Featured Alter Frontal?

Wow - Thanks Leslie - great info.

To try to answer your questions and provide a bit more detail now that I have the piece in hand:

1) the linen the lace is attached to is only about 7-8 inches.


It looks like the wrapped threads in the main body of the work come out of this "header".


2) I don't see anywhere that looks like it's been cut down from a larger size. This pic shows the join between the main section on top, the bottom section, and the scalloped edging on the side. this is typical of whole piece. Very fine finishing - I don't see anywhere that the lace sections are joined together without a "buffer".


3) Here's a close up of the heart motif from the bottom section.


And details of the scalloped edge - it runs down both sides and across the bottom - the turn on each bottom corner is heavily ironed to flatten it and shape the corner.

Corner - some threads have been flattened - almost "plasticized" feeling but there does not appear to be any surface treatment other than ironing - maybe lots of starch?


Thanks for all your help and research!

 

Really a FANTASTIC piece!

 

Wow! Great new pics! Let's see if I can "see" anything else!
#1. Is it truly a "cut" edge along the bottom edge of the linen (bottom of the photo) ... or does it look like a "selvage edge" because it is so heavily starched?

#2. I have tried to draw a line where I believe the two lengths of the wide lace panel is joined. See photo #"alter query2-LI".

In regard to your photo #2.
#3. Your photo #2 is very interesting. With close observation... (see header edge 1 pic) I'm wondering why every other bar is very diagonal... leading me to wonder if only every other bar comes out of the fabric? Or does that bar go up to the linen; sewn on and come back into the lace... meaning that the lace is actually "sewn" on - using a *selvage edge rather than utilizing threads from the linen fabric to create it's base grid? What does the other side of the piece look like... is it folded, sewn fabric like a hem? or truly just one piece of fabric? It looks thicker than one layer along that edge (where I've drawn the sample edge).

*Refer to "torchon lace edge selvage" photo - showing a straight edge or "selvage" at the top.

#4. In photo 3 "crown edge"... you can see that the stitches are very tight and "clean" (not the crown part added to the heart part) - it appears to have been made in all one piece.

#5. If we refer back to your photo #2 - you can see where the crown edge extends up the side of the heart pattern lace (at a 90 degrees from how it runs in your photo of the "crown edge") and continues up the side of the wider top part of the lace with the vines and grapes. If we look at "crown edge 2" - I have indicated that the crown edge appears to be either "cut" along this line OR a *selvage was created at the point where it needed to travel opposite to the length of the heart design lace (and further up the lace with the flowers and vines).

Comparing the "join reduction" photo with the "crown edge 2" photo; you can see where the solid or "cloth like" area marked in blue reduces itself down to nothing lower in the photo. I assume that the photo is the backside. But the point is: It does not appear to me, that the heart/crown lace was "cut" (separating the heart part with the crown part); as it is so "flat"; but, it leads me to wonder... at what point does the design for the edging change from heart AND crown to "just" crown? Is it at the corner?

IF it is NOT cut (separating the heart part with the crown part)... and a selvage was planned to allow the crown edge to be applied to the vertical edges of the piece... this would have taken QUITE a lot of precision planning... as it would have been much easier to either leave the heart part ON or just lop it off and worry how to sew it on with loose thread later...

 

Continuing: #6. If we take a look at the "selvages comparison" photo... the box in blue addresses the "appearance" of a selvage edge (of the grape and vine lace) being sewn "on top" of the linen buffer (is it?)... where as, the small arrows in black clearly point out that the heart and crown lace are truly sewn on using a selvage edge.

#7. The corner... I was happy to see that the tiny outer edge of the scallops actually DO look like a bobbin technique called a "winkie" edge (clearly visable in the "torchon lace selvage edge photo" in the previous post).

Yes, it does seem to have a very heavily starched ironed look to get those gathers to lay relatively flat.

I'm truly perplexed about my observations. I still can't dispute nor totally agree with what the seller said; however; IF the grape and vine lace is made using a single piece of fabric and it is needle pulled and drawn... then where are the "ends". If the buffer linen is actually is where the lace ends and the threads re-assume their role as linen - then it "should" be more seamless. It shouldn't look like it is sewn on.

Comparatively speaking - IF the grape and vine lace is made using needle technique; where as, all the grid work is made using all new threads (not a base fabric); it would therefore be made in an "exact size" and it would be necessary to actually sew the lace on to the fabric.

I found this very early reference to another type of lace (refer to image 1415 - sorry it isn't very clear or close up) called "grappo". I've personally never seen it or heard of it; but it may seem to fit several of our criteria: It is "self contained" (meaning it isn't reliant on a base fabric); it was used in ecclesaistical goods; and it has very sturdy grid work as seen in the query piece. I'm not suggesting that it IS grappo; I simply don't know enough about it. In addition to the fact that in the grappo photo the bars run diagonally; in opposition to our query piece, in which the bars run horizontally and vertically.

But what I am suggesting; is that in early laces, people were being very creative and utilizing what they DID know in terms of sewing and embroidery to create openwork that we now call lace. Therefore it is sometimes very hard to slot some form into any specific label. It may pick up one element from one technique and another element from another technique or form.

I do believe you have a very old piece...and it IS very interesting! It has been fun to research and ponder. Lace is truly a very interesting art. It has a very long history. Much of what was known; was never written down as it was regarded as "trade secrets" from one country to another. Yes, some pieces took untold hours to create; sometimes utilizing entire communities or generations of lacemakers working on a single piece. I've been interested in lace making since I was a youngster... and have studied and made many forms since. I still have much to learn!

Enjoy and ponder how it was made - use a magnifying glass front and back to compare what you see. The more you get to "know" a piece; the more it will reveal itself to you! Thanks so much for sharing your lovely piece with us!

Leslie

 

Wow, what a lesson in lace making. Thank you, @Northern Lights Lodge ! I'm not the original poster but wanted to say that your sharing of your depth of knowledge is very appreciated.

 

My pleasure! I like to share my expertise where I can... and lace is a vast subject really. I've been interested for a VERY long time!

Leslie