Encyclopedia of Needlework

Thérèse de Dillmont was an extraordinary Austrian needlework artist, entrepreneur, and author who became a pioneering figure in the international handcraft industry of the late nineteenth century. Born in Wiener Neustadt, she trained extensively in textile arts before opening a successful embroidery shop in Vienna with her sister. Her exceptional talent and business acumen caught the attention of the massive Alsatian textile manufacturer Dollfus-Mieg & Cie (DMC), which recruited her to serve as their technical authority and global ambassador. Dillmont revolutionized the accessibility of fine needlework by standardizing techniques, developing precise instruction guides, and eventually seeing her masterworks translated into seventeen different languages, cementing her legacy as a master educator who brought elite European textile craftsmanship into homes worldwide.

First published around 1886 as part of the D.M.C. Library series, this monumental craft manual stands as the definitive, multi-generational bible of historical textile arts. Spanning hundreds of densely packed pages depending on the specific early printing and language edition, the volume offers an exhaustive, beautifully illustrated masterclass covering every conceivable branch of plain and fancy handwork—including hand sewing, mending, whitework embroidery, tatting, knitting, crocheting, macramé, and bobbin lace. Featuring hundreds of precise line drawings, diagrams, and plates alongside traditional gilt top edges designed to protect the fragile block from dust and moisture, original late-19th and early-20th-century cloth-bound editions from the Mulhouse publisher are cherished antiquarian objects

Sage green cloth binding with black lettering to cover and spine with line drawn leaves up spine and over the upper board. Gilt top edge. “DMC” gold and black endpapers. Numerous detailed illustrations throughout. Very fine condition.