Exhibition

 

Bobbin Lace

Center Platform & Pillars

 

Lace: The Art of Needle and Bobbin

Higbee Gallery, March 23, 2007 - January 6, 2008

Jean Druesedow, Curator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evening Dress

European, about 1855-1859

Pink silk moiré taffeta bodice and skirt.  Moiré is created when a silk faille is folded and pressed by a calendaring machine.  The ribs of the weave are crushed and reflect light in a rippled or watery pattern.  Moiré fabrics are sometimes called “watered silks.”

Kent State University Museum

Silverman/Rodgers Collection, 1983.1.62

 

Shown with:

Shawl of Brussels Bobbin and Needle Lace

Appliquéd on Machine-made Net

European, mid-19th century

Linen

L at CB: 53”

Shawls such as this were among the most popular accessories in the mid-nineteenth century.  The portrait of Miss Mansell in the gallery shows a similar example.  Wispy plumes and delicate flowers decorate this shawl.

Kent State University Museum

Silverman/Rodgers Collection, 1983.1.2288

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evening Dress

American, about 1860

White silk taffeta and faille bodice and skirt, with a slight train, trimmed with tassels at the elbow.

Kent State University Museum

Silverman/Rodgers Collection, 1983.1.1884

 

Shown with:

Shawl of Bobbin Lace, Chantilly

French, mid-19th century

Silk

L at CB: 53”

A triangular shawl of black hand-made Chantilly lace such as this one was associated with the French Empress Eugenie, a Spanish princess, and was popular at the same time as other black laces during the middle of the nineteenth century.

Kent State University Museum

Gift of Evangeline Davey Smith, (Mrs. Alexander M. Smith) in memory of Mrs. Martin L. Davey, Sr. (Bernice Chrisman Davey), 1991.11.73  

 

Undersleeves

American, 19th century

White cotton and machine-made lace

Kent State University Museum

Silverman/Rodgers Collection, 1983.1.2259

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afternoon Dress

American or European, about 1876

Princess-style dress of embroidered net and organdy trimmed with machine-made lace and ribbons.  Under dress of cream silk taffeta.  This dress demonstrates the late nineteenth century lace revival which lasted into the early twentieth century.  Princess styling was favored by Queen Alexandra of England because it accentuated her tall and slender figure.

Kent State University Museum

Silverman/Rodgers Collection, 1983.1.123ab

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tea Gown

American or English, about 1882

Cream colored wool and machine-made lace with ribbon tie.  This tea gown was made during the slender bustle period, about 1882.  Tea gowns were worn to receive friends at home, but were not worn on the street.  The closely fitted bodice of this dress indicates that it would have been worn over a corset.

Kent State University Museum

Silverman/Rodgers Collection, 1983.1.20

 

 

Northwest Pillar

 

 

Stole of Bobbin and Needle Lace

Duchess de Bruxelles (Brussels) Guipure lace accented with Point de Gaze

European, late 19th or early 20th century

Linen

105” x 18 ½”

This example of Duchess de Brussels lace uses both the guipure technique of joining motifs with bars and needle lace motifs on a mesh ground as design accents.  The petals on the needle-made flowers are three-dimensional, typical of Rosepoint.  Point Duchesse was the finest of this style of lace and was named in honor of the future Queen of Belgium, Marie-Henriette the Duchesse de Brabant. 

Kent State University Museum

Silverman/Rodgers Collection, 1983.1.1819

 

 

Southwest Pillar

 

 

Stole of Machine-made Lace in Alençon Style

European, late 19th - early 20th century

Silk

92 ½” x. 20 ½”

Although this piece bears little resemblance to hand-made Alençon lace, the imitation of needle lace motifs and the delicacy of the design resemble earlier patterns.  This type of stole was fashionable around 1904.

Kent State University Museum

Silverman/Rodgers Collection, 1983.1. 2296

 

 

Northeast Pillar

 

 

Stole of Bobbin Lace, Rosaline

Belgium, late 19th - early 20th century

Linen

102” x 23”

The tiny buttonhole stitched rings in the center of the flowers are called purls.  This type of lace was invented in the late nineteenth century inspired by seventeenth century Venetian lace.  In this piece the tiny elements are formally arranged around central motifs.  The bobbin-made tapes have distinctive wavy edges joined by bars.  Mesh is used only for accent.

Kent State University Museum

Silverman/Rodgers Collection, 1983.1.2294

 

 

Southeast Pillar

 

 

Stole of Bobbin and Needle Lace

Duchess de Bruxelles (Brussels) Guipure lace accented

with Point de Gaze

European, late19th or early 20th century

Linen

109 ½” x 23”

During the lace revival of the 1840s, lace made without a net ground became popular and the name guipure was adopted for the style although the meaning of the word was changed from its original use.  Belgian firms began to produce pieces made from bobbin-made floral elements joined together by bars.  Pieces as large as this stole were uncommon, as the technique was primarily used for collars and cuffs.  Point Duchesse was the finest of this style of lace and was named in honor of the future Queen of Belgium, Marie-Henriette the Duchesse de Brabant.

Kent State University Museum

Gift of Sally Boggs Taft, 1995.30.10

 

Over Entrances

 

 

 

Viennese Palace Draperies

Bobbin and Needle Lace and Embroidery

European, about 1870

Linen

133” x 70”

A variety of lace techniques were used to make these drapery panels.  The central ovals are embroidered on linen and surrounded with needle lace.  Woven tapes are stitched together to fill out the major spaces, joined by needle lace mesh.  Needle lace scallops and fringed tassels decorate the bottom edge.

Kent State University Museum

Silverman/Rodgers Collection, 1983.1.1519