Until recently I had thought that the figure-of-eight ruffs were never stitched to hold the shape, but last week I found a portrait in a current Sotherby's catalogue for a sale of Old Master and early British paintings. This is the link to the catalogue: http://www.sothebys.com/app/paddleReg/paddlereg.do?dispatch=eventDetails &event_id=29138
and the particular painting is: http://www.sothebys.com/app/live/lot/LotDetail.jsp?lot_id=159527660 The ruff is formed with a lattice effect, intersecting 4 times, and there is a pearl at every intersection, with a group of 3 pearls at the top and bottom edge. I think the pearls are stitched on, rather than representing pin-heads, especially given the groups of pearls at top and bottom. It would be a nightmare to reset after washing. I have never seen anything similar - has anyone else? Suzi, is this similar to the one you referred to. Needless to say I have downloaded it for future reference. Annette Wilson ------------------------------------------------- Message: 2 Date: Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:39:41 +0200 From: Hanna Zickermann <[email protected]> Subject: [h-cost] Stitching on ruffs To: Historical Costume <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Hello, has anyone ever seen a ruff that really had the stitching along the outer edge to keep the "8"s in shape? "Period Costume for Stage and Screen" even suggests embellishing the ruff with beads on top of these stitches, but I feel they are just a theatrical neccessity as the ruffs are not properly starched and must keep their shapes in nylon material. Or is there evidence that these stitches would have been used as a decorative feature as well and that they are documentable? Thank you, Hanna ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:55:26 +0100 From: Suzi Clarke <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [h-cost] Stitching on ruffs To: Historical Costume <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed At 19:39 09/04/2009, you wrote: >Hello, > >has anyone ever seen a ruff that really had the stitching along the >outer edge to keep the "8"s in shape? "Period Costume for Stage and >Screen" even suggests embellishing the ruff with beads on top of these >stitches, but I feel they are just a theatrical neccessity as the ruffs >are not properly starched and must keep their shapes in nylon material. >Or is there evidence that these stitches would have been used as a >decorative feature as well and that they are documentable? I have seen pictures of ruffs where the "8"s are apparently held together, probably with wax (see Janet Arnold). I am sure I also have a photo of a ruff held with red beads - I'll have to go and look for that though - my library is not next to the computer! Suzi ------ If you have received this transmission in error please notify us immediately by return e-mail and delete all copies. If this e-mail or any attachments have been sent to you in error, that error does not constitute waiver of any confidentiality, privilege or copyright in respect of information in the e-mail or attachments. Please consider the environment before printing this email. ------ _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
