The piece of reticello lace, illustrated above, is an unusually fine
example of early Italian needlepoint. Reticello was the first
needlepoint, and from it all the later ones were derived. Long points,
such as we see here, were much used on collars and cuffs in the XVII
century. Of other Italian laces in the collection may be noted a large
panel of Milanese bobbin lace of the late XVII or early XVIII century, a
fine piece of beautiful Venetian rosepoint of the XVIII century, and
examples of Burano and grounded Venetian lace of the same period. French
laces of the XVIII century are represented by characteristic examples of
Point d’Alencon and Point d’Argentan needlepoint and of old Valenciennes
bobbin lace. Flemish laces may be studied in typical examples of Mechlin,
Point d’Angleterre, Application, etc. These exquisite fabrics of France
and Flanders have never been surpassed in beauty of design and skilful
workmanship. The delicate meshes seem at times almost miraculous—as if
they owed their origin to Jack Frost rather than to human hands. To show
the fineness of the thread used in making the characteristic hexagonal
mesh of Point d’Argentan, it may be stated that on an average one side of
the hexagon measures only 1-16 of an inch. On each of these sides there
are usually 10 stitches. This makes 160 stitches to the inch—which means
more, perhaps, when we realize that in the finest machine sewing there are
usually 32 stitches to the inch. The collection also includes XIX century
and modern examples of Belgian, English and American lace.
[Lace, Needlepoint, Point d’Argentan, French, XVIII Century
Lace, Needlepoint, Point d’Alencon, French, XVIII Century
Lace, Needlepoint, Rosepoint, Venetian, Early XVIII Century
Bobbin Lace, Point d’Angleterre, Flemish, XVIII Century]
Lace, Needlepoint, Point d’Argentan, French, XVIII Century
Lace, Needlepoint, Point d’Alencon, French, XVIII Century
Lace, Needlepoint, Rosepoint, Venetian, Early XVIII Century
Bobbin Lace, Point d’Angleterre, Flemish, XVIII Century
[Chair, Pearwood Venetian. Early XVIII Century]