APPLIED ART. 



37 



IX.-LACE. 



One specimen is here given (Figure 42) of tlie adaptability of the Waratah 

 in Applied Art in the lace industry. Tiu; design is from that able teacher of 

 ours, the late Mr. W Johnson, I.ecturer in Decorative Art in the Technical 

 College, Sydney. It call-, for no special explanation, except perhaps to state that, 

 although its rendering is an extreme of conventionalisation, yet no one familiar 

 with the flower will fail to recognise the floral emblem of Australia for over a 

 hundred years. Now that there are indications of lace manufacturing being 

 established in Australia, it is hoi)ed that similar designs will eventuate from the 

 dexterous manipulation of the needle or l)obl)ins of Australian students in the 

 making of point, card, and other kinds of lace. 



Fig. 42. 



The opportunity is here taken of drawing the attention of such students 

 of the lace classes to the comprehensive collection of old and modern laces which 

 is now exhibited in this Museum. 



Students who have not the advantage of travel may thus see originals of 

 those fabrics close at hand. 



The idea, however, is not so much to produce copyists, but that, from a 

 study of these specimens, a national or Australian design in laces should be the 

 result, for, above all things, we must be original. 



The t\'pes shown are too numerous to enumerate here, but such well-known 

 names as Flandres, Valenciennes, Mechlin, Brussels, Limerick, and Cluny, 

 figure conspicuously amongst the samples. 



Figure 43 is a good example of original conception in Montmellick needle- 

 work by Miss S. Docker. 



