22 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1908. 
As the success of this undertaking must depend to a great extent 
on private contributions, it is extremely gratifying to announce that 
during the past vear a movement has been started for the very laud- 
able purpose of stimulating public interest in a direction where 
individual help is especially needed. The field is one belonging 
essentially te woman—the adornment of the church, the home, and 
the person—since its development has been mainly due to her inspira- 
tion and its achievements have resulted largely from her handiwork. 
With boundaries not clearly definable and with a large percentage of 
objects difficult of classification, owing to their composite nature, the 
range of material emploved is so great as to furnish exceptional 
opportunities for the skill of the designer, the sculptor, and the 
painter. 
The matter was first brought to the attention of the Museum by 
Mrs. James W. Pinchot in 1907, with the tender of assistance on the 
part of herself and of several other ladies of Washington, the proposi- 
tion being to assemble a loan collection which, it was expected, would 
lead to permanent contributions as has happened in connection with 
other museums. This offer was heartily accepted, but action was 
deferred until May, 1908, when, at an informal meeting called to 
discuss the question, a committee, with Mrs. Pinchot as chairman, 
was appointed to take charge of the work. Although only a few 
weeks then remained in the fiseal year covered by this report, the 
results accomplished during this time through the active efforts of 
the committee proved not only very satisfactory, but especially note- 
worthy as evincing the interest which the subject had aroused. Un- 
fortunately. there was no clear space available for the exhibition in 
either of the buildings, and it became necessary to make the installa- 
tion along one side and between the screens of the improvised picture 
gallery. This caused much crowding of the cases, of which 20 
were required, but the lighting was found to be excellent. The 
arrangement of the objects was attended to by the ladies of the com- 
mittee and others invited to assist. 
Tnasmuch as the work is being continued during the current year 
and many additions and changes are expected to be made, a detailed 
account of the collection will be reserved for the next report. It may 
be said here, however, that the material brought together before the 
close of the year comprised over 500 pieces, many of them old, rare, 
and costly, and covered a very diversified field of European art craft. 
The manner of its presentation, though not systematic, which would 
have been difficult under the circumstances, has been attractive and 
effective, and there is no doubt that the result has been appreciated by 
the public. The subjects principally represented are laces, embroid- 
eries, fabrics, fans, china, miniatures, enamels, gold and silver ware, 
