|
|
lace manufacturing by yujiro horikoshi hirotaro nishida's foreword to the book
In his younger days, Yujiro Horikoshi specialized in the study of knitting. He studied overseas, in England, refining his studies of the mysteries of knitting at Nottingham University. At Nottingham’s Engineering School, he carried out research principally concerned with lace, while also managing to pass the British Engineering Exam with excellent marks. Returning to Japan to become a leader in the field of lacemaking, he spent his scarce leisure time writing a book the subject. Upon its completion, he presented me with this book.
The manufacture of lace is a somewhat old tradition. In England it’s become a precious handicraft, and one sheet of it is almost priceless. Recently, as the demand for lace has steadily increased, what was once a cottage industry is beginning to take the shape of a factory-based manufacturing industry.
Demand for lace has risen in Japan as well, and not just for clothing; lace is becoming popular for window drapes and other kinds of interior decorating. While the uses are increasing, the reference manuals published prior to this point principally dealt with hand-knitted lace made by women in their homes. There was a sad lack of reference books detailing the recent advances in Japanese lace production. Horikoshi deeply regretted this, so in his free time, he went about writing his own book. He wanted to describe the true nature of lace, and what’s more, he was concerned not just with the manufacturing process, but also the machines used in this process. He poured all of his energy into this endeavor, and now that it has been completed, I believe it is Japan’s first definitive work pertaining to the subject.
Contained within this book is a plethora of information, and also included is an exhaustive array of diagrams dealing with every system and every machine, and for each one there is a detailed explanation. The book’s focus is production, and those researching the subject can easily understand the reasoning contained herein. The engineering techniques in question can be fully understood due to the thorough explanations provided. Terms specific to lace manufacturing are explained one by one for the benefit of people exploring this field for the first time. In reading this work, the reader can clearly see the pains the author has taken to create this book.
The author has earned my deepest respect through the earnest efforts he has put into this work. For those aspiring to research Japan’s current lace manufacturing industry, or for those merely stumbling upon this book, this work is unmatched, and will be greatly enjoyed. I anticipate rapid growth in Japan’s lace manufacturing industry.
March, 1932 Headmaster of Kiryuu College Manufacturing School Hirotaro Nishida
[glossary for the original text]
|
|
