H
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A
HISTORY
OF
LACE
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PRESENTED BY
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HISTORY OF LACE
Anne, daughter of Sik Peter Vaxlore, Kt.,
FIRST WIFE OP Sir Charles Cesar, Kt., about 1614.
The lace is probably Flemish, Sir Peter having come from Utrecht.
From the picture the property of her descendant, Captain Cottrell-Dormer.
Frontispiece.
History of Lace
BY
MRS. BURY PALLISER
ENTIRELY REVISED, RE-WRITTEN, AND ENLARGED
UNDER THE EDITORSHIP OF
M. JOURDAIN AND ALICE DRYDEN
WITH 266 ILLUSTRATIONS
LONDON
SAMPSON LOW. MARSTOX & COMPANY. Limited
1902
LON])t>N :
I'KINTEl) BY WILLIAM OLOWKH ANl^ SONS, J-IMITKD,
DTJKB STREET, 8TAMF01U' STREET, S.E., ANT> 58, GllEAT WINDMILL STFEET, W.
aJK
9900
J 90^
PREFACE TO THE FOURTH EDITION
Nearly thirty years have elapsed since the third edition
of the History of I^aie was published. As it is still the
classical work on the subject, and many developments in
the Art have taken place since 1875, it seemed desirable
that a new and revised edition should be brought out.
The present Revisers have fully felt the responsibility
of correcting anything the late Mrs. Palliser wrote ; they
have therefore altered as little of the text as possible, except
where modern research has shown a statement to be faulty.
The chapters on Spain, Alencon and Argentan, and the
[ntroductory chapter on Needlework, have been almost
entirelv rewritten. Much new matter has been added to
Italy. England and Ireland, and the notices of Cretan and
Sicilian lace, among others, are new. The original wood-cuts
have been preserved with their designations as in the 1875
edition, which differ materially from the first two editions.
Nearly a hundred new illustrations have been added, and
several portraits to show different fashions of wearing lace.
The Revisers wish to record their grateful thanks to
those who have assisted them with information or lace for
illustration ; especially to Mrs. Hulton, Count Marcello and
Cavaliere Michelangelo -Fesurum in Venice, Contessa di Brazza
and C'Ontessa Cavazza in Italy, M. Destree in Brussels, Mr.
Arthur Blackborne, Salviati k Co., and the Director of the
Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
m. jourdain.
Alice Dryden.
London, September, 1901.
CONTENTS
CHAJ'
I.-
II.-
III.-
IV.-
V.
VI.
VII.-
VIII.-
IX.-
X.
XI.-
XII.-
XIII.-
XIV.-
XV.-
XVI.-
XVII.-
XVIII.-
XIX.-
XX.-
-Needlework ..
Cut-work
-Lace ..
-Italy. — Venice — Milan ( " Milano la Grande " ) — Florence
— The Abruzzi — Eomagna — Naples^Genoa ("Geneva
la Superba") — Cantu — Sicily
-Greece — Crete — Turkey — Malta
-Spain — Portugal
Flanders — Brussels (Brabant) — Mechlin — Antwerp-
Flanders (West) — Flanders (East) — Hainault
-France to Louis XIV.
-Louis XIV. ..
-Louis XIV. — continioed
Louis XV.
Louis XVI. to the Empire
-The Lace Manufactures of France — Alencon (Dep
Normandy ..
Orne) .
-Argentan (Dep. Orne)
-Isle de France. — Paris (Dep. Seine) — Chantilly (Dep. Oise)
-Normandy — Seine Inferieure — Calvados — Buetagne
-Valenciennes (Dep. du Nord) — -Lille (Dep. du Nord) —
Arras (Artois) (Dep. Pas-de-Calais) — Bailleul (Dep.
du Nord) ..
-AuvERGNE and Velay — Le Puy (Dep. Haute-Loive) — Aurillac
AND Murat (Dep. Cantal)
-Limousin — Lorraine — Champagne — Burgundy — Lyonnois —
Orl^anois — Berry — Poitou ..
-Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary —
Holland — Saxony — Germany (North and South) —
Switzerland
XXI. — Denmark — Sweden — Russia
I'AUK
1
14
26
45
82
90
109
139
150
161
171
179
188
202
209
216
230
242
250
258
212
X
HI ST OR Y OF LA CE
<;hai'.
XXII.-
XXIII.-
XXIV.-
xxv.-^
XXVI.-
XXVII.-
XXVIII.-
XXIX.-
XXX.-
XXXI.-
XXXII.-
XXXIII.-
XXXIV.-
XXXV.-
XXXVI.-
Charles II.
-England to Queen Elizabeth ..
-Queen Elizabeth ..
-James I. to the Eestoeation. — James I. — Charles I. — Thi
Commonwealth ..
-Charles IL to the House of Hanover
James II. — ^ William III. — Queen Annk
-George I. — George II. ..
-Smuggling .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
-George III. ..
-The Lace Manufactures of England
-Bedfordshire — Buckinghamshire — Northamptonshire
Suffolk .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ;_ â–
-Wiltshire and Dorsetshire
-Devonshire^ — Honiton — Trolly Lace — Japan ..
-Scotland
-Lace Manufactures of Scotland
-Ireland
-Bobbin Net and Machine-Made Lace — Bobbin Net —
France — Belgium — Machinery Lace
APPENDIX
GLOSSAEY OF TEEMS
INDEX
i'AliE
285
299
81.-.
851
358
363
371
375
395
399
418
428
435
435
459
503
507
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Fig. 1
Plate I
Anne, Dauc^hter of Sir Peter Vanlore, Kt. ,. .. Frontisjnecc
Gold Lace found in a barrow
Argentan. — Circular Bobbin Reseau ; Venetian Needle-
point ..
Italian Bobbin Rkseau ; Six-pointed Star-meshed Bobbin
Reseau ; Brussels Bobbin Reseau ; Fond Chant of Chan-
TiLLY and Point de Paris ; Details of Bobbin Reseau and
ToiLE ; Details of Needle Reseau and Buttonhole
Stitches
Point Coupe
Altar or Table-cloth of Fine Linen (probably Italian)
Laces
Elizabethan Sampler ..
Inipresa of Queen Margaret of Navarre
Spider-work
Fan made at Burano..
Italian Punto Reale . .
Grande Dantelle au Point devant I'Aiguille
Petite Dantelle . .
Passenient au Fuseau . .
Passeinent au Fuseau . .
Merletti a Piombini
Italian. — Modern Reproduction at Burano
Heraldic (Carnival Lace) ..
Old Mechlin
Italian, Venetian, Flat Needle-point Lace
Portion of a Band of Needle-point Lace
Guipure . .
Tape Guipure
Italian. — Point de Venise .a la Rose
Italian. — Point Plat de Venise ..
Italian. — Point de Venise a Reseau
Mermaid Lace . .
Reticella
Punto a Gropo . .
Gros Point de Venise
Punto a Maglia
Punto Tirato
1'.vi;k.
4
12
Plate II
14
.. Fig. 2
18
Plate III
18
.. Fig. 3
19
„ .5
22
.. „ 4
23
Figs. 6, 7
â– 24
Plate IV
24
„ V
34
.. Fig. 8
28
Figs. 9-12
29
Figs. 13, 14
30
.. Fig. 15
31
- „ 16
31
Plate VI
32
„ VII
32
.. Fig. 17
35
Plate VIII
36
IX
36
.. Fig. 18
39
.. „ 19
40
Plate X
44
„ XI
46
„ XII
48
. . Fig. 20
50
.. „ 21
50
.. ., 22
52
.. „ 23
52
.. „ 24
53
.. 25
54
Xll
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Point de Veiiise k Bredes Picotees .,
Venise Point
Gros Point de Venise , .
Point de Yenise
Point Plat de Venise . .
Point de Venise a Reseau
Burano Point
Italian. — Modekk Point dk Bueano
Italian. — Modern Reproduction at Burano
Italian. — ^Milanese, Bobbin-made ..
Reticella from Milan . .
Italian. — Venetian, Xeedle-made ..
Italian. — Milanese, Bobbin-made ..
