Historical information

At 38.8cm on its widest edge this delicate lace collar would sit nicely across the shoulders with the collar points extending approximately 10cm onto the bodice. It is a fine example of hand embroidered Limerick lace and the variety of stitches used is clear to see. Limerick lace originated in Ireland with tambour lace which was applied on to net using a very fine hook with chain stitch. A later development was run lace where the design was marked out on net using a needle with cotton thread. The design was then filled using darning and decorative stitches. The darning and buttonhole stitches are quite obvious in this piece. According to the British lace historian, Pat Earnshaw, there was one Limerick lace collar that was decorated using 47 different filling stitches. In addition, needlerun forms were often combined with tamboured outlines to add further contrast.

Significance

Churchill Island has a large lace collection, which was added to by three successive generations of the Amess family - Jane, Janet, and Unity. The Amess family owned Churchill Island from 1872 to 1929. Jane was wife of Samuel Amess, who was the first Samuel Amess to own Churchill Island. The examples of lace are notable for their variety, and provide respresentative examples of techniques from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth centuries.

Physical description

Hand embroidered Limerick lace collar, with three straight edges trimmed with an oval motif, and a fourth semi-circular with simple reinforcement.

Inscriptions & markings

Packaged with note: "Limerick Lace Collar"