HONITON HANDKERCHIEF

This handkerchief is made in Honiton lace. It is executed in the style of the Brussels Duchesse lace. This bobbin lace is very delicate and the motifs are worked with raised relief. See below for more detail. The Honiton lacemakers adapted this technique from the Brussels bobbin lacemakers.

Given on November 10th 1910 this was a very personal gift. Unlike now people would personalize their gifts. In this case by embroiding the name Phyllis on the battist of the handkerchief.

The handkerchief was bought in the well known shop owned by Miss Herbert who had taken over from Mrs C. E. Treadwin. To learn more about the importance of these two ladies in the history of Honiton lace see below.

In the past when people bought presents for close ones, they would personalize these gifts. Today this custom is not so much in use anymore. For example, they would buy a handkerchief like this one and have the name of the recipient embroidered on the batiste.

As you can see on the right, the lace has a lot of relief. The leaves are executed with raised ribs. Very fine thread was used to make the tiny flowers.

It is not surprising that the design of this piece shows a great sense of detail because mostly high quality goods were sold in the shop owned by Miss Herbert.

As you can notice on the label, the owner of the shop was Miss Herbert, successor of Miss Treadwin. Miss Treadwin was a very important person for the Devonshire lace industry in the 19th century. She encouraged the lacemakers by using nice designs. She bought designs from various sources, such as Government School of Design, school of Nottingham,the school of Design of Summerset and an unidentified place in Paris.

Mrs Treadwin was an excellent lacemaker for bobbin as well as needle-lace. She obtained by Royal appointment the title of "Manufacturer of Honiton Brussels point lace" in 1848 (which you can see on the label above). She earned this title because she offered a wonderful handkerchief with roses to Queen Victoria.

Mrs Treadwin was largely responsible for the Devonshire lace on the exhibition in London in 1851. She improved the quality of Honiton lace based on her study of historical laces.

(click on the pictures to enlarge)