Cravat end

This is an exquisitely crafted bobbin lace cravat end. Lace was often utilized as neckwear in the 17th and 18th centuries for aesthetic purposes and to emphasize the fine quality the wearer could afford. This particular example exemplifies the lace maker's craft. It is refined in every way with animated imagery and fine details, such as buttons on the clothing and spots on the horse. The hunting theme would have been particularly appropriate for a man's wardrobe and emphasizes that lace was important to both men and women. The second cravat end, an exact mirror image of this one, is at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design.