Le Pompe, 1559 by Santina M Levey and Patricia C Payne

Publisher : Ruth Bean Publishers; First Edition (1 Sept. 1983)
ISBN-10 : 0903585162
ISBN-13 : 978-0903585163

Le Pompe, 1559 by Santina M Levey and Patricia C Payne
Subtitle - Patterns for Venetian bobbin lace
​Across the lace world, the book Le Pompe is mentioned in hushed, reverential tones.  This books seen as one of the historical root publications of lacemaking and was referenced by a number of writers at the turn of the 19th / 20th centure.

The patterns have a heavy look to them, as though they were drawn using marker pen, but this due to the book being printed using woodblock.  Whilst to today's lacemaker, Venetian bobbin lace looks and feels like a cross between Milanese and Bedfordshire with a hint of Idrija and Russian.

​This book is split into sections:

• Facsimile of the 1559 book with an introduction by Santina M Levey
• Facsimile of a selection of pages from the 1560 edition
• Technical Section by Patricia Payne
• Glossary
• How to make your own prickings.

What works well?

• The text is clear and the black and white illustrations (by Bridget M Cook) / photo work well.

Anything that we need to take into consideration?

• A number of the patterns need to be enlarged; the percentage for doing this is clearly stated on the prickings.
• This book is currently out of print, however, occasionally second hand copies do appear.  Check closely though, at the price being asked.