Featured Another family piece...mounted lace...

Hi again...I was so happy with the thread about my other piece (the antique "Christening" piece)..thought I would ask you all to take a stab at this.

Also passed down from my aunt. I had it mounted and framed over 20 years ago ..so photos are not really good. Again, was told it was old and special..but with this one not sure at all.

Cloth is approx 39" long and 13-14 inches wide/high. Sorry about light in photo..but it is only light in the room and piece is under glass.

 

Lovely Janettekay.

 

Hi @janettekay
My 2 cents! A very pretty piece; nicely framed! From what I can see - however, it appears to be machine made. Not quite close up enough to be 100 % certain - but 99.9% certain. Probably 1900-1920. Still a pleasing and very pretty piece! And quite stunning framed and placed in a spot that highlight's it's charm is great!
Leslie

 

Thanks to all !!! I, also, am almost sure..machine made and surely not older than early 1900s. Though I have no idea of family origin..my aunt said to keep it...so I did !! On a whim, I had it framed..and it is hanging in my spare room with lots of other "old stuff". A nice, one of kind piece of art that fits in the room perfectly!

 

Just a little additional info I thought of......my family lived one town away from an area that had quite a few lace manufacturing companies (Northern NJ) . Late 1800s into 1900s.. It was a thriving lace making area . Not sure if any of my family worked in the industry or just that lace pieces were very popular and readily available in the area.

 

Thank you for bringing that up! Cool fact!
Actually, there were a number of 1600's - 1900's lace areas in Colonial America. It has it's own very unique look (if you can "read" lace)... and was an important/unique part of our Colonial history!

https://historicipswich.org/2019/03/10/pillow-lace/

 

https://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/31/...big-industry-that-produces-delicate-lace.html

the lace industry in Hudson County NJ

 

Dang! I can't pull it up as I'm not subscribed to the NYtimes!
Leslie

 

???? either am I !!!! I will try to copy and paste the first few paragraphs..

 

For 125 Years, a Big Industry That Produces Delicate Lace


By Steve Strunsky

• Aug. 31, 1997

Commuters en route to the Lincoln Tunnel may have noticed a banner stretched across an overpass in Union City: ''Welcome to Northern New Jersey, Embroidery Capital of the World Since 1872.'' But 125 years after the first hand-embroidery shops opened across the Hudson from Manhattan's garment industry and a century since the arrival of embroidery machines, foreign competition has weakened the $300 million industry. In the last 15 years, 20 percent of its business has been lost, as have many jobs that traditionally employed the area's Swiss, German, Hispanic and Indian immigrants. Computer automation of the massive embroidery machines that turn out meticulously delicate patterns has improved efficiency for those who can afford it. But many of the industry's 400 mostly family-run businesses cannot.

Bruce Altman, 55, of Fort Lee founded A Touch of Lace in Union City 25 years ago and is a member of the Schiffli Lace and Embroidery Manufacturers Association, the trade group that hung the banners on Aug 22. Ignacio Camacho, 54, of West New York, a native of Havana, is Mr. Altman's foreman and a member of Local 211T of the Schiffli Embroidery Workers Welfare Fund. Mr. Altman and Mr. Camacho talked about their industry.

Q. Why northern New Jersey?

A. ALTMAN The reason why it's here is because of the bedrock on the Palisades. If you look at the machines, they vibrate an awful lot. The machines weigh about five tons, eight tons, so you'll see each machine is cemented in this huge foundation so the vibration stays within the area. It doesn't travel.

Q. What does schiffli mean?

A. ALTMAN Schiffli means little boat in German. Schiffli is the shuttle; it looks like a little boat. And behind every needle there's a shuttle, and a bobbin with yarn goes in the shuttle, like a sewing machine.

 

I’m not either, but it came up for me.....try again!!! OOOOPS, never mind Janettekay already posted it! And that was the whole essence of the article!

 

Cool info that I didn’t know!!! Thanks!