A friend visiting from England and I went recently to the Isabella Steward Gardener Museum recently. The guide that was given to us stated that the Museum had "collections" of lace. Of course we were excited -- but the real collection was on display in a case in the far corner of one of the rooms, roped off from getting closer than about twenty feet. "Security".
So, our appetites whetted and feeling considerably frustrated, we started on a hunt for some lace that would be in a more accessible place. We did finally spot a very small piece of brownish-colored lace, very close to being a rag -- but it was described as having been made by Mary Queen of Scots! So that was fun, even if we were very sceptical about that atribution. So, anyone who gets close to that area (within easy walking distance of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston), take a look and see what you think. Regards, Carolyn Carolyn Hastings Stow, MA USA > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of Bridget Marrow > Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 2:27 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [lace] Mary Queen of Scots (was bobbin lace in movies) > > > on Sun, 11 Apr 2004 Johanna Brown wrote: > ....I was watching an old movie with Catherine Hepburn as > Mary, Queen of > Scots > and in once scene where Mary is in her drawing room with her > ladies in waiting, one of the ladies is doing bobbin lace.... > > Dear Johanna and esteemed Spiders, > > I'm sure I saw this film some time ago, probably on TV, but I > don't remember > spotting a lace pillow. The film certainly wasn't > historically accurate as > far as the plot was concerned! > > Bobbin lace was of course made at the time and the large frame for > needlepoint sounds just right. It is known that Mary Queen of > Scots was a > skilled needlewoman, some of her needlepoiunt embroideries > still exist, and > she also made Lacis, but it is unlikely that she herself made > bobbin lace. > There's a lovely story of her annoying her Council (all men, > natch) by > working at her embroidery during Council Meetings. They > found it (and her) > most distracting. It's as if Maggie Thatcher had taken her > knitting into > the House of Commons! > > There's an excellent book by Margaret Swain called "The > Needlework of Mary > Queen of Scots". My copy is a reprint, published in 1986 by > Ruth Bean. ISBN > 0903585 227. I'm pretty sure there was an earlier American > edition. Its > well worth getting from a library if you can. > > Back to the movie... > > Sherry, > > the title of the film was MARY OF SCOTLAND, released in 1936. > I think its > fair to say it was not Katherine Hepburn's finest hour. > Neither the script > nor the supporting cast did her justice - but that's just my > opinion. I > hope you can track down a copy and make up your own mind. > > Bridget, in Watford, England > > _________________________________________________________________ > Express yourself with cool emoticons - download MSN Messenger today! > http://www.msn.co.uk/messenger > > - > To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing > the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write > to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
