Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2014.28.01 |
Object Name |
Apron |
Date |
1880 |
Year Range from |
1870 |
Year Range to |
1890 |
Features |
Apron, made of cotton. Upper part has a belt for securing around the waist, of the same material but double thickness. Bottom 39 cm of apron is decorated with elaborate handmade lacing, made from a network of fine threads with thicker threads woven through them to form a design resembling four rows of six pointed stars surrounded by diamond-shaped patterns. |
Object Story |
The apron was owned by Lucinda Jemima Wagar circa 1880, believed she made it herself. Lucinda was born around 1858 in Camden Ontario to Jane and Benjamin Wagar. On April 15, 1878, Lucinda married George Washington Smith. In 1882 they had a son Albert Smith, followed by a daughter Ida Smith, born in 1884. Lucinda was widowed sometime between 1891 and 1901. Between 1901 and 1911, Lucinda remarried Edward Kinkly (Kirkby) who was born in 1868. It is known that Edward and Lucinda lived in Napanee in 1921, and that Lucinda passed away in Lennox and Addington December 4, 1929. Lace is a relatively young art, with the earliest evidence dating to the second half of the 16th century. The origins of needle point lace are in embroidery which in the 16th century involved removing threads to create holes, gathering threads together, or cutting holes into linen and embroidering the edges. The geometric pattern present on this apron is reminiscent of very early needle point lace, however it is quite a late example of handmade lace as the first machine made lace was produced in 1764, well before this apron was made. Machine made lace became popular due to the increased speed that it could be produced as well as the lower cost. Due to the popularity of machine made lace, handmade lace became harder to come by as it was expensive and the skills were no longer as widely practiced. The lace itself is a handmade needle point lace; composed of a mesh, also known as a reseau, with a thicker thread woven through it to create the geometric patter woven in and out of mesh. |
People |
Wagar, Lucinda Jemima Wagar, Benjamin Wagar, Jane Smith, Lucinda Jemima Kinkley, Lucinda Jemima (nee Wagar) Kinkley, Edward |
Subjects |
Aprons Lace Lace making 1880's Domestic Life |
Search Terms |
1880's Camden |