Unfinished Drawn-work
Cushion made at the School
Italy. — Group of "Workers at Brazza School
Genoa Point, Bobbin-made
Lace Pattern found in the Church at Santa Margherita
Italian. — Bobbin Tape avith Needle-made Reseau
Italian, Genoese. — Border ..
Parchment Pattern used to cover a Book
Fringed Macrame
Italian. — Old Peasant Laces, Bobbin-made
Italian. — Modern Peasant Lace ..
Silk Gimp Lace
Sicilian. — Old Dkawn-work
South Italian
Reticella, or Greek Lace
Loubeaux de Verdale . .
Italian, Rapallo — Modern Peasant Lace
Maltese. — Modern Bobbin-made ..
Bobbin Lace (Ceylon) . .
The Work Room (16th century engraving) . .
Unfinished Work of a Spanish Kun ..
Spanish. — Modern Thread Bobbin Lace ..
Spanish, Blonde. — White Silk Darning on Machine Net
Unfinished AYork of a Spanish Nun ..
Fig. 26
27
Old Spanisli Pillow Lace
Portrait, Duchksse de Montpensier
Jewish ..
Spanish ..
Bobbin Lace (Madeira)
,, (Brazil) ..
Spanish. — Pillow-made 19th Century
Paraguay. — " Nauduti "
Lace-making
Flemish. — Portion of Bed-Cover ..
Cap of Emperor Charles V. . .
Isabella Clara Eugenia, Daughter of Philip 11.
Mary, Queen of Hungary, C'uff
28
29
30
31
32
Plate XIII
„ XIV
XV
.. Fig. 33
Plate XVI
„ XVII
.. Fig. 34
„ XVIII
Plate XIX
.. Fig. 35
.. „ 36
Plate XX
„ XXI
.. Fig. 37
,,38
Plates XXIL XXIII
.. Plate XXIV
.. Fig, 39
XX^'
.. Plate XXVI
.. Fig. 40
„ 41
.. Plate XXVII
., XXVIII
.. Fig. 42
.. „ 43
, 44
.. Plate XXIX
XXX
.. Fig. 45
.. „ 46
.. ., 47
Plate XXXI
„ XXXII
„ XXXIII
.. Fig. 48
49
Plate XXXIV
„ XXXV
.. Fig. 50
Plate XXXVI
.. Fig. 51
.,52
.. 53
l-AGK
54
55
56
56
56
58
60
60
62
64
65
66
66
69
70
70
74
76
76
76
77
80
SO
80
84
84
84
85
88
88
88
89
91
94
94
94
95
96
100
100
104
104
106
107
108
108
110
110
112
112
113
LIST OF IL L US TRA 7 IONS
Xlll
J^elgian Lace School ..
Old Flemish Bobbin Lace
Old Flemish.— TroUe Kant
Brussels. — Point d'Angleterre a Brides
Flemish. — Tape Lace, Bobbin-made
Brussels Needle-Point
Brussels, — Point a I'Aiguille ..
( )ld Brussels. — Point d'Angleterre
,, ,, ,, ....
Mechlin, 17th AND ISth Century ..
Mechlin. — Period Louis XVI.
Mechlin, formerly belonging to H.M. Queen Charlotte .
Mechlin. — Three Specimens from Victoria and
Museum
A Ladj- of Antwerp
Antwerp Pot Lace
Valenciennes Lace of Ypres . .
Flemish. — Flat Spanish Bobbin Lace
Flemish. — Guipure de Flandre
Belgian. — ^Bobbin-made, Binche
,, ,, Marche
Drawn and Embroidered Muslin, Flemish
liuFF, Edged with Lace
Brussels. — Flounce, Bobbin-made
Cinq-Mars. — M. de Versailles
,, . — After his portrait by Le Wain
Lace Eose and Garter . .
Young Lady's Apron, time of Henry III. ..
Brussels. — Bobbin-made, Period Louis XR'. ..
,, . — Point d'Angleterre a Reskau
Anne of Austria
A Courtier of the Regency
(Canons of Louis XIV . .
