Two Lace Borders
Lace made on a stocking frame.
Additional images for this work
Art work details
- Year of production:
- c. 1769
- Maker:
- Robert Frost (unconfirmed)
- Place:
- Nottingham
- Materials:
- lace
- Measurements:
- length 11 cm, width 4.5 cm / length 11 cm, width 5 cm
- Tags:
- Nottingham, lace
The earliest machine-made lace was made on the stocking-frame by transferring stitches to make a net. These two borders have a simple geometric pattern in plain knitting, net in transfer stitches and outlines put in by hand.
They are part of a large collection of machine-made lace which was gathered together and exhibited at the Vienna Exhibition of 1873. The hand written label which accompanied them read: "Specimens of the Earliest Known 'Machine' made Lace, made on the Stocking Frame about the year 1764 by the introduction of the 'Barrel Organ' System as applied to the 'Tuck Presser'. The outline embroidered by hand work."
William Felkin and other historians of the hosiery industry credit the barrel organ system to Robert Frost in 1769.
ID Number: NCM 1878-252/1
