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Not currently on display at the V&A

Parasol

1870s (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Parasol with cover of black bobbin made lace lined with a double layer of black silk which completely encloses the ribs. Decorated with a bow of black silk grosgrain.

The black silk bobbin lace, which is made of grenadine matt silk, is of the Chantilly type and could have been made at Bayeux, Turnhout or Enghien.

The handle is made in two sections with a folding hinge covered by a bone slide when out straight. The upper shaft is of bone with a bone finial and the long lower handle with a bulbous end is of ivory. The ivory handle is Japanese made for the Western market and is inlaid with lacquer and mother-of-pearl (Pinctada margaritifera).

The lace is patterned with an open floral design, the scalloped edge is decorated with rows of leaves and flowers heads. It is worked in half stitch on a twist net ground.

The ivory handle is decorated with a twining tree hung with wisteria blossoms, there are birds amongst the foliage and on the ground at the foot of the tree.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Bobbin lace lined with silk; bone stick, slide and finial; ivory handle, inlaid with laquer and mother-of-pearl, identified as Pinctada margaritifera (black-lipped pearl oyster) by Caroline Cartwright, Senior Scientist, Department of Scientific Research, British Museum (2019).
Brief description
Parasol covered with silk bobbin lace, lined with plain weave silk, Bayeux or Enghien, France or Turnhout, Belgium (lace), about 1880. Ivory handle made in Japan, c.1875.
Physical description
Parasol with cover of black bobbin made lace lined with a double layer of black silk which completely encloses the ribs. Decorated with a bow of black silk grosgrain.

The black silk bobbin lace, which is made of grenadine matt silk, is of the Chantilly type and could have been made at Bayeux, Turnhout or Enghien.

The handle is made in two sections with a folding hinge covered by a bone slide when out straight. The upper shaft is of bone with a bone finial and the long lower handle with a bulbous end is of ivory. The ivory handle is Japanese made for the Western market and is inlaid with lacquer and mother-of-pearl (Pinctada margaritifera).

The lace is patterned with an open floral design, the scalloped edge is decorated with rows of leaves and flowers heads. It is worked in half stitch on a twist net ground.

The ivory handle is decorated with a twining tree hung with wisteria blossoms, there are birds amongst the foliage and on the ground at the foot of the tree.
Dimensions
  • Length: 25.5in
  • Length: 64.7cm
  • Diameter: 19in
  • Diameter: 48.3cm
Credit line
Given by Mrs J. Duncan
Object history
RF number is 1980/1606.

The parasol belonged to the family of the donor, who were called the Currie family (the donor's maiden name was Currie). Her ancestor, Sir Donald Currie, had connections with Belfast and left objects to a Belfast museum. His brother David left objects to the V&A.
Bibliographic reference
Miller, Lesley Ellis, and Ana Cabrera Lafuente, with Claire Allen-Johnstone, eds. Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2021. ISBN 978-0-500-48065-6. This object features in the publication Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion (2021)
Collection
Accession number
T.363-1980

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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