We all need to network more, please! Here are my (Jeri's) comments about some subjects discussed on this Blog site: I really enjoyed the Nottingham Blog. (I independently went to see the lace factories after one of Marion Scoular's tours of Scotland). I bought every little book that was sold there about lace plus the 1994 381-pg. hardbound book by Sheila A. Mason called "Nottingham Lace 1760s-1950". When our friend who works with laces at The Metropolitan Museum expressed interest in 2003, I mailed my copy of Mason's book to her, and later put her in touch with Mason. Mason was able to get a private lace appointment at The Metropolitan shortly after, when she was in NYC. Her family company, Cluny Lace Company Limited, is the last of the Leavers lace makers in the UK, per a memo Mason sent to me in 2010. Her company's history stretches back to 1739. Word came in 2003 via Arachne, that Bill Rowe (b. 1921), a member of the RAF Association Croydon Branch, became interested in the lace panels and then wrote a 72-pg. spiral-bound book "The Battle of Britain in Lace", in which he accounted for the present location of panels and gave many photographic images. I have this book, thanks to Nicky Townsend. Lace guild bulletins and personal letters have come to me from time-to-time, telling of additional locations, as the lace community tries to recapture history. One letter from Devon Thein to the New England Lace Group suggested there is a copy in the U.S. - in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, donated in 2007. She received this information from Brian Lemin in Australia. However, the http address provided failed for me today. There is at least one member of the New England Lace Group who could confirm this location, if she would come out of lurking. I was very happy to read Ann Bernard's review of the Ruhland (Lace) Collection Exhibition in Canada, closing Nov. 2, 2014. More needs to appear on Arachne about it. Ann tells me it was fascinating and overwhelming - too much to take in on one or even two or three visits. Canadian Lacemaker Gazette published lovely photos in the Fall 2014 edition. This Gazette is like a national lace guild, and links Canadian lace lovers together. A Canadian lace groups page with contact info is always inserted in it, and all Provinces are represented. I personally know several members - all of whom network about lace and represent Canadians very well. Malvary Cole and Bev Walker, are particularly active participants on Arachne. The next thing I was caught up by was Bernard's memories of being a student at the RSN in the early 1950s. I can relate to the Prince's Gate building, as I once went there to take an embroidery class. I also shopped there for books whenever in London. Scoular took me to the newer headquarters at Hampton Court, which should be a destination for all who pursue any form of needlework. Arachne members may learn more about silk and metal threads from information in Bernard's Blog. I was reminded the 1st edition of the 442-pg. 1886 scholarly book, "Needlework as Art" by Lady Marian M Alford, is always fun to delve into. It has 14 pages exclusively devoted to lace, and from Ovid's Metamorphoses the Story of Arachne (Appendix III). Somewhere else in my readings I learned that Alford lived at Prince's Gate. Ever after, I have wondered if she lived in the very building that later housed the RSN?! In a completely unrelated book, on Royal fans (the kind you hold), is a fan that Alford painted. Apparently, she studied art in Italy at a young age. A very nice background for an early leader in the development of the RSN. Her knowledge would certainly elevate the perception that some embroideries are sufficiently well designed and executed that they must be considered to be art. About Beryl Dean (1911-2001), whose name will always be the one most associated with ecclesiastical embroidery of the 20th century: I, too, saw all the chairs piled up perilously close to the embroidered panels in Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel that Bernard describes. This was on one of Scoular's tours. I have written publicly about this several times - on Arachne. It is a conservation issue, because restorations are extremely expensive, and the item is never "original" when other people have worked on it. It was shocking that castle authorities permitted TV crews to do this. We must all "speak up" when we observe such things, and it is encouraging that Bernard reports the matter has been properly addressed by placing the panels in a glass case. However, there is no lighting! Remember what I always recommend - carry a small purse-size torch (British term) or flashlight (American term) when traveling and visiting museums and historic buildings. I've used mine often in museums and castles. Guards will not stop you, if you are discrete. Don't wave it around and make a big issue of it. It is also wise to follow Bernard's advice and make visiting arrangements in advance if there is something very special that you want to see and study. Ecclesiastical embroideries designed by Beryl Dean include lots of silk and gold threads. There are 5 books by Beryl Dean in my (Jeri's) library, and there are probably more titles to be found. Last night, I re-read the earliest history of The Embroiderers' Guild of America (which the manager of EGA's office in 2011 - when I was writing Erica Wilson's obituary - seemed to know nothing about). I just located a copy in my extensive paper files. It was sent to me as founder of the evening Morris (NJ) Chapter in 1978. The local day chapter did not want an evening group, so this was the first exclusively evening chapter of EGA - for mothers and working women. I bankrolled it, and was reimbursed a year later. It is still an active chapter. Sometimes, you just have to make things happen that have never been! In the interest of important information not being destroyed (as so much history of women has been) I'm tucking the following into this memo: In the EGA founding document I found references to Beryl Dean's coming to America when EGA was still a branch of the English Embroiderers' Guild. "Miss Beryl Dean, an English designer and teacher of note, under the sponsorship of the Special Projects Committee of the Board, made the first and a most successful lecture tour of America in 1962. She also gave an illustrated lecture in New York, which was well attended." In 1964, the Second National Exhibit was held in the IBM Galleries, through the courtesy of Mrs. Thomas J. Watson. (Check IBM's founding history to learn how prestigious this was!) There were 4 rooms, and the 2nd room "contained ten entries based on a floral design donated by Miss Beryl Dean of London. These were executed with a wide variety of stitches." There is a new book "Hand Stitch Perspectives" by Alice Kettle and Jane McKeating that I reviewed on Arachne in January. Chapters are written by 18 contemporary embroidery experts. It includes a Beryl Dean chapter, on pgs. 104-115 that is most interesting. It tells how she often stitched for 20 hours at a stretch. Another bit suggests her estate arrangements. Every photo caption includes "The Beryl Dean Archive", and this is described as "primary source material". Apparently, primary source material is stored somewhere (St. Paul's Cathedral?) just waiting for a biographer to dig up more fascinating information. Other 19th-20th century needlework experts are covered in this book: Louisa Pesel (first president of The Embroiderers' Guild in England), Therese de Dillmont, Rachael Kay-Shuttleworth of Gawthorpe Hall, Fanny Palliser (known for both lace and embroidery expertise at the V&A). Ann Bernard's Oct. 8, 2012 Blog is about Mary Eirwen Jones and Jacobean embroideries of the 17th century. Jones wrote "Romance of Lace", which is quite enjoyable to read. Published by Spring Books, London. Unfortunately, the book does not bear a publication date or an ISBN. Her embroidery books are from the 1960s and 1970s. This comment is because if you have one of my (Jeri's) "business" cards, it has a lace/crewel design on it from the 17th century Jacobean period. It was deliberately selected for my card years ago, because Lace and Embroidery designs in this period could be used for either! Hopefully, Arachne members will enjoy these comments. They were sent to Ann Bernard for pre-approval, and contained information she did not have. That is what this is all about - sharing. Jeri Ames in Maine USA Lace and Embroidery Resource Center
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