Re: [lace] 2. Ann Bernard's Blog (Jeri's Comments) Long
>From Jeri "Remember what I always recommend - carry a small purse-size torch (British term) or flashlight (American term) when traveling and visiting museums and historic buildings." Highly recommended if you visit "Imagine" at Waddesdon.  A friend also took binoculars. She said the National Trust had no objections to her using an LED torch even though flash photography is not allowed.  She got a few funny looks, but also looks of envy at her forward planning from people who wanted to see the lace better. Jacquie in Lincolnshire Original message >From jeria...@aol.com Date: 19/10/2014 00:05 (GMT+00:00) To lace@arachne.com Cc a...@annbernard.com Subject [lace] 2. Ann Bernard's Blog (Jeri's Comments) Long We all need to network more, please! Here are my (Jeri's) comments about some subjects discussed on this Blog site: I really enjoyed the Nottingham Blog. (I independently went to see the lace factories after one of Marion Scoular's tours of Scotland). I bought every little book that was sold there about lace plus the 1994 381-pg. hardbound book by Sheila A. Mason called "Nottingham Lace 1760s-1950". When our friend who works with laces at The Metropolitan Museum expressed interest in 2003, I mailed my copy of Mason's book to her, and later put her in touch with Mason. Mason was able to get a private lace appointment at The Metropolitan shortly after, when she was in NYC.  Her family company, Cluny Lace Company Limited, is the last of the Leavers lace makers in the UK, per a memo Mason sent to me in 2010.  Her company's history stretches back to 1739. Word came in 2003 via Arachne, that Bill Rowe (b. 1921), a member of the RAF Association Croydon Branch, became interested in the lace panels and then wrote a 72-pg. spiral-bound book "The Battle of Britain in Lace", in which he accounted for the present location of panels and gave many photographic images. I have this book, thanks to Nicky Townsend. Lace guild bulletins and personal letters have come to me from time-to-time, telling of additional locations, as the lace community tries to recapture history. One letter from Devon Thein to the New England Lace Group suggested there is a copy in the U.S. - in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, donated in 2007. She received this information from Brian Lemin in Australia. However, the http address provided failed for me today. There is at least one member of the New England Lace Group who could confirm this location, if she would come out of lurking. I was very happy to read Ann Bernard's review of the Ruhland (Lace) Collection Exhibition in Canada, closing Nov. 2, 2014.  More needs to appear on Arachne about it.  Ann tells me it was fascinating and overwhelming - too much to take in on one or even two or three visits. Canadian Lacemaker Gazette published lovely photos in the Fall 2014 edition. This Gazette is like a national lace guild, and links Canadian lace lovers together. A Canadian lace groups page with contact info is always inserted in it, and all Provinces are represented. I personally know several members - all of whom network about lace and represent Canadians very well.  Malvary Cole and Bev Walker, are particularly active participants on Arachne. The next thing I was caught up by was Bernard's memories of being a student at the RSN in the early 1950s. I can relate to the Prince's Gate building, as I once went there to take an embroidery class. I also shopped there for books whenever in London. Scoular took me to the newer headquarters at Hampton Court, which should be a destination for all who pursue any form of needlework. Arachne members may learn more about silk and metal threads from information in Bernard's Blog. I was reminded the 1st edition of the 442-pg. 1886 scholarly book, "Needlework as Art" by Lady Marian M Alford, is always fun to delve into. It has 14 pages exclusively devoted to lace, and from Ovid's Metamorphoses the Story of Arachne (Appendix III). Somewhere else in my readings I learned that Alford lived at Prince's Gate. Ever after, I have wondered if she lived in the very building that later housed the RSN?! In a completely unrelated book, on Royal fans (the kind you hold), is a fan that Alford painted.  Apparently, she studied art in Italy at a young age.  A very nice background for an early leader in the development of the RSN. Her knowledge would certainly elevate the perception that some embroideries are sufficiently well designed and executed that they must be considered to be art. About Beryl Dean (1911-2001), whose name will always be the one most associated wi
RE: [lace] 2. Ann Bernard's Blog (Jeri's Comments) Long
The Australian War Memorial in Canberra own one of the Nottingham Lace Panels.It is not on public display at the moment, but their database reference to it contains a good deal of interesting information. http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/RELAWM32146/ My favourite picture of a lacemaker at work is also held by the AWM in Canberra: http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/ART02909/. They hold a number of lace related items, including a "French style lace pillow" http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/REL35910/ ...Noelene noel...@lafferty.com.au Lace guild bulletins and personal letters have come to me from time-to-time, telling of additional locations, as the lace community tries to recapture history. One letter from Devon Thein to the New England Lace Group suggested there is a copy in the U.S. - in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, donated in 2007. She received this information from Brian Lemin in Australia. However, the http address provided failed for me today. There is at least one member of the New England Lace Group who could confirm this location, if she would come out of lurking. - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
