I have just received my copy, and gone through to look at the lace. I have
to say that I am surprised the lace patterns are once again done hastily.
When I opened to page 24-25 I was completely titillated, not believing
what I saw in the x-ray. It is common knowledge amongst lacemakers lace
was/is recycled. It is not unusual to find lace of this period which has
been recycled onto a new textile or is standing solo after having been
removed. However, this was the first time I had seen an x-ray of an old
period garment with lace tidbits left inside. It was beyond exciting.
When I was able to stop looking at it I turned to the next page fully
expecting a reconstruction of the lace. The style and motif is so typical
of the Le Pompe laces, I was sure there had to be a reconstruction. The
xray is good enough to see the single thread picots and the design, and
there is enough written about this style to make a reasonable
reconstruction. Had there been any areas of assumption or guesswork made,
they could have noted them appropriately. It is exceedingly disappointing
to see every other aspect of this garment made with such detail, only to
have the lace left out completely. Insult was added to injury, for me,
when I saw the lace they used on the "reconstruction." The end result
looks nothing like it would have with even a lace made from a Le Pompe wood
cut in silver.
119 having the next lace, I did find the drawing useful, although
again the lace is not reconstructed.
Lastly are the passaments used on the pair of green shoes beginning
on page 146. I took a first glance through, figuring all were bobbin
lace. When I flipped back to study the details of the straight laces, I
immediately noticed there was only one weaver running through. I was glad
to see that they did not label these as bobbin lace, although at first
glance it seemed as though they were lumping all 3 together. I have not
yet had the time to scrutinize the one bobbin lace which had a pricking
included. There are several ways to make these "kronle," and I will be
checking to see the diagram accurately reflects the thread movements in the
surviving lace.
Kim
On Sun, Jun 30, 2013 at 3:23 PM, <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Seventeenth-Century Women's Dress Patterns - Book Two"
> Edited by Susan North and Jenny Tiramani
> V&A Publishing, 2012
> Hardback of 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-851-77685-6
>
> In 2011, Arachne correspondence was generated by Book One of this series.
> Book Two is a continuation of studies of costumes and accessories in the
> V&A Museum. It will appeal to historians, re-enactors, costumers, and
> conservators.
>
>
> You have seen portraits of this period in the current Queen's Gallery
> exhibit/book "In Fine Style", and may want to learn more. Many have
> enjoyed
> the earlier research and pattern books produced by the late Janet Arnold,
> and
> you will realize this research builds on the foundation she established.
> Some of the garments and accessories featured in this book are ones she
> studied in the late 20th Century. Below is a sampling.
>
> A new 16-page analysis of a 1610-20 mulberry-colored Italian silk velvet
> gown from the Isham family includes a reconstruction of fabric parts that
> were cut away from the gown and recycled centuries ago. An explanation of
> detailed photos of small yellow silk threads scattered over the shoulders
> and
> down the fronts says they were used to attach two widths of spangled
> silver bobbin laces. It all becomes clear when the page is turned and
> life-size
> X-ray images clearly show remnants of metal laces inside seams that had
> been enclosed with some kind of applied decoration.
>
> 18 pages are devoted to 1660-80 salmon pink watered-silk stays thought to
> be Dutch, as shown in portrait details of two Dutch genre paintings of the
> period. The 295 thin strips of baleen (whale bone) stays can be seen in
> X-rays. A separate stomacher from the same materials is stiffened with 59
> more strips of baleen, plus 7 horizontal strips across the top. Laced in
> the
> front, instructions are given for tying the knot used at the top of the
> stays.
>
> 16 pages are devoted to a 1595-1615 blue linen supporter for a starched
> band (collar). The linen covered a cardboard shape, reinforced with
> metal..
> This style of prop rested on the shoulders. Photos show how this was
> attached at the back of a gown. Wire used to reinforce the shape can be
> seen
> in X-rays.
>
> Another type of prop was called a picadil. The 1600-15 one shown is from
> the Isham collection, and is covered with ivory silk satin. As with all
> items, relevant art is shown, color photography is used, and X-rays
> shown, in
> addition to many drawings to illustrate construction details and pattern
> layouts.
>
> Three pairs of 17th C. shoes have been selected for special attention of
> reconstruction experts. A green velvet pair of chopines are lavishly d
> ecorated with gathered gold metal bobbin lace.
>
> *Earlier this year, this reviewer received a critical letter from a very
> knowledgeable lace expert about Book One, in which quite a few drawings of
> lace patterns were given. It seems appropriate to share with you that
> some
> of the bobbin lace patterns are totally unworkable. This is a warning to
> all lace makers to rely on our proven lace experts.*
>
> If you wish to make good period laces, there have been many published
> patterns through the years.
>
> Recent reliable books featuring laces of this period are Rosemary
> Shepherd's "An Early Lace Workbook - Bobbin Lace Techniques before the
> Baroque";
> and the series of small books Gilian Dye has written: 1) "Elizabethan
> Lace", 2) "Gold & Silver Edgings - 16th & 17th Century Lace", and 3) The
> Isham
> Samples and Other Linen Edgings - 16th & 17th Century Lace" (all of which
> have been reviewed on Arachne).
>
> Jeri Ames in Maine USA
> Lace and Embroidery Resource Center
>
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