y--are very decorative, and now much sought
after by collectors. Those illustrated in Fig. 74 have been selected
from a large collection for their representative types: (A) is the
oldest; the ornament is of pewter let into the wood, it has a very small
spool; (B) is ivory, the incised parts stained green; (C) is bone, the
incised pattern filled in with gold beaten into a thin plate; (D) is
also of bone with a band of brass and coloured inlays; (E) walnut wood,
turned in the deep grooves are six loose silver rings, some of the heads
are of brass gilt; (F) the most modern type, such as may be seen in use
in Buckinghamshire to-day, the present revival of the hand-made lace
industry being due to the efforts of the North Bucks Lace Association.
Of such handwork Cowper wrote:--

"Yon cottager who weaves at her own door,
Pillow and bobbins all her little store:
Content, though mean, and cheerful, if not gay,
Shuffering her threads about the livelong day."

The lace-maker, and the housewife who occupied her leisure moments in
lace-making, left behind many collectable curios. The worker of samplers
and those advanced in the higher arts of needlecraft had also their
little work necessaries. Very clever indeed were the workers of
silk-embroidered pictures, and the instruments they used were fine and
delicate, different indeed from the coarser needles of the knitter and
the meshes of the netter. In later years the workbox became more
substantial, and less attention was given to the exterior, for the
interior fittings of the workbox became beautiful, and a wealth of art
was shown in the carving of the ivory accessories, and the pearl tops of
the thread and silk reels and winders and the curious little wax
holders. There were cleverly contrived measuring tapes, and beautiful
little baskets of ivory and wood, some filled with emery, others serving
the purpose of receptacles for pins and needles. From these evolved the
needlebooks and the more modern companions.

[Illustration: FIG. 75.--OLD PIN POPPETS AND ANCIENT PINS.]

In Fig. 77 are shown several beautiful oddments taken out of an old
workbox; they are all made of ivory, carved and fretted in such delicate
tracery that it is a wonder that they have survived for a century or
more without injury. Ivory work holders, in which ladies rolled their
needlework when they went out to tea, were often beautifully carved;
they, too, are charming additions to ivory workbox