http://tinyurl.com/j8nzamh Authentic Flemish Lace Making Cushion & Stand with Bobbins
Size: Not given.
Starting Price: $45.00
Auction ends: February 14, 2016, 10:05 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller mfbarnes, Richmond, Virginia, United States
Comments: A Belgian lacemaking pillow (kussen) with appropriate stand. The top narrow part of the pillow can be detached and moved to the bottom in order to give the bobbins a little extra room at the bottom of the lace (the pins still have to be taken out and the lace moved to the top to continue). It should have a wedge-shaped base with another drawer, however the photos do not show the bottom of the pillow.
Note the leather apron at the bottom which provides a better surface for the bobbins. The bobbins shown on the pillow are modern Danish, but there appear to be a few Flemish bobbins in a box that go with the set.  There is a pincushion shown in one photo.
Typically these pillows are stuffed with wool (occasionally horsehair), and their making was quite a large cottage industry.  I’m about to change the lace at the top of the LaceNews blog to something that will speak directly to this industry.  I have 6 of these pillows in my own collection, and the surfaces are wonderfully smooth and firm.  The base pillow will be covered in a sturdy canvas, the blue cloth seen on this one is added by the lacemaker and can be changed out.
The stand is a sturdy base, height adjustable, and is a more recent product than the pillow.
Provenance: Cushion passed down to seller’s wife who was born and raised in Bruges.
Date: Cushion about 100 years old, stand about 40 years old. These pillows were used in Belgium and some parts of Northern France.
Condition:
Modifications: None
Damage: Crack in the wood at the front part of the large pillow section. What looks like a smaller crack near one of the holes in the top part of the large section.
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: Age patina.

   Sold for $221.50, 8 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/jej85h3 Antique Handmade Brussels Point De Gaze Lace Collar Floral Needlepoint Victorian
Size: 4″ max width, 2.5″ min width, 24″ long (I think measured along the outside edge, but not sure).
Starting Price: $9.99
Auction ends: February 14, 2016, 10:30 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller strangedesires, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States
Comments: A collar with pointed ends, Point de Gaze with no raised work. Well organized design, with a few grid decorative ‘mode’ fillings.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 4th quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: None
Damage: Small holes and pinholes in te mesh throughout.
Soilage: LA few localized brown spots.
Finish: Center back vertical fold crease.

   Sold for $28.55, 4 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/j2zwpvm Antique/vintage tape lace collar
Size: 15″ neckline, back depth 7.2″
Starting Price: £15.00
Auction ends: February 14, 2016, 11:12 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller derbeatle, Cheltenham, United Kingdom
Comments: A fairly deep collar of what might be a Bruges pieced lace.  Note the ‘islands’ in the picoted brides.  But the fillings in the leaves and flowers are unusual for Bruges, so I’m wondering if this might come from some other region. There are some Eastern European pieced laces that often get ignored. But for the moment I’ll stick with Bruges.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 1st quarter 20th c.
Condition:
Modifications: None
Damage: A few frayed threads at terminations.
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   Sold for £18.00, 2 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/j7qjxyd ANTIQUE LACE VERY FINE HANDMADE VALENCIENNES LACE C1820 COLLECTION
Size: 1.5″ (without engrelure), x 52″
Starting Price: $18.50
Auction ends: February 14, 2016, 5:41 PM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller greatlace, Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Comments: A narrow border of square mesh Valenciennes, of the type sometimes called Valenciennes Anglaise.  Very sparse pattern, typical of late 18th early 19th c. In this one the design is even sparser than usual. The technique is precise using very fine thread.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 1st quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: Ends cut and secured, one join, engrelure added.
Damage: A few small repairs
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   Sold for $22.50, 2 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/gnuugld Fine 19thc. Alencon Needle Lace / Pretty / Never Used / 190″
Size: 2.5″ x 190″
Starting Price: $149.00
Auction ends: February 14, 2016, 6:00 PM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller textiles2012, Hydes, Maryland, United States
Comments: A very long 18th c Alençon border. Réseau fin with a closely worked toilé. Fillings include picoted rings and bars, some stars, and a little brides bouclé. No picots on the cordonnet except at the lower edge, and no horsehair left in this piece.  The design is more Louis XV without the undulating trails, a little later than mid 18th c.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 3rd quarter 18th c.
Condition:
Modifications: Can’t see the ends to tell if they are cut. Engrelure added.
Damage: Some well-done repairs to the réseau.  To find a mesh this good in a piece this old is exceptional.
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   Sold for $149.00, 1 bidder.

