RE: [lace] Dating Mechlin...
Nancy >From my reading of historical geology I have the impression that radio carbon dating works very well for 10,000 years and somewhat older -- perfect for old stone age and Neolithic, but not good for recent. Burials around Stonehenge yes, lace no. And the loupe probably is the best portable tool, unless you have a tablet that can take pictures at very high resolution, and with enough storage space for the images. Lorelei -Original Message- From: owner-l...@arachne.com [mailto:owner-l...@arachne.com] On Behalf Of Nancy Neff Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2017 4:22 PM To: jeria...@aol.com; Arachne <lace@arachne.com>; Laurie Waters <lswaters...@comcast.net> Subject: [lace] Dating Mechlin... Jeri, Laurie Waters reported at IOLI that she paid the $500 or so to have a snippet of some lace radiocarbon-dated last year, with the latest, most precise technology. The lace was thought to be 16th or 17th century. The radiocarbon dating came out with a range that included the putative date, but had such a large possible error on the date that the conclusion was that radiocarbon-dating is not precise enough to be useful. And BTW, a jeweler's loupe is still very useful 'in the field' so to speak--there's lots of better tools in the lab, but at a dealer's stall, the loupe still can't be beat, or is there a convenient tool I'm overlooking? Nancy Connecticut, USA - 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] Dating Mechlin...
Jeri, Laurie Waters reported at IOLI that she paid the $500 or so to have a snippet of some lace radiocarbon-dated last year, with the latest, most precise technology. The lace was thought to be 16th or 17th century. The radiocarbon dating came out with a range that included the putative date, but had such a large possible error on the date that the conclusion was that radiocarbon-dating is not precise enough to be useful. I'm copying Laurie on this post--I have a queasy feeling that I'm mis-remembering how the dating came out relative to the assigned date, and I don't find anything hits on "radiocarbon" on LaceNews. She'll send us the correct info if I've muddled it, although I do believe I am correct that the possible error on the date was very large. And BTW, a jeweler's loupe is still very useful 'in the field' so to speak--there's lots of better tools in the lab, but at a dealer's stall, the loupe still can't be beat, or is there a convenient tool I'm overlooking? Nancy Connecticut, USA On Sun, Feb 12, 2017 at 08:18 AM, Jeri Ames eria...@aol.com> wrote: ...Soon we will have laces that have been carbon dated. The thread, that is... ...30 or more years ago, I remember Elizabeth Kurella digging into her purse to find a loop (used by jewelers) so she could examine a lace brought to her attention at an Embroiderers' Guild national seminar. We've advanced from that with vision aids... - 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] Dating Mechlin by Touch, Sight, Knowledge
"Repairs in vertical stacks, with a suspicious similar distance between the stacks?" I have a Point de Gaze lappet cap (more recent at about 150 years), where there are difficult-to-see snags positioned opposite each other when it is placed on my head. These snags are right where earrings might have been worn. Something to look for when studying lace is why there is any sign of repairs, especially on 1700s or earlier laces. About 20 years ago, when laying a lace on a magnifier and viewing it - enlarged - on an adjacent computer became possible at The Metropolitan, I recall seeing repairs that are not visible to the naked eye or less sophisticated methods of magnification used up to that time. It is likely that new methods of dating will soon be utilized. We should be able to really identify threads from different sources and different places. Soon we will have laces that have been carbon dated. The thread, that is. One small step forward Skilled lacemakers once did conservation/restoration by touch as well as sight. The auction example, showing only one side of the lace, is why I recommend buying lace that you can examine - in person. When you sit at a table with several similar old laces, there really are different "feelings" to them. 30 or more years ago, I remember Elizabeth Kurella digging into her purse to find a loop (used by jewelers) so she could examine a lace brought to her attention at an Embroiderers' Guild national seminar. We've advanced from that with vision aids. Will we ever be able to remotely "feel" lace with our finger tips as part of the examination process? Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center -- In a message dated 2/12/2017 12:54:29 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, lhal...@bytemeusa.com writes: ...The date bothers me. However the clothwork and the shapes of the motifs do fit better with the mid 1700s than with the mid 1800s. If it were a part lace (with lumps on the wrong side) I would be not surprised. Mechlin/Droschel ground was used as a ground in the mid 1700s in Brussels part laces. It would be added in vertical stripes. This piece does show repairs in vertical stacks, with a suspicious similar distance between the stacks. But without a photo of the wrong side, showing lumps where motifs ended, I can't use that to explain the date. Lorelei - 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/