Chateau de Louvai
Chenille run on a Bobbin-Ground
Brussels. — Bobbin-made
Le Grand Bebe
Louvois, 1691
]\Iadame de INIaintenon
Lady in Morning deshabille ..
Le Grand Dauphin en Steinkerque . .
Madame du Lude en Steinkerque
Madame Palatine
Brussels. — Modern Point de Gaze
Madame Sophie de France, 1782
Madame Adelaide de France
Madame Louise de France
Madame Therese
Marie-Antoinette
Madame Adelaide de France . .
I'AGF.
.. Fig. 54
114
.. „ 55
114
., 56
115
Plaie XXXVII
116
.. XXXVIII
116
.. Fig. 57
118
.. 58
120
.. 58a
120
.. 59
122
..60
124
Platk XXXIX
126
.. Fig. 61
127
.. 62
128
Albert
Plate XL
128
.. Fig. 63
130
.. ,. 64
130
.. 65
132
Pt.atk XLI
132
.. XLII
134
„ XLIII
136
„ XLI^'
136
„ XLV
136
„ XLVI
142
.. XLVII
144
.. Fig. 66
145
67
146
.. 68
147
69
148
. Plate XL VIII
150
XLIX
150
.. Fig. 70
151
71
152
72
154
156
. Plate L
156
. ..LI
156
.. Fig. 74
162
75
163
76
164
77
165
78
168
79
168
80
169
Plate LII
170
.. Fig. 81
175
.. ,. 82
176
Plate LIII
176
.. Fig. 83
177
.. ., 84
179
85
182
xi\-
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
French. — J3oi!1>ki; of Point Plat be France
Colbert, + 1688
"\^enice Point
French. — Point d'Alen(;'on .. .. ..
Avgentella, or Point d'Alencou a Iieseaii Piosace . .
Bed made for Napoleon I.
Alencon Point a Petites Bredes
Point d'Alencon, Louis XV. ..
Point d'Alencon. Flounce
Point d'Argentan . . . . . . •
,, ,, . Grande Bride ground ..
French. — Point d'Argentan, 18th Century
Point de Pai'is . .
Point de France
French (oi: Dutch). — Victoria and Albert Museum
CiiantiUv
Cauchoise
French, Chantilly. — Flounce
French, Le Puy. — Black Silk Guipure ..
Petit Ponssiu, Dieppe ..
Ave Maria, Dieppe
Point de Dieppe
Dentelle a la Vierge
Due de Peuthie^re
French. — Blonde Male, in Spanish Style
]\f odern Black Lace of B.ayevix
Point Colbert . . . . '
Valenciennes, 1650-1730
,, Period, Louis XIV. ,.
,, 17th and 18th Century
Valenciennes Lappet . .
Lille
Arras
French, Cambrai
French, Le Puy
Point de Boui'gogne
William, Prince of ORANCiK
Dutch Bobbin Lace
Tomb of Barbara U ttmann
Barbara Uttmann
Swiss, Neuchatel
German, Nuremberg ..
English, Bucks
Hungarian. — Bobbin Lace ..
Austro-Hungarian
Shirt Collar of Christian IV. ..
Tdnder Lace, Drawn Muslin . .
Kussian — Needlepoint ; German-
Russian, Old Bobbtn-madk
. . Plates
-Saxon
I'ACK
Plate L1^'
188
.. Fig. 86
189
„ 87
191
Plate LV
192
.. Fig. 88
194
.. „ 89
197
.. „ 90
200
.. „ 91
200
Plate LA I 202-3
.. Fig. 92
204
.,93
206
Plate LVII
208
.. Fig. 94
210
.. 95
210
Plate LVIII
212
.. Fig. 96
214
.. „ 97
217
Plate LIX
218
LX
218
.. Fig. 98
219
.. „ 99
220
„ 100
221
.. „ 101
222
„ 102
223
Plate LXI
226
.. Fig. 103
227
.. ., 104
228
.. „ 105
230
.. „ 106
232
Plate LXII
232
.. Fig. 107
234
.. .. 108
234
.. .. 109
236
.. „ 110
238
■• „ 111
240
LXIII. LXIV
246
Plate LXA'
246
.. Fig. 112
256
Plate LXVI
258
.. Fig. 113
260
.. .. 114
261
.. .. 114a
262
Plat].; LXVII
264
., LXVIII
264
.. LXIX
264
,. LXX
268
„ LXXI
268
.. Fig. 115
273
.. „ 116
274-
Plate LXXII
276
„ LXXIII
276
LIST OI- ILLUSTRATIONS
XV
Russian, IIobbik-madk i\ Thkead ..