http://tinyurl.com/h9gspsq Fine Point De Gaze Lace Yardage / Beautiful ! / Never Used /170″ x 7″
Size: 7″ x 170″
Starting Price: $1,450.00 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: February 14, 2016, 6:00 PM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller textiles2012, Hydes, Maryland, United States
Comments: A long Point de Gaze flounce with one raised petal rose in each repeat. Note the diamond ‘windows’ in the raised petals, sign of a better manufacturer. Includes an elaborate decorative ‘mode’ fillings in oval cartouches. Flowers have more typical Point de Gaze concentric wheel fillings with a chain of rings around the edge. Romantic, naturalistic floral design, no esprits in the ground. A higher end market piece.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 4th quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: Can’t see the ends to tell if they are cut. Engrelure added.
Damage: Nothing obvious from the photos.
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: Engrelure a little creased in places.

   Unsold.

http://tinyurl.com/zt8glur 18thc. Lace / French Alencon Needle Lace Lappets
Size: 44.5″, 3.5″ wide center, 2.5″ ends.
Starting Price: $99.00
Auction ends: February 14, 2016, 6:00 PM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller textiles2012, Hydes, Maryland, United States
Comments: A joined pair of late 18th c Alençon lappets. Réseau fin, with a light later 18th c design, fillings confined to small areas along the edges and a little more at the ends.  Small sprigs used as esprits mid ground. No picots on the inside cordonnets, only along the outside, and no horsehair left in place (much like the border reviewed above). A good example of the type.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 4th quarter 18th c.
Condition:
Modifications: There’s no clear view of the center, so hard to tell if anything was cut before joining.
Damage: Repairs to the réseau, also some strengthening at one end.  Occasional broken thread in the fillings.
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

      No bids.

http://tinyurl.com/z9dzkbs 18th Lace Point de Angleterre Lappets / Fine design /Early
Size: 21.5″ x (3″ bottom to 3.75″ top) each
Starting Price: $199.00
Auction ends: February 14, 2016, 6:00 PM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller textiles2012, Hydes, Maryland, United States
Comments: A pair of lappets with square end.  The term Point d’Angleterre is historically used to describe lace like this (having to do with competition from the English market), but these days we like to be more precise. It looks like a Brussels pieced lace, but the ground is a 6-pointed star which is unusual. This type of ground is often found in contemporary Brabant laces, but the work here seems too fine for that attribution. Another unusual thing is that the designs are not mirror images of each other, as is usual with lappet sets. The technique and design are very well done.  Another set from the Earnshaw collection with a similar ground came up for sale on Ebay recently, http://tinyurl.com/ztrskgb.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: Probably around 1720-40, square ends might indicate an earlier date.
Condition:
Modifications: Looks like the tops are cut and secured.
Damage: Occasional small hole in the ground and in the clothwork.
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   Sold for $360.00, 5 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/jaouzjt Antique Bedfordshire handmade lace Lappet
Size: 37″ x (2.5″ ends, 1″ center)
Starting Price: £10.99
Auction ends: February 15, 2016, 6:52 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller discover4, London, United Kingdom
Comments: A narrow Beds lappet scarf with an interesting trail down the middle and at the ends. Note the extensive woven tallies in the fillings, and leaves throughout the piece.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: ~1900
Condition:
Modifications: None.
Damage: Seller cites minor pulls that I’m having trouble finding.
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: A little creasing along one edge.  Might be a soft fold crease near one end, hard to tell.

