The Princess Lace Machine

Under development.

If you ever have occasion to visit Taos, New Mexico, stop by the Governor Bent House and Museum at 117 Bent St. #A. Charles Bent was the first governor of the New Mexico Territory in September, 1846. Insurrectionists in the Taos Revolt protesting the new American rule broke into his house on January 19, 1847. He was murdered and scalped in front of his wife and children in the house that now forms the museum. The house changed hands several times until it became a museum in 1959. It consists of five small dusty, musty rooms cramed with artifacts, including needlework made by the Bent women. Conservation of the displays is minimal to nonexistent - the sort of thing that properly trained museum curators shake their heads over. It is also the kind of thing that local citizens whose families have lived in the area for hundreds of years treasure as part of their heritage.
A "Princess Lace Machine" hangs on one wall.

The subject of the Torchon Lace Company is elusive. People would like to believe this was a well-meaning effort to promote lacemaking in the US, but I wonder if there isn't something deeper here.

My example of the Princess Lace Machine with the dark blue cover may be original. Therefore I didn't spend much time getting a good photo. I will spend a lot of space discussing the company itself, the advertising campaign, and the instructional material in several sections below the main photo.

The 'pillow' is basically a flat piece of wood with rounded corners, supported by two long pieces. Metal brackets hold a cylindrical pillow with wooden ends, and a ratcheted gear on the left side. A curved metal piece catches the gears and allows the roller to rotate one click at a time. A wooden roller is attached to the assembly at the back. The "Princess Lace Machine" label is fixed to the platform just in front of the roller.

My example of this device has been recovered in black felt - nothing remains of the original cut cotton velvet cover, which was available in both green and a rarely seen red. Otherwise, all the original fittings are present. I also show the only colored photo from the extensive Torchon Lace Company advertising which illustrates how a shiny new setup would have appeared. The varnished hardwood bobbins are actually quite nicely turned and have survived well over the years. They are of large size, a bit clunky, and hold a lot of thread.

The pillow, bobbins, instruction books, and patterns all sold for $5.00. There are many ways to calculate past monetary value in today's terms, but if you use the CIP index that's about $124 in 2008.

Company History
Advertising
Instructional Materials
European Connections

first posted 1/19/2009