Is that a shuttle in her hand?

[wosny]

I was reading a biography of Lewis Carroll last week and this photo of his Aunt Lucy made me wonder... Could she be tatting? I thought I'd ask you as you've been so knowledgable in the past. Probably dating from the 1860s or so, and posed because at that time photography was a very cumbersome and complicated business, I'd love to think it was, but

Comments

[piroshki]

Well, she's holding a shuttle in her right hand, the thread is hooked around her little fingers, and there's no sock in her left.

In addition to this, the lace around her hair is almost certainly tatted, and quite frequently during this time period a woman was photographed with something she was particularly well known for - her knitting, a sewing machine perhaps, or, in this case, a tatting shuttle.

You go, Aunt Lucy!

[wosny]

I am glad you think so too, I didn't want to be carried away by my own enthusiasm. I haven't seen photos of people doing crafts such as knitting although I saw lots of old photos of lacemakers when I visited Le Puy last summer. I don't remember seeing a photo of a person tatting before...of another era, I mean.

[piroshki]

Admittedly I have a slight advantage - I used to do lace restoration for several area museums, as well as teaching most types of lace making, including tatting and bobbin lace.

As to why your ami thinks she's darning a sock, also remind him that photography in the 1850s was horrendously expensive as well as being very inconvenient - those who could afford the process as well as the trip into town to the studio would have wanted to show themselves at their best. Darning was something done every day by men and women, rich and poor alike, but not all had the time or ability to tat

[wosny]

Not at all, I'm fascinated. I will look out for old photos with a new eye. I wondered if this photo had been taken by Lewis Carroll himself, as he was a keen photographer, and his Aunt came to look after his father's family after his mother died. It seemed possible, but then wasn't mentioned in the credits, so either the photographer wasn't known, or wasn't L.C.
I have to admit David was just being facetious, he felt I was making a bit of a fuss...he didn't really look at the photo.
I love your icon, I have always been puzzled as to how exactly sewing machines work!

[mshollie]

Looks like a shuttle to me...you go, Aunt Lucy!

[moniqueleigh]

It does look possible, but I can't really tell if that's a shuttle in her hand or just a threaded needle. If we could find a larger version of it, perhaps we could tell for certain. :) Tatting was certainly quite popular at the time of the photograph, so it's very possible, but I've not found any reference (in an admittedly limited) search to Miss Lutwidge's being a tatter. Hrmm, will have to remember to look for that next time I get an opportunity to read any Carroll bios. :)

[wosny]

Yes, I think piroshki has a point when she points out the position of the fingers...but all in all I have to conclude just "maybe".
The bio was by Morton N. Cohen and was published in USA, and I think the photo belongs to him...

[needledreams125]

If it's tatting it could also be possible to be Needle Tatting, which was suppose to be popular before the shuttle. Or could be "knotting" that was also popular at that time and used a knotting shuttle.

Anyway, it's a very interesting picture!

[moniqueleigh]

I've heard that about needle tatting, but I've never seen any evidence for it. All of the old books (or reprints) I've seen that mention tatting are always about shuttle tatting. I've seen that sometimes they'll talk about a tatting needle, but if they have a picture, it's actually a shuttle!

My understanding is that a knotting shuttle is significantly bigger than a tatting shuttle. I'd imagine that would have been easier to identify in a picture like this one. *shrug* But I've never actually seen one myself, so.....

But, yes, it is very interesting! :D