Cuff with Floral Vines

19th century

Cuff with Floral Vines, 19th century. Unassigned, 19th century. Needle lace, filet/lacis (knotted ground and darned in one direction); bleached linen (est.); overall: 17.9 x 22.2 cm (7 1/16 x 8 3/4 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, The Frances McIntosh Sherwin Collection 1936.225 In this lace cuff (one of a set, see 1936.226), scrolling vines with budding flowers emerge from a tied bow, creating a stylized bouquet. A scrolling vine with budding vegetation or a tendril motif is a recurring pattern in needle lace. The frequent use of the motif, adapted in lace from different centuries and regions, suggests that it was found in a pattern book. From the 15th century, lace cuffs were among the most popular ways to wear and display this costly textile.