[lace] 2. Ann Bernard's Blog (Jeri's Comments) Long
We all need to network more, please! Here are my (Jeri's) comments about some subjects discussed on this Blog site: I really enjoyed the Nottingham Blog. (I independently went to see the lace factories after one of Marion Scoular's tours of Scotland). I bought every little book that was sold there about lace plus the 1994 381-pg. hardbound book by Sheila A. Mason called "Nottingham Lace 1760s-1950". When our friend who works with laces at The Metropolitan Museum expressed interest in 2003, I mailed my copy of Mason's book to her, and later put her in touch with Mason. Mason was able to get a private lace appointment at The Metropolitan shortly after, when she was in NYC. Her family company, Cluny Lace Company Limited, is the last of the Leavers lace makers in the UK, per a memo Mason sent to me in 2010. Her company's history stretches back to 1739. Word came in 2003 via Arachne, that Bill Rowe (b. 1921), a member of the RAF Association Croydon Branch, became interested in the lace panels and then wrote a 72-pg. spiral-bound book "The Battle of Britain in Lace", in which he accounted for the present location of panels and gave many photographic images. I have this book, thanks to Nicky Townsend. Lace guild bulletins and personal letters have come to me from time-to-time, telling of additional locations, as the lace community tries to recapture history. One letter from Devon Thein to the New England Lace Group suggested there is a copy in the U.S. - in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, donated in 2007. She received this information from Brian Lemin in Australia. However, the http address provided failed for me today. There is at least one member of the New England Lace Group who could confirm this location, if she would come out of lurking. I was very happy to read Ann Bernard's review of the Ruhland (Lace) Collection Exhibition in Canada, closing Nov. 2, 2014. More needs to appear on Arachne about it. Ann tells me it was fascinating and overwhelming - too much to take in on one or even two or three visits. Canadian Lacemaker Gazette published lovely photos in the Fall 2014 edition. This Gazette is like a national lace guild, and links Canadian lace lovers together. A Canadian lace groups page with contact info is always inserted in it, and all Provinces are represented. I personally know several members - all of whom network about lace and represent Canadians very well. Malvary Cole and Bev Walker, are particularly active participants on Arachne. The next thing I was caught up by was Bernard's memories of being a student at the RSN in the early 1950s. I can relate to the Prince's Gate building, as I once went there to take an embroidery class. I also shopped there for books whenever in London. Scoular took me to the newer headquarters at Hampton Court, which should be a destination for all who pursue any form of needlework. Arachne members may learn more about silk and metal threads from information in Bernard's Blog. I was reminded the 1st edition of the 442-pg. 1886 scholarly book, "Needlework as Art" by Lady Marian M Alford, is always fun to delve into. It has 14 pages exclusively devoted to lace, and from Ovid's Metamorphoses the Story of Arachne (Appendix III). Somewhere else in my readings I learned that Alford lived at Prince's Gate. Ever after, I have wondered if she lived in the very building that later housed the RSN?! In a completely unrelated book, on Royal fans (the kind you hold), is a fan that Alford painted. Apparently, she studied art in Italy at a young age. A very nice background for an early leader in the development of the RSN. Her knowledge would certainly elevate the perception that some embroideries are sufficiently well designed and executed that they must be considered to be art. About Beryl Dean (1911-2001), whose name will always be the one most associated with ecclesiastical embroidery of the 20th century: I, too, saw all the chairs piled up perilously close to the embroidered panels in Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel that Bernard describes. This was on one of Scoular's tours. I have written publicly about this several times - on Arachne. It is a conservation issue, because restorations are extremely expensive, and the item is never "original" when other people have worked on it. It was shocking that castle authorities permitted TV crews to do this. We must all "speak up" when we observe such things, and it is encouraging that Bernard reports the matter has been properly addressed by placing the panels in a glass case. However, there is no lighting! Remember what I always recommend - carry a small purse-size torch (British term) or flashlight (American term) when traveling and visiting museums and historic buildings. I've used mine often in museums and castles. Guards will
