Needle-Point, called Rose-Point or Point de Venise |
| [XLIV.] | Stomacher (for a Dress) of Needle-Point, called Rose-Point or Point de Venise |
| [XLV.] | Part of a Flounce of Needle-Point, called Rose-Point or Point de Venise |
| [XLVI.] | Part of a Beautiful Flounce of Delicate Needle-Point of Raised or Rose-Point Lace, known as Point de Venise |
| [XLVII.] | Portion of XLVI., actual size |
| [XLVIII.] | Paten Cover of Needle-Point Raised, or Rose-Point Lace, very similar in style and gracefulness to that of No. XXXIII. |
| [XLIX.] | A Portion of XLVIII., magnified to show the stitches |
| [L.] | Three Borders of Delicate Needle-Point Raised, or Rose-Point Lace |
| [LI.] | Deep Flounce of Needle-Point Lace à Brides Picotées, usually called Point de France |
| [LII.] | Portion of LI., enlarged |
| [LIII.] | Border of Needle-Point Raised Lace, called Spanish Rose-Point |
| [LIV.] | Two Specimens of Needle-Point Raised Lace, called Spanish Rose-Point |
| [LV.] | Two Examples of Needle-Point Lace |
| [LVI.] | Cap of Needle-Point Lace à Réseau |
| [LVII.] | A Border of Needle-Point Lace, Venetian Point à Réseau |
| [LVIII.] | Two Examples of Venetian Point à Réseau |
| [LIX.] | A Border of Needle-Point Lace, possibly Venetian, though the style is French |
| [LX.] | Two Patterns Needle-Point Lace à Réseau, called Point D'Alençon |
| [LXI.] | Two Borders of Needle-Point Lace à Réseau, called Point D'Alençon |
| [LXII.] | Four Borders of Needle-Point Lace à Réseau, called Point D'Alençon |
| [LXIII.] | Cap-Border of Needle-Point Lace à Réseau, called Point D'Alençon |
| [LXIV.] | Beautiful Lappet of Needle-Point Lace à Réseau, called Point D'Alençon |
| [LXV.] | Three Patterns of Needle-Point Lace à Réseau, called Point D'Alençon |
| [LXVI.] | Two Patterns of Needle-Point Lace à Réseau, called Point D'Alençon |
| [LXVII.] | Cape of Needle-Point called Point D'Alençon |
| [LXVIII.] | Two Borders of Needle-Point Lace |
| [LXIX.] | Lappet of Needle-Point Lace, called Point D'Argentan |
| [LXX.] | Three Specimens of Needle-Point Lace |
| [LXXI.] | Lappet of Needle-Point Lace |
| [LXXII.] | Part of a Scarf |
| [LXXIII.] | Flounce of Machine-made Net with Pattern darned on it |
| [LXXIV.] | Part of Full-Size Cotta of Net with Large Flower Pattern darned in Silk into it |
| [LXXV.] | A Specimen of the Embroidered Muslin Work called Tönder Lace |
| [LXXVI.] | Two Specimens of the Embroidered Muslin Work called Tönder Lace |
| [LXXVII.] | Three Patterns of Muslin Lace |
| [LXXVIII.] | Four Patterns of Dutch Linen Lace |
| [LXXIX.] | (1) Manila Lace (2 and 3) Lace Worked in Needle-Point |
| [LXXX.] | (1) Infant's Baptism Cap (2) A Cap Border |
| [LXXXI.] | Three Specimens of Early Irish Needle-Point Lace |
| [LXXXII.] | Specimen of Knotted and Twisted String or Thread Work, called Macramé |
| [LXXXIII.] | Flounce |
| [LXXXIV.] | Two Patterns of Bobbin-made Lace |
| [LXXXV.] | Four Bobbin-made Laces (reduced in size) |
| [LXXXVI.] | Four Bobbin-made Laces (reduced in size) |
| [LXXXVII.] | Bobbin-made Lace |
| [LXXXVIII.] | Five Bobbin-made Laces |
| [LXXXIX.] | Six Specimens of Lace made before 1850 |
| [XC.] | Two Borders of Bobbin-made Lace à Brides |
| [XCI.] | Flounce of Bobbin-made Lace à Brides, in which the Toilé is well developed |
| [XCII.] | Flounce of Bobbin-made Lace |
| [XCIII.] | Lace as XCII., actual size |
| [XCIV.] | Flounce of Bobbin-made Lace |
| [XCV.] | Part of a Flounce for an Alb, of Bobbin-made Lace à Réseau |
| [XCVI.] | Flounce for an Alb of Bobbin-made Lace à Réseau |
| [XCVII.] | Two Borders of Bobbin-made Lace |
| [XCVIII.] | Three Borders of Bobbin-made Edging |
| [XCIX.] | Bobbin-made Lace à Réseau |
| [C.] | Cap of Bobbin-made Lace, called Point de Flandre à Bride Picotées |
| [CI.] | Three Patterns of Bobbin-made Mechlin Lace |
| [CII.] | Three Borders of Bobbin-made Mechlin Lace |
| [CIII.] | Four Specimens of Bobbin-made Lace called Binche Lace |
| [CIV.] | Three Borders of Bobbin-made Lace à Vrai Réseau de Bruxelles, called Point D'Angleterre |
| [CV.] | Lappet of Bobbin-made Lace, called Point D'Angleterre |
| [CVI.] | Two Parts of a Border of Bobbin-made Lace, called Brussels Point |
| [CVII.] | (1) A Scarf (2) A Cap |
| [CVIII.] | Three Borders of Bobbin-made Lace, called Valenciennes Point |
