I haven't run across any period smocking articles yet. I guess I will have to write a short history sometime in the near future. At the moment, I know it existed before the 17th century. I have seen a few paintings where the clothes were obviously smocked. Smocking is refered to in the SCA as "period elastic."
General Smocking Links
Smocking Arts Guild of America
The Smocking Connection
Julia's Sewing Room
Craft-Antics
Garden Fairies Smocking and Needle Arts Catalog And plenty of links and cool stuff
