Sort of like the bird species that has been all around you but you never noticed before, I am becoming obsessed with the tally grounds found on some pieces of Flemish lace dated mid-18th century. For those with the Levey book, the first example I see is on plate 255C and D in which she delineates the progression from narrow tapes to raised tape like edgings. In each case the areas are filled with tally grounds composed of little square tallies in profusion. Sometimes they are arranged in a diaper pattern. Sometimes they are encased in other stitches. Unfortunately neither of these two pieces have made it to the data base of the V & A in photo form. Paging forward in the book, the next example is not until, plate 309, which is 171-1887 a Chinoiserie panel dated second quarter 18th century. http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O82259/panel-unknown/ You can see the tally fillings in the lower left and the upper right of the second photo, which is an enlargement of a man. This is considered second quarter 18th century. At the Met we have one of my favorite cravats, 26.283 which has nearly identical tally grounds. Look at the third photo for a good close-up. http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/222067?sortBy=Relevance&ft =lace+cravat&offset=20&rpp=20&pos=21 Meanwhile there is another similar cravat in the Met which has areas of snowflake ground performing the same function in the design as the tally grounds in the other pieces. This piece 2009.300.3467 is considered early 18th. http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/158408?sortBy=Relevance&ft =lace+cravat&offset=0&rpp=20&pos=3 I guess that my observation is that I find it kind of odd that the Flemish, who are known for their superb mastery of the snowflake ground seemed to have deviated for a brief period into making fully realized tally grounds, which is an area that the English excelled in. Are tally grounds something that Flemish lacemakers tend to do? I donât think I have ever made a tally in a course on Flemish lace unless as a single tally in the middle of a flower. These elaborate tally grounds where the tally non-proficient suffer endlessly are usually in Honiton classes. But, then again, we donât have classes in 18th century Brussels bobbin lace. Any thoughts on this? Devon
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