THE PURSES AND GLOVES OF OUR GRANDMOTHERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6138, 26 March 1898, Page 3

THE PURSES AND GLOVES OF OUR GRANDMOTHERS.

At the exhibition of old embroideries which took place" recently at the Decorative Needlework Society (says the writer of "Woman's World" in Sl James's Budget) there was an opportunity afforded of seeing the kind of purse that was in vogue in 1600 odd and beforo— namely, a small bag drawn in with cord, about the size of a man's hand, with circular embroidered florets standing up in bold relief all over it, each quite as large as a shilling. Ifc is said to be the best piece of work of the kind extant, and the colourings are a sort of golden-brown and mauve, with faded pinks. In a very interesting piece of embroidery of the timo of Queen Anne the feminine figures are seen carrying somewhat similar purses suspended from their girdles, and Pope speaks of this fashion. In this same piece Noah and Shem figure with many animals out of the Ark. It is lent by Lady Brougham. Embroidery fo»*nd great favour in the roign of-this homely Queen ; and another piece, in quite a different style, shows evidences of Chinese influence in the large silk flowers, conventionalised with silver threads, permeating the whole. Some old hawking-gloves have the bands and thumbs made in red velvet, the outside of the hand covered with the finest embroidery in many tones of silk mixed with ™ etal threads ; they belong to the day of Good Queen Bess. The exhibition was rich in specimens of Early Stuart work-book-cover, boxes worked all over, and pieces of table-covers with figures in bold relicf — the most excellent tribute to the patience, eyesight, and taste of those days, Some work handed down from the days of Marie Antoinette displayed oval paintings, such as adorn the fans of the period, appliquced on to the material, framed with sequins, some fine floral embroidery in silk combined ™th it. The hangings at the exhibition were cosmopolitan—ancient Italian work, old English tambour on a quilted ground, and some interesfang French where part of the pattern that had to -be green , was painted on the .silk in that tone, with flowers inthe midst left in white, aad embroidered round, the beauty increased by pretty rose garlands - The stor y of Susanna and the Elders iad been embroidered on another piece,4;he flesh-tints wonderfully rendered}

and a long strip of the period of Mary of England portrayed the Foolish Virgins arrayed in Tudor dress. .This was "made" long years ago "in Germany."