   Sold for ©10.99, 1 bidder.

http://tinyurl.com/hwzzqt9 A PAIR OF VINTAGE IRISH CROCHET LACE DRESS FRONTS AND BACKS
Size: 14″ x 10-5/8″ both
Starting Price: £7.00
Auction ends: February 15, 2016, 12:56 PM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller garden*hill, Reading, United Kingdom
Comments: This is unusual. Two matching Irish Crochet dress fronts. Conventional trefoil and harp motifs, with the trefoils arranged in the typical three-part pinwheel. Small circular flowers around all edges.  Irregular picoted brides, no raised work.
Provenance: Name “Edie Wallis” attached to one.
Date: ~1900
Condition:
Modifications: None.
Damage: Nothing obvious from the photos.
Soilage: Both look clean.
Finish: No obvious creasing or wrinkles.

   Sold for £1625, 3 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/jh9wwau Exquisite Antique Irish Crochet Lace Dress Collar Necklace Lace Buttons Floral
Size: 31″ wide laid flat – see description.  11″ long.
Starting Price: $174.99 Buy-it-Now or Make Offer
Auction ends: February 15, 2016, 3:22 PM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller strangedesires, Amherst, Massachusetts, United States
Comments: Might be a French piece given the elaborate work at the bottom. It is a dress front with attached choker collar. The combination of a lighter ‘Rose of Sharon’ variation on top and the very heavy work on the bottom is quite effective.  Note the bullion knots used as picots at the bottom.  Heavy raised work is tightly done, and the design has a good left-right symmetry.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 4th quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: None. Looks like there are some fabric remains sewn along the outside lower edge.   Note the covered buttons at the top left, these attach to long loops on the top right.
Damage: Seller cites a few imperfections, I see one broken bride.  What looks like a buttonhole at top left of the choker might be a hole.
Soilage: Look clean.
Finish: No obvious creasing or wrinkle – the form doesn’t lay flat.

   No bids.

http://tinyurl.com/hcu59rh DELICATE VTG IVORY CREAM CHANTILLY LACE SHORT VEIL HEADDRESS SCARF COLLAR
Size: 6″ deep, 19″ long
Starting Price: $23.95 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: February 16, 2016, 5:48 PM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller mgctreasurers, Denville, New Jersey, United States
Comments: A collar of Carrickmacross applique on machine net.  Typical looped picots along the ends. A few picoted bar fillings, along with some needlerun fillings.  A few scattered esprits.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: mid 20th century.
Condition:
Modifications: None.
Damage: Some localized loose picots along the neckline.
Soilage: Seller cites a cream color.
Finish: Creased, especially toward the bottom.

   Buy-it-Now exercised.

http://tinyurl.com/zkmh7p8 Beautiful Antique Victorian Brussels Duchesse Point de Gaze lace fan
Size: 26 cm long, 47 cm wide.
Starting Price: £105.00 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: February 17, 2016, 9:21 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller hedgehogpear, BN8, United Kingdom
Comments: A fan of Brussels Duchesse with imitation tortoiseshell sticks. The Point de Gaze insert is an unusual floral basket with two small raised petal roses. The body of the basket has rectangular grid filling. Conventional motifs in the bobbinlace, no raised work.  I think the scale in the design is a bit off, the bobbinlace motifs are a bit large compared to the very fine needlelace. Interesting combination with the dark sticks.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 4th quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: None.
Damage: Nothing obvious in the lace, ptdG mesh looks good. Seller cites some detachment from the sticks.  Sticks have some breaks and scratches.
Soilage: Seller cites antique aged white color. Might be one brown spot where lace attached to a guard stick.
Finish: Expected fan creases.

   Buy-it-Now exercised.

http://tinyurl.com/z7qhzkb Beautiful Antique Victorian Brussels Duchesse Point de Gaze lace fan
Size: 51″ x 108″
Starting Price: $75.00
Auction ends: February 17, 2016, 9:21 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller heartnsoul1, Hollis, New Hampshire, United States
Comments: A triangular Chantilly shawl. 2nd Empire romantic floral design, no ombré, no esprits in the ground. The designs are a little less naturalistic than in other contemporary examples.  Difficult to get a good look at the whole thing since there’s no overall view in the photos.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 3rd quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: A later picot edge has been added, unusual for this kind of lace.
Damage: Several holes of different sizes, largest along one border. Picot edge coming away in places.
Soilage: Looks clean, but difficult to tell with black lace.
Finish: No obvious creases or winkles.