Dalecavliaii Lace
Collar of Gustaviis A(k)l])liiis ..
llirssia, Bobbin-made. 19th Centnrv..
Cap, Flemish or German
Fisher, Bishop of liochester ..
English. — Cutwokk and Needle-point
English. -Devonshike "Trolly."..
Fisher, Bishop of Rochester ..
Marie de Lorraine ..
Queen Elizabeth's Smock
Christening Caps, Needle-made Brussels
Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke
Henry AVrothesley, Third Earl of Southampton
Monument of I'lincess Sophia
., ., ,, Mary
Marv, Comitess of Pembroke .. .. ..
Elizabeth. Princess Palatine
Falling Collar of the 17th Century
Boots, Cuffs
English Needle-made Lace
•Fames HARRiNciTON
•Tames, the Old Pretender, and His Sister, Princess
Louisa
•ToHN La>v, the Paris Banker
Ripon
llvGLisH, Buckinghamshire, Bobbin Lace
lluekinghamshire Trolly
,. Point
Plate LXXIV
.. Fig. 117
.. ., 118
.. „ 119
Plate XXV
.. Fig. 120
Plate LXXVI
„ LXXVII
.. Fig. 121
Plate LXXVIII
.. Fig. 122
Figs. 123, 124
Plate LXXIX
„ LXXX
. . Fig. 125
.. „ 126
.. „ 127
Plate LXXXI
.. Fig. 128
Figs. 129, 130
.. Fig. 131
Plate LXXXIT
English. Northamptonshire, Bobbin Lace
Old Flemish
Old Brussels
•• Run " Lace. Newport Pagnell
English Point. Northampton ..
•• Baby '" Lace, Northampton ..
„ Reds
,. ' ,, Bucks ..
Wire Ground, Northampton ..
Valenciennes ,,
Regency Point, Bedford
Insertion,
Plaited Lace,
Raised Plait, ,,
English, Suffolk. Bobbin Lack
Englisli Needle-made Lace
HoNiTON ^VITH the Vrai Reseau ..
Bone Lace from Cap, Devonshire
^lonument of Bishop Stafford, Exeter Cathedral
Monument of Lad\- Doddridge ,,
Honiton. sewn on plain pillow ground
Plate LXXXIII
„ LXXXI V
.. Fig. 132
. . Plate LXXXV
.. Fig. 133
.. „ 134
.. ., 135
Plate LXXXVI
.. Fig. 136
.. „ 137
.. „ 138
.. „ 139
140
.. „ 141
„ 142
.. „ 143
.. „ 144
.. „ 145
.. „ 146
.. „ 147
, 148
Plate LXXXVII
.. Fig. 149
Plate LXXXVIII
.. Fig. 150
.. Fig. 151
.. „ 152
.. „ 158
PAGE
280
281
282
284
288
292
292
292
293
298
308
309
316
320
321
322
323
326
327
328
328
332
344
352
373
374
381
382
383
384
385
385
386
386
387
387
387
388
388
389
389
392
393
394
396
402
404
406
407
408
XVI
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Exeter
( )1(1 Devonshire
Honiton Guipure
Honeysuckle, Sprig of Modern Honiton
( )ld Devonshire Point . .
Lappet made by the late Mrs. Treadwin of
Venetian Relief in Point
English. — Devonshire. Fan made at J5eer for thj
Exhibition, 1900 .
Sir Alexander Gibson .
