Dear everyone on the list,

I am a graduate student at George Washington University working on my
Master's thesis.  In order to finish my paper I have been researching a
collection housed at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
This collection is made up of diverse objects dating from the late 18th
century to the 20th century.  Among the collection are several pieces of
lace.  (The dimensions range from 2 inches long to 3 or 4 feet
long and 1/4 inch to 2 inches wide.) Some of the pieces are labeled with a
family name.  Others are marked Brabant or Brussels (Louis XIV)
Unfortunately I am not an expert in lace and do not know what many of the
pieces are.  Could anyone direct me to a book or person who could help
me?  Or have some conservation advise.


Also does anyone know of an artist by the name of Samuel Shelley (English
1750-1808)?  The collection also has some framed pictures from a scrap
book of his drawings.

Thank you,
Elizabeth Hanson