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HISTORY OF LACE.

to preserve this coffee-coloured tint. The firmness and solidity ofthese last laces are wonderful.

The specimens from Rattwik are marrow “ seaming ” laces ofthe lozenge pattern.

There is also a sort of plaiting used as fringe, in the style ofthe Genoese maerame, from the ends of a small sheet which thepeasants spread over their pillows. No improvement takes placein the designs. The Dalecarlian women do not make a trade oflace-making, they merely work to supply their own wants. 20

i'ig. 105 represents a lace collar worn by Gustavus Adolphus ; 21a relic carefully preserved in the Northern Museum at Stockholm.In addition to this collar, there is preserved at the Royal Klads-kammar, at Stockholm, a blood-stained shirt worn by Gustavusat the battle of Dirschau, the collar and cuffs trimmed with laceof rich geometric pattern, the sleeves decorated with “ seaming ”lace.

In an adjoining case of the same collection are some splendidaltar-cloths of ancient raised point, said to have been worked bythe Swedish nuns previous to the suppression of the monasteries.A small escutcheon constantly repeated on the pattern of theoldest specimens has the semblance of a water-lily leaf, theemblem of the Stures, leading one to believe they may have beenof Swedish fabrication, for many ladies of that illustrious housesought shelter from troublous times within the walls of the lace-making convent of Wadstena.

In the same cabinet is displayed, with others of more ordinarytexture, a collar of raised Spanish guipure, worked by the prin-cesses Catherine and Marie, daughters of Duke Johan Adolf(brother of Charles X.). Though a creditable performance, yet itis far inferior to the lace of convent make. The making of thisSpanish point formed a favourite amusement of the Swedish ladiesof the seventeenth century: bed-hangings, coverlets, and toilets oftheir handiwork may still be found in the remote castles of theprovinces. We have received the photograph of a flower from anold bed of Swedish lace—an heirloom in a Smaland castle of CountTrolle Bonde.

20 For this information, witli a collec-tion of specimens, the author has to thankMadame Petro, of Gefle.

21 On it is inscribed, in Swedish, “ Thiscollar was work by Gustaf Adolf, King of

Sweden, and presented, together withjiisportrait, ns a remembrance, in 1632, toMiss Jacobina Lauber, of Augsburg,because she was the most beautiful damselpresent.”