      Sold for $100.00, 4 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/zl5jxyl 1860 DELICATE AS AIR HAND CHANTILLY SHAWL MANTILLA OR VEIL
Size: 42″ x 43″
Starting Price: $99.00
Auction ends: February 17, 2016, 10:17 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller heartnsoul1, Hollis, New Hampshire, United States
Comments: An unusual square Chantilly shawl.  I’ve never seen this pattern of horizontal stripes before, and am at a bit of a loss to tell how this might be worn.    Note the extensive esprits in the ground, and the small buds between the main circles of flowers in the horizontal lines. Would be interesting to see the entire thing laid flat, maybe the undulating border combined with the horizontal stripes might make more sense.  Hard to tell if it is French or Belgian. I’m leaning toward Belgium, some of the photos seen to show a very dark color, typical of slightly heavier thread used in Belgium.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 3rd quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: None.
Damage: Nothing obvious from the photos, but there are few closeups.
Soilage: Looks clean, but difficult to tell with black lace.
Finish: No obvious creases or winkles.

   Sold for $122.50, 3 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/z6zqhwx antique Honiton lace cuffs and flounce for victorian dress
Size: cuffs 5″ x 9.5″.  border, 2″ x 2 yards, 1 yard of which has an additional 1″ border added at the top.
Starting Price: $50.00
Auction ends: February 17, 2016, 10:22 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller atelier1900, Gaillard, France
Comments: Two cuffs and a border of Honiton.  Snails/slugs style. Note the inclusion of pre-made tapes in the border – these might be handmade, photos are a bit fuzzy.  The cuffs have irregular picoted bride ground with a rather scattered design and grids of woven tally leadwork fillings. I like the overall effect.
The border is typical of later Honiton where the inclusion of the pre-made tapes helps speed up the work.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: ~1900
Condition:
Modifications: None on the cuffs.  One end looks cut on the border, can’t see the other end.  Then there’s additional top border added to one half of the piece.
Damage: Nothing obvious from the photos.
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: No obvious creases or winkles.

   No bids.

http://tinyurl.com/jeafkdq huge antique Honiton lace collar for victorian dress
Size: 36.5″ neckline, 53″ outside length. 7″-8″ deep.
Starting Price: $50.00
Auction ends: February 17, 2016, 10:25 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller atelier1900, Gaillard, France
Comments: A deep Honiton shawl collar or bertha. Snails/slugs style with irregular unpicoted brides. Extensive leadwork tally fillings. This is an unusually large piece in a rather naive style. The motifs don’t show much variation, although there is an interesting flower with spiky petals. Good example of the type in a rare form.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 4th quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: None.
Damage: A little fraying and overall light wear.
Soilage: Seller cites ivory color.
Finish: No obvious creases or winkles.

   Sold for $50.00, 1 bidder.

http://tinyurl.com/z6h2ar5 ANTIQUE LACE LONG LENGTH OF HANDMADE BOBBIN LACE C 1850
Size: 3.5″ x 125″
Starting Price: $27.50
Auction ends: February 17, 2016, 12:53 PM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller greatlace, Palm Beach, Florida
Comments: A long Bucks border. Note both the honeycomb/tally and Mayflower fillings. I am wondering about all the joins, which are carefully done in a zig-zag pattern along the lines of the mesh. Three are done at the same point in the pattern, but the spacing of the joins, and the fact that the pattern is interrupted after one of them makes me think this was not part of the original manufacturer and is more likely some kind of repair.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 4th quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: 5 joins. Both ends cut.
Damage: Occasional minor pinhole.
Soilage: Seller cites ivory color.
Finish: Vertical fold and other creases.