| [CIX.] | Four Borders of Bobbin-made Lace, called Valenciennes Lace, with Square Mesh Réseau |
| [CX.] | Border of Bobbin-made Lace, with a Point de Paris Réseau |
| [CXI.] | Flounce for a Dress, of Bobbin-made Silk Lace |
| [CXII.] | Three Borders of Bobbin-made Lace, with a réseau of Maglia di Spagna |
| [CXIII.] | Mantilla or Scarf of Bobbin-made Black Silk Lace |
| [CXIV.] | Two Examples of Bobbin-made Insertions |
| [CXV.] | Four Patterns of Italian Gold and Silver Bobbin-made Lace |
| [CXVI.] | Two Lappets of Bobbin-made Black |
| [CXVII.] | Two Borders of Bobbin-made Lace |
| [CXVIII.] | Border, Cap, and Crown of Bobbin-made Lace |
| [CXIX.] | Lappet of Bobbin-made Lace |
| [CXX.] | Two Borders of Appliqué Lace, one with a vandyke edge and one with a mitred or scalloped edge |
[INTRODUCTION]
The idea of giving, by means of photography, full-sized reproductions of my specimens of ancient needle and bobbin-made lace, originated from a desire to avoid unfolding these delicate fabrics when my friends wished to see them. By arranging carefully that several of the photographs should give the exact size of each stitch of the work, seeing and handling the originals have been rendered practically unnecessary. Though many books on lace exist giving most valuable historic, artistic and technical data, none with which I am acquainted give the practical information I have found most desired, that is to say, full-sized representations of the pieces of lace. I therefore think that such reproductions of my specimens may have a wider interest than I had originally imagined, and accordingly I have now prepared them for general publication.
It is impossible to judge of lace from a mere picture of pretty and artistic drapery, or from portraits of great personages wearing lace collars or dress trimmings. Lace in pictures has, in the first place, been interpreted by the painter, and no pencil or brush can show more than the general effect. The stitches in the toilé, or ground of needle-point lace, amount sometimes to several thousand in every square inch; and the almost incredible fineness of the twists in the réseau of pillow laces makes identification very difficult, unless it is founded on observation of actual portions of the fabric. It can hardly be contested that, apart from some generally accepted deductions as to design and time of execution, the chief means of judging lace correctly lies in studying the toilé or clothing, and the groundwork of meshes or réseau. To assist in this, many of the examples of my lace in their actual size, and in some cases greatly enlarged photographs, are given.
I have illustrated and described only fabrics which, if not in my possession, have actually come under my observation, such as the two ancient albs of Eastern design, which, although hitherto unnoticed by Italian writers on lace, may, I think, claim to have formed a very interesting link between the Coptic or Egypto-Roman design, and that of the early Italian lace. To aid in a judgment on this point, I also illustrate some designs from early Coptic tombs.
The pre-Reformation "Pyx Veil" of needle-point linen work or tela tirata remains the property of the parish of Hessett in Suffolk. It is a supremely interesting object and unique, as far as I know, in the way it is worked. I therefore give two illustrations of it among the early sixteenth-century linen laces.
The period to which I confine my treatment of this art prevents my giving any account of the very successful and extensive revival of lace-making which has taken place all over Europe during the last sixty years. Italy, France, and Great Britain have already some hundreds of lace centres, while, from Denmark to Madagascar, Sweden to Ceylon, I have specimens of most excellent and praiseworthy industries. That these, as well as the very beautiful fabrics made now by lace machines, may prosper, must be the wish of all—and I believe that to study more and more carefully the models of the past will be the secret of success.
I classify lace as needle-point and bobbin-point. Numerous varieties occur in each, but I will only mention the three chief divisions I make in each class.
The three chief kinds of needle-point, "Trine ad Ago," are: