Publisher's Synopsis
The object of this classic work, published originally in 1900, was to sift and condense all information then available, so as to classify antique and contemporary specimens of hand-made lace in terms of origin, period, and technique, as well as to trace the rise and growth of the great lace centres.;The book may be considered in three major sections. The first is a history, covering the earliest origins of lace, and then in turn the medieval period, the 17th century, the 18th century and the 19th century. These chapters contain a wealth of anecdote and contemporary portraiture.;There follows a series of chapters on specific items - ecclesiastical lace, lace fans, peasant laces, transport and care of lace, and the literature of lace. There is a wealth of information to stimulate today's lacemaker who feels herself to be working within an age-old tradition.;The last part of the book - half of it, in fact, is an extended "dictionary" of lace, illustrated with many photographs. This vast body of information complements more recent reference books with the added interest of a different historical perspective.