   No bids.

http://tinyurl.com/zxjgfsl Bobbin lace shawl russian lace handmade lace vologda bobbin lace
Size: 43 cm x 148 cm
Starting Price: $249.00 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: February 18, 2016, 10:18 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller madamkruje007, Moscow, Russian Federation
Comments: There is a lot of excellent new Vologda lace, but we don’t often see it on Ebay. This example is a ‘mantilla’ form shawl or headscarf, triangular with long lappet-like ends. Very typical Vologda tape lace and elaborate ground work. The woven leaves are beautifully done.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: New in original packaging.
Condition:
Modifications: None.
Damage: None.
Soilage: Clean, unused.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   Unsold.

http://tinyurl.com/j9udbel ANTIQUE LACE C1750 BRUSSELS BOBBIN LACE LAPPETS WITH DROSCHEL GROUND +JOINING PC
Size: lappets 27.5″ x 4″ top, 3″ ends.  band 29.5″ x 2.75″
Starting Price: $25.00 with reserve
Auction ends: February 18, 2016, 6:25 PM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller greatlace, Palm Beach, Florida, United States
Comments: A pair of lappets with matching border of Brussels bobbinlace with droschel ground.  The border could have been the frill going around a now missing cap back. It would be interesting to match the cut ends of the border to the tops of the lappets to see if they fit.
Louis XV undulating design of the mid 18th c. I do think this is a Belgian piece, although some of the motifs are a little blocky, resembling English work.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 3rd quarter 18th c.
Condition:
Modifications: One lappet cut at the top, the other top could be original. Border is cut on both ends.  The picot edge along the lower edge of the band is a later replacement.
Damage: Holes and pinholes in the mesh. Part of the mesh in the border has been replaced with machine tulle. The droschel ground has also been replaced at the tops of both lappets, I think with more droschel ground – or perhaps it was just done by a different lacemaker.  The ground in the lower portions of the lappets is much finer (and in better condition) than in the upper portion.
Holes and pinholes throughout, mostly in the replacements and in some fillings.
Soilage: All pieces look clean.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   $32.00, 2 bidders, reserve not met.

http://tinyurl.com/h48m7p2 47 ins antique/vintage early 19th century Mechlin lace
Size: 4.2″ x 47″
Starting Price: £20.00
Auction ends: February 19, 2016, 11:40 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller derbeatle, Cheltenham, United Kingdom
Comments: A border of Mechlin, with a dense lower floral border and 5 rows of buds used as esprits.  Very short repeat, meant to be ruffled. This type of design lasted a long time, you even see it made in WWI. The general wear on this piece looks early, and I’m thinking it might be linen.  Need a microscope to test that theory.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 2nd quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: Cut one end, can’t see the other end. One join, engrelure added.
Damage: Pinholes in the mesh. Localized repairs to the mesh.
Soilage: Cream color in the photos, I see some localized small red spots in the closeups.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   No bids.

http://tinyurl.com/hqawcpr about 10 yards of antique leavers Chantilly lace x 13″-perfect for CW ballgown
Size: ~13″ x 10 yards.
Starting Price: $150.00, $195.00 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: February 19, 2016, 11:40 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller atelier1900, Gaillard, France
Comments: A long Chantilly flounce, made up of 4 horizontal strips, racroc lines are nicely visible. Width and length are very typical of Chantilly in this period.  No ombré shading.  It’s a fairly simple floral design.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 3rd quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: Cut one end, can’t see the other end. Engrelure added.
Damage: Pinholes in the mesh, and occasional separation of the engrelure.
Soilage: Looks clean but hard to tell with black lace.
Finish: Minor creasing.

   Sold for $162.50, 2 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/jqx5u4y Antique/vintage Honiton lace mat/cap back
Size: 7″ x 6.5″
Starting Price: £25.00
Auction ends: February 19, 2016, 11:55 AM PST
Offered by: Ebay seller derbeatle, Cheltenham, United Kingdom
Comments: A small mat of Honiton guipure, well out of the snails/slugs mode. I especially like the way the roses are worked, almost ‘line drawn’ like you seen in Valenciennes. The piece says true to its origins in design organization, and note the little 4 petaled flowers with leadwork fillings. You see something a bit similar in the Honiton bertha reviewed above.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 3rd quarter 19th c.
Condition:
Modifications: None.
Damage: Nothing obvious from the photos.
Soilage: Seller cites pale ivory color.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   No bids.

