Ultra rare lace collectors item. The pattern was published in the 1920s Crochet Book No. 1 Original and Artistic Designs in Filet, Venetian and other Styles of Crochet Patterns, Fully Described and Illustrated" during Mary's years in New York.
Scarves made of linen and lace for dressers, bureaus were extremely popular at the time. This is a fine example most likely made in the USA using strong, slightly off-white linen and cotton thread. The linen is almost unmarked, the lace has on one end has some damage to it, and also a split in the linen's edge about 1 cm. Some of the tassels are also missing. Please refer to photos for details.
Measuring approximately 188 (W) x 71 (H) cm/74 x 28". The size of the linen centre is 110 x 71 cm (43 x 28". Shipping with tracking and insurance.
Mary Card (1861-1940) was an Australian educator and lace designer who took crochet to another level. Starting a new career as an independent middle aged woman during WWI, she shot to stardom status first in Melbourne, then moved to London and later to New York where she worked for women's magazines and continued to publish her own, very successful charts and books.
Her stunning unparalelled patterns were inspired by nature, especially by the unique Australian flora and fauna. Her work has delighted and enriched the lives of women across the world when the craft of lacemaking was very popular and is still highly regarded today with collectors and lovers of antique lace. She was a very prolific designer, so much fun to be had, should you decide to start collecting her work. Mary's designs include numerous small doilies, placemats, clothing accessories, as well as over 40 large items such as tablecloths, chair covers, towel insets and bedspreads.
We do our due diligence when deciding the authenticity of the pieces we list. Some designs commonly believed to be Mary Card's work cannot be authenticated as some magazines did not credit or name their designers. For those who wish to do their own research, we recommend the excellent books of Barbara Ballantyne on the topic.