Scotch, Hamilton
Irish, Youghal
Irish,' Carriokmacross
Irish, Limerick Lace
Irish, Crochet Lace
Arms of the Framework Knitters' Company
The Lagetta, or Lace -bark Tree
Metre P. Quinty
Pattern Book, A^igsbuvg
Augsburg
Le Pompe, 1559
Manner of Pricking Pattern
Frankfort-on-the-Main, 1605
Monogram
"Bavari." from " Ornamento nobile " of Lucretia lloniim
I'AGE
Fig. 154 408
155 410
156 411
157 412
158 412
159 414
Paris
Plate LXXXIX 416
.. Fig. 160 424
.. „ 161 431
Plate XC 436
„ XCI 442
„ XCII 442
„ XCIII 446
.. Fig. 162 447
.. „ 163 456
Figs, 164, 165 460
.. 166, 167 462
168 463
169 473
170 486
171 492
172 492
173 498
HISTOEY OF LACE
oJS=>oo-
CHAPTER I.
NEEDLEWORK.
"As ladies v/ont
To finger the fine needle and nyse thread." — Faerie Qiiccne.
The art of lace-making has from tlie earliest times been
so interwoven with the art of needlework that it would be
impossible to enter on the subject of the present work with-
out P'ivino; some mention of the latter.
With the Egyptians the art of eml»roidery was general,
and at Bcni Hassan figures are represented making a sort of
net — " they that work in flax, and they that weave net-
work." ^ Examples of elaborate netting have been found in
Egyptian tombs, and mummy wrappings are ornamented
with drawn-work, cut-work, and other open ornamentation.
The outer tunics of the robes of state of important personages
appear to be fashioned of netw^ork darned round the hem
with gold and silver and coloured silks. Aniasis, King of
Egypt, according to Herodotus,^ sent to Athene of Lindus a
corslet with figures interwoven with gold and cotton, and to
judge from a passage of Ezekiel, the Egyptians even em-
broidered the sails of their galleys which they exported to
Tyre.'
' Wilkinson's Ancient Egyptians, Chilmad were thy merchants. These
vol. iii., p. 134. (See Illustration.) were thy merchants in all sorts of
- Herodotus, ii. 182 ; iii. 47. things, in blue cloths and broidered
^ Ezekiel, who takes up the cvy of works, and in chests of rich apparel."
lamentation for " Tyrus, situate at the Another part of the same chapter
entry of the sea," a merchant of the mentions galley sails of tine linen
people for manj- isles, exclaims, " The " with broidered work from Egypt." —
merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Ezekiel xxvii.
B
.2 HISTORY OF LACE
The Jewish enil )roiderei'.s, even in early times, seem to
have carried their art to a high standard of execution.
The curtains of the Tabernacle were of "fine twined linen
wrought with needlework, and blue, and purple, and scarlet,
with cherubims of cunning work." * Again, the robe of the
â– ephod was of gold and blue and purple and scarlet, and fine
twined linen, and in Isaiah we have mention of women's
cauls and nets of checker-work. Aholiab is specially recorded
as a cunning workman, and chief embroiderer in blue, and
in purple, and in scarlet, and in fine linen, ^ and the description
of the virtuous woman in the Proverbs, who " layeth her
hands to the spindle " and clotheth herself in tapestry, and
that of the king-'s dauo;hter in the Psalms, who shall be
" brought unto the king in a raiment of needlework," all
plainly show how much the art was appreciated amongst
the Jews.*^ Finally Josephus, in his Wars of the Jews,
mentions the veil presented to the Temple by Herod (b.c. 19),
a Babylonian curtain fifty cubits high, and sixteen broad,
emljroidered in blue and red, " of marvellous texture, repre-
sentino- the universe, the stars, and the elements."
bi the English Bible, lace is frequently mentioned, but
its meaning must be qualified by the reserve due to the use
of such a word in James I.'s time. It is pretty evident that
the translators used it to indicate a small cord, since lace for
•decoration would be more commonly known at that time as
purls, 'points, or cut-icorksJ
" Of lace amongst the Greeks we seem to have no evidence.
