On Jan 23, 2009, at 7:09, Carolina de la Guardia wrote:
Spain is almost unknown when we talk of Lace History.
And it is a pity, too. Fringes, macrame, gold-thread -- all of these are strongly represented in the early Spanish handiwork. Many of the patterns in Le Pompe -- especially those for plaited laces -- seem to draw on the Arabic ideas of ornamentation. As parts of modern-day Spain had been under Arabic influence (or, indeed, occupation) in those days, the intermingling of ideas would not be surprising.
I keep the theory that macramé, as an early art made with hands, together with passementeries, have contributed to evolve to what we have known later as bobbin lace.
You are in good company; so does Levey, who's considered "the final word" on all things "lace" :)
One of the ancient lace piece records from XIV cent. Is a corporal (it is displayed in Pedralbes Monastery, Barcelona) which is framed with a gold needle lace. It seems that Elisenda de Montcada, wife of Jaime II (1291-1327) gave it to the Convent.
Is this a *contemporaneous* written record? If so, does it specify "gold needle lace"? And, if it does, what word is used for "lace"?
It is also recorded a piece of lace corresponding to a priest vestment related to San Bernardo Calvó (13th.cent.) displayed in Vich Museum,
Same questions as above. Late-13th and early-14th centuries are about a 100years earlier than traces of lace anywhere else.
About 1469, they are described and quoted bobbin and needle lace on an inventory ordered for the wedding of Isabel I Castilla and Fernando I Aragón also known as The Catholics.
That's *priceless*. What are the words used for "bobbin lace" and "needle lace"?
It is known too that their daughter: Catalina, married with Henry VIII (King of England) carried with her large quantity of laces Spanish style.
Catherine of Aragon is also credited with starting bobbin lace traditions in England and she certainly fits the earliest time-frame. But, in all of the early portraits I've seen of her -- the young widow of Henry's brother, Henry's queen -- she seems not to wear any lace...
It is also well known the success that Puntas de España (the golden thread laces) had during 15th, Cent., contemporary to Le Pompe, if I am not wrong.
Le Pompe is middle of 16th century (second edition of the first book was published in 1559. Can't remember the date of the first edition). But, it's also "the 15 hundreds", if that's how the Spanish count (different languages deal with dates in different ways)
Are there any Puntas de Espana laces still surviving? If so, where can they be seen (short of travelling to Spain, not something I can afford right now <g>)? Are there photos on the Internet? What were the patterns like? Plaited or more elaborate?
It is sure that before Le Pompe, other laces were worked in Italy as it was in Spain,
Oh, certainly; a pattern book -- like a sumptuary law <g> -- arrives a bit late, if for different reasons. You don't publish a book for which there are no readers. I have always assumed that bobbin lacemaking had to have been well established and bobbin lace easily recognised as such, before there would have been enough of an "audience" to buy the book. It's probably one of the reasons there were so few bobbin lace pattern books, while there were so many embroidery -- and even needle lace -- ones; fewer people knew what BL was all about, earlier than mid 16thc.
Perhaps this mail has been sooo long, excuse me.
No, no, no! *How better* to spend a winter day, than to snuggle up to a mystery? :)
-- Tamara P Duvall http://t-n-lace.net/ Lexington, Virginia, USA (Formerly of Warsaw, Poland) - To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [email protected]. For help, write to [email protected]
