This bag is pictured in "Greek Lace in the Victoria and Albert Museum". They
describe it thus:
Constantinople, Purse; mid 19th century.
A fine example of Greek Needle-point lace made up fine, well-spun silk
threads. The background is in natural ecru colour, worked with the
needle-made
knot technique - and is divided into two. It is joined in the middle by a
length,
"atrantes" ("entre-deux"), of gold-thread "tirtiri". The left side is
decorated with white flowers (gardenias?) and their buds, and the right with
little flowers in two shades of blue. The upper part is ornamented with
semi-circular scrolls of brown silk thread which have been filled with
horsehair to
reinforce the design and to make it stand out. Hanging from the scrolls are
delicate little flowers in white and blue bells, from which tiny calyces in
pink, white and red protrude. What is striking here is the admirable skill
shown in the sewing of the needle-made knots in order to make the "bibila";
this
is all the more impressive if we bear in mind the small size of the purse, the
total width of which does not exceed 10.5 cm or its height 14.5 cm. On the
left and right the purse is decorated with gold-thread "tirtiria" which
terminate in little green-blue silk tassels and in scalloping produced by
applique "tirtiria". At he bottom the purse is gathered, and terminates in a
rich
tassel of straight and curling "tirtiria".
Given to Queen Victoria in 1845. Donated by Queen Mary to the V&A in 1959.
I don't think any of this is bobbin lace. But maybe it will be the piece
that will made needle-lace irresistible. (Take a walk on the wild side!)
Devon
in New Jersey where spring is overdue
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