Upon the well-known red and black vases are all kinds ol
.figures clad in costumes which are bordered with ornamental
patterns, but these were painted upon, woven into, or em-
l)roidered upon the fabric. They were not lace. Many
•centuries elapsed before a marked and elaborately ornamental
•character infused itself into twisted, plaited, or lo(^ped thread-
work. During such a period the fashion of ornamenting
borders of costumes and hangings existed, and underw^ent a
few phases, as, for instance, in the Elgin marbles, where crimped
* Exodus xxvi. ; xxvii. ; xxxiv. 2 ; prey of divers colours of needlework,
Isaiah iii. 18 ; 1 Kin(=;s vii. 17. _, of divers colours of needlework on
■' Exodus xxxviii. 23. * both sides."— Judges v. 30.
^ Again, in the song of Deborah, the ' Cantor Lectures on the Art of
mother of Sisera says, " Have they not Lace-making. A. S. Cole (London,
•divided the prey? ... to Sisera a 1881).
NEEDLEWORK
%
edges appear along the flowing (Irecian dresses." Embroidered
garments^ cloaks, veils and cauls, and networks of gold are
frequently mentioned in Homer and other early authors.^
The countries of the Euphrates were renowned in classical
times for the beauty of their embroidered and painted stuffs
which they manufactured.^ Nothing has come down to us of
these Babylonian times, of which Greek and Latin writers
extolled the mao'nificence ; but we mav form some idea, from
the statues and fioures enoraved on cylinders, of what the
weavers and embroiderers of this ancient time were capable.^"
A fine stone in the British Museum is engraved with the
figure of a Babylonian king, Merodach-Idin-Abkey, in em-
l)roidered robes, w^hich speak of the art as practised eleven
hundred years B.C." Josephus writes that the veils given by
Herod for the Temple were of Babylonian work (TreTiXo?
^a.^vko)vio%) — the women excelling, according to Apollonius,
in executino; desio-ns of varied colours.
The Sidonian vromen brought by Paris to Troy embroidered
veils of such rich work that Hecuba deemed them worthy of
being offered to Athene ; and Lucan speaks of the Sidonian
veil worn by Cleopatra at a feast in her Alexandrine palace,
in honour of Csesar.^-
Phrygia was also renowned for its needlework, and from
the shores of Phrygia Asiatic and Babylonian embroideries
were shipped to Greece and Italy. The toga picta, worked
with Phrygian embroidery, was worn by Roman generals at
their triumphs and by the consuls when they celeljrated the
games : hence embroidery itself is styled " Phrygian," ^^
- At Athens the maidens who took
part in the procession of the Pana-
thenaea embroidered the veil or jjeplos
upon which the deeds of the goddess
were embroidered. The sacred peplos
borne on the mast of a ship rolled on
wheels in the Panathenaic festival
'• was destined for the sacred wooden
idol, Athene Polias, which stood on
the Erechtheus. This peplos was a
woven mantle renewed every five
years. On the gi-ound, which is
described as dark violet, and also as
saffron-coloured, was inwoven the battle
of the gods and the giants." (See
page 47, -Brtfis/i Museum Catalogue to
the Scul_ptures of the Parthenon.)
■' Plmy, Hist. Nat., viii. 74. '• Col-
ores divei'sos picturae iutexere Babylon
maxime celebravit et nomen im-
posuit."
^" Maspero, The Da am of Civilisa-
tion In Egypt and Chaldaea (ed. Prof.
Sayce) .
'^ Lefebiu'e, Enihrolderij and Lace
(trans. A. S. Cole).
'- Lucan, Pliarsalla, Book X.
'^ The Romans denominated such
embroideries ^/i;7/^io?)ay', and the em-
broiderer phryglo. Golden embroid-
eries were specified as aurlpthrijglum.
This word is the root of the French
oifroi (oi-freys).
B 2
4 HISTORY OF LACE
and tlie Romans knew it under no other name {opus-
Phryjjianum).^^
Gold needles and other working implements have been
discovered in Scandinavian tumuli. In the London Chronicle
of 1767 will be found a curious account of the opening of a
Scandinavian barrow near Wareham, in Dorsetshire. Within
the hollow trunk of an oak were discovered many l^ones
wrapped in a covering of deerskins neatly sewn together.