Figure 1.--Here we have a post-card back studio portrait. The boy is unidentified. He wears a tunic suit with an unusual large metal buckle. Notice the extesive cut-away work, orimarily around a large white collar with an Eton shape. The portrait was taken in the 1900s decade. We can see that from the postmark, although the actual year is not clear. The postcard was mailed from Sherness, a coastal town in Kent near the mouth of the Thames. Interestung the post card was sent to Ms. Marples!

Another method long in use, known as 'cutwork'. Other terms include 'cut-away' and 'cut-out' lace. Another term is 'eyelet' lace. The Italian term is 'punto tagliato'. This is a specific type of cut-away lace. The cut away bits are eyelets are small round holes. The cut-away bits on other types are not necesarily round or small. This is not true lace, but has somewhat the look of lace of proper needkle and bobin lace and associated with it. It consists of cutting holes in a tetile, usually cotton amd linen. This is much less time consuming and thus expensice than true lace. Cut-out lace often had embroidering at the edges of the smaller holes, and working lacy designs of threads over the larger spaces. This was often done as part of the large ruffled collars that became popular for boys as part of the Fauntleroy Craze of the late-19th century. A good example is the Harrison brothers about 1890. It was actually more widely used during the Fauntleroy era than expensive true lace. Needlework styles that incorporate cut-out lace include broderie anglaise, Carrickmacross lace, whitework, early reticella, Spanish cutwork, hedebo, and jaali a style common in India. Cut-out lace was also commonly used to trim pantalettes. Cut-out lace of course was not real lace, but is often associated with lace.

Created: 1:47 PM 12/14/2018
Last updated: 1:48 PM 12/14/2018