Victorian Schiffli Lace Lady's Lingerie Case

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I just acquired this beautiful lady's lingerie case from the late Victorian era. The Schiffli lace is so breathtaking and speaks of high quality and, indeed, it was from a wealthy estate. I am thrilled to find this exquistive piece.. The lace cover is machine made by Schiffli Embroidery Machine in Burntwork technique. The design simulates Hand Cutwork embroidery and Belgian bobbin lace. The particular work in this one is complex, having layers of both cloth and netting. Good quality and expensive. The lace is a light ercu in color. It is attached to a padded fold over satin case in a baby blue silk. Ties at the front with blue silk ribbon ties. A larger size measuring 16" wide x 23" long. What a delight to store milady's lingerie in something so lovely as this.

A Record of Accounting / Laces & Prices 1919-1929

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So many wonderful things cross my path and indeed, I did find these old accounting records of purchased lace & prices dated from 1919 through 1929 so very interesting. Stamped at the top of these neatly written pages is the store name "Miss Englehart's Studio, Rare Laces, Embroiders and Fabrics" . Looking through the list I can only imagine the beauty of some of the pieces listed as the prices realized did indicate they were truly works of beauty. Such as the Venetian needlepoint tape lace cape (16th Century), one strip of Venetian needlepoint in relief of Punto Tagliato a Foliami 17th Century - at a special price of $4500. Yet on another page a listing for one rare old lace collar in Punto in Aria $500, one Louis XIV blue silk banner with needlework $275.00 or the page with the rare Flemish lace shawl for $2000 and another Flemish lace flounce also for $2000.

The Fine Points of Monograms on Table Linens

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All these wonderful early booklets on a variety of subjects I have purchased recently have been a treasure trove of knowledge. Reading one in particular on "Linens for the Bride" printed for the McCutcheon's, Fifth Avenue, New York City - Linen Specialists For More Than 75 Years has given me an insight on household linens brides of yesteryear might select. Although there is no date to this booklet, by reading I ascertain it is about 1920's. Not only the type of linens recommended for kitchen, bed & bath but the quantity of each of the items for each of these room.

The last page of the booklet reviews monogramming linens. As it states "monogramming calls for so much more than mere embroidery of initials. Monograms must be correct. They must be chosen with discrimination, suitable for the articles on which they are used, and, they must be correctly placed.". This statement gave me reason to ponder about the correct placement of the monogram on the linen. It seems these rules still apply today as they did then. Tablecloths are 4" from the hem on a corner on the diagonal. Napkins are in a corner 2" from the hem on a diagonal. Towels are center at the bottom hem.

I hope you find this as interesting as I did.

A Treatise On Modern DrawnWork by Mrs. Isaac Houck

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A number of years ago when I was visiting family in Ohio the subject of drawnwork lace came up. As I have always had a fascination with this type of lace making it was an interesting discussion only to learn further our small town inspired an author on the subject. Now, I was hooked. I really wanted a copy of this book by this "famous lady". Lo and behold my dear mother was able to obtain for me a copy (even though it is just photocopy I am nevertheless thrilled) to have Mrs. Isaac Miller Houck's instruction booklet on Drawnwork lace. The title of her book "A Treatise on Modern DrawnWork in Color". Written in 1904 this book is the third new enlarged edition. Other editions were 1899 and 1900. It is 43 pages of instruction with engraved drawings . Some engravings show the items in the progress of the work, from attaching to a bar frame, drawing of the threads, hemstitching , uniting different borders and size borders. A chapter is devoted to colored items of various styles & stitches.

Then in the summer of 2006 I was fortunate to purchase a nice collection of unfinished linens in various stages of work. A few of the items were of drawn lace. Now I have a greater appreciation of this lovely lace as I can view the work in progress first hand.

This page shows the drawing of threads and hemstitching.

A group of cloth items in different stages of completion.

Please visit my store for other drawnwork lace offerings.

1890 Cotton Centenary Apron - 100th Anniversay

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I have had this apron in my collection for a very long time and it is a real find. This historical apron is from the 1890 Cotton Centenary printed in red, white & blue with stars. Apron was manufuctured by Dunnel Mfg Co for distribution at the Cotton Centary of 1890 in Pawtucket, R.I. These aprons were made to commenorate the 100th anniversary (1790-1890) of Samuel Slater's cotton spinning machinery at old Slater Mill. Apron features print of Old Slater Mill, Samuel Slater, flags, as well as bands of red, & blue with stars. Visit The Gatherings for more details on this item.