Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 26. (Budapest, 2008)
Lilla ERDEI T.: Kerchiefs Adorned with Bobbin Lace Pendants from the Second Half of the 17* and First Half of the 18th Century
and the whole is encircled in a spiral line by a tendril stem. The somewhat oval laces of 12-13 cm in diameter can be attached to the four corners of the kerchief measuring 72x71 cm with the help of V-shaped indents (ill. 7). The pattern is the so-called Renaissance Italian jug pattern, well known from Renaissance pattern books of embroidery and lace. From a jug with two handles, a bunch of flowers consisting of an even number of stalks with leaves and flowers arises. Interestingly, the symmetrical flower bunch is arranged after the Turkish scheme of even numbered stalks, unlike the Hungarian and West European arrangement of odd numbered stems. The pattern is hard to make out because of the rigid technique of the early bobbin lace (tape worked in linen stitch with few bridges). The trimming lace of 7 cm in width has the pattern of a row of pentapetalous flowers echoing those in the corners. The trimming and corner laces were made in a single continuous piece. A similar cloth with lace all around is described by the inventory of the above mentioned church of Kissáros. The technique, size, colour, the harmony of embroidery and the corners all add up to suggest that the lace was designed for this kerchief. Since the work constitutes an organic unity, I think Emőke László's dating to the early 18 th century on the basis of the aristocratic embroidery also applies to the lace. However, judged separately, the lace might also be dated to the late 17 th century on account of its technique and design. The pattern of a trimming lace of a bed-sheet in the Museum's collection dated to around 1700 is a close relative of this piece. 22 The difference consists in the semicircular arrangement of the pattern, a simple pot replacing the jug and the larger number of bridges. Altar doe The next item is an altar cloth with lace corners purchased from the Lutheran church of Gyüd in 1887 23 (ill. 8). The document of donation - probably on the basis of the church inventory - dates it to 1680." The fabric is green and white silk lampas 2 ' adorned at the corners with bobbin lace pieces of green silk, silver wire and gold metal thread, measuring 12 cm in diameter each. The central motif of silver wire is a pomegranate with a cleft shell, a popular pattern of embroideries and laces from the 16 th century onward (ill. 9). It is encircled by a broad band of green open-twist silk adorned with thin silver wire. Between the pomegranate and the arch there is a spider of thin metal foil with silk core. Similarly to the previous kerchief, at the bottom of the pattern there is a V-shaped notch where it is attached to the table cloth. The design of the handkerchief laces in the mentioned 8. Detail of kerchief with aristocratic embroidery, Museum of Applied Arts, inv. no. 90.127.1
