364

HISTORY OF LACE.

to whom a petition had been sent on behalf of the distressed lace-makers, gave the order for a dress to be made of Honiton sprigs,sewn on machine net, and commanded that the flowers should allbe copied from nature. The order was executed by Mrs. Davey, ofHoniton ; the skirt was encircled with a wreath of elegantlydesigned sprigs, the initial of each flower forming the name of hermajesty . 21

The example of the amiable queen found few followers ; andwhen, in the progress of time, the wedding lace was required forher present majesty, it was with difficulty the necessary numberof workers could be obtained to make it. The work was executedin the small fishing hamlet of Beer , 22 and its environs. The dresscost lOm. ; it was composed entirely of Honiton sprigs, connectedon the pillow by a variety of open-work stitches.

The bridal dresses of their royal highnesses the Princessltoyal, the Princess Alice, and the Princess of Wales, were all ofHoniton lace, the patterns consisted of the national flowers, thelatter with prince’s feathers, intermixed with ferns, and introducedwith the most happy effect.

The application of Honiton sprigs upon bobbin-net has beenof late years almost entirely superseded by the modern guipure(Coloured Plate XVI.). The sprigs, when made, are tacked upon apiece of blue paper, and then united either on the pillow by “ cut-works ” or “ purlings,” or else joined with the needle by variousstitches—lacet point, reseau, cutwork, and button-hole stitch (themost effective of all); purling is made by the yard. The Honitonguipure has an original character almost unique. The largepieces surpass in richness and perfection the point duchesse ofBelgium. The reliefs are embroidered with the greatest delicacy,and the beauty of the workmanship is exquisite ; and whereas theguipure applications of Belgium require to be whitened with lead,the Honiton workers give up their lace in all its original brilliancyand whiteness . 23 The fault in the Honiton lace has been itscrowded and spiritless designs.

The author’s brother took much pains, during a residence atSidmouth, to procure for the lace-makers new patterns of flowers,

21 Amaranth. Auricula.

Daphne. Ivy.

Eglantine. Dahlia.

Lilac. Eglantine.

22 The workers of Brer, Axmoutb, and

Branscombe, bave always been consideredthe best in the trade.

23 “Exposition Universelle de 1807;Rapport du Jury International, ‘ Den-tellee,’ par Felix Aubry.”