http://tinyurl.com/z8cocud BRUSSELS BOBBIN LACE LAPPETS Ca 1740
Size: each 23″ x 5″ tapering to 3.5″
Starting Price: $10.00 with reserve
Auction ends: February 20, 2016, 3:00 PM
Offered by: Ebay seller eastayton, London, England, United Kingdom
Comments: A pair of Brussels bobbinlace lappets with droschel ground, very fine design and construction. The rounded ends appeared a little later than square end examples.  The density of the design along the sides and ends is such that many people seeing this kind of lace for the first time don’t even believe it is lace.
Lappets like this can get a little better in design and condition, but not very much.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 1730’s
Condition:
Modifications: Cut at the tops.
Damage: One small hole at the end of one lappet.  I think there might be a little repair to the mesh in small places.
Soilage: They look clean.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   $189.59, 6 bidders, reserve not met.

http://tinyurl.com/hcfqq2j FRENCH ALENCON HAND MADE 18th CENTURY 34 x 2 inches x 5 cms
Size: 2″ x 34″
Starting Price: $10.00 with reserve
Auction ends: February 20, 2016, 3:05 PM
Offered by: Ebay seller eastayton, London, England, United Kingdom
Comments: I think this might be a joined lappet set with the ends cut off. Hard to tell, but the ‘repair’ cited by the seller might be the join.  The ground has me confused, there aren’t any closeups to really tell how it is made.  The sides of the mesh are quite thick which might indicate buttonholing, however there are also some open gaps which look more like a twisted cover to the mesh.  It’s probably something inbetween.   The toilé is very dense with simple cordonnet, picoted only on the outer edge. No sign of horsehair, which is sometime cited as a characteristic of Argentan.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 4th quarter 18th c.
Condition:
Modifications: Cut at the ends, one join.
Damage: A few small holes in the mesh, some repair.
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   $11.50, 2 bidders, reserve not met.

http://tinyurl.com/jmfw4ts FLEMISH BOBBIN LACE WITH HUMAN FIGURES  Ca 1730 225 x 15 cms
Size: 6″ x 88.5″
Starting Price: $10.00 with reserve
Auction ends: February 20, 2016, 3:15 PM
Offered by: Ebay seller eastayton, London, England, United Kingdom
Comments: A figural Flemish bobbinlace, and some of the figures don’t look human. It’s an odd piece with a lot of condition issues.  This one is hard to evaluate.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: 1st quarter 18th c.
Condition:
Modifications: Ends cut, engrelure added.  Not enough closeups, but I think the picot edge is a later addition. There is a short replacement made with a different lace near the right end (stylistic difference).
Damage: Fraying and general wear throughout.  Some attempts at repair.
Soilage: Localized staining.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   Sold for $330.00, 8 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/j7n35uu VENETIAN NEEDLELACE 17th CENTURY 98 cms x 7 cms
Size: 2.5″ x 37″
Starting Price: $10.00 with reserve
Auction ends: February 20, 2016, 3:15 PM
Offered by: Ebay seller eastayton, London, England, United Kingdom
Comments: English flat needlelace, mid 17th c. English needlelace of this period has one very obvious characteristic never found in Italian or French examples. The stitches are knotted, not twisted buttonhole. This give the clothwork a rather grainy, open appearance.  English examples also never use a separate cordonnet.  There are slightly over two repeats in this piece, and long pieces of this lace are fairly common. This is also a lace that often includes initials or dates in the pattern, but I don’t see any here.  The rather heavy appearance of this lace often causes confusion, but a close looks discovers many key identifying characteristics.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: mid 17th c.
Condition:
Modifications: Ends  cut, bottom picoted edge does not look original. Engrelure added.
Damage: Fraying and general wear throughout.  Some attempts at repair.
Soilage: Localized staining.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   Sold for $160.00, 3 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/jg3rpha RETICELLA PUNTO IN ARIA NEEDLE LACE. LATE 16TH CENTURY 62 x 9 cms
Size: 62 cm x 9 cm
Starting Price: $10.00 with reserve
Auction ends: February 20, 2016, 3:35 PM
Offered by: Ebay seller eastayton, London, England, United Kingdom
Comments: A Punto in Aria border – note the woven band which is the base of the point border. That is not unexpected in Punto in Aria, which lacks the drawn and cutwork cloth base of Reticella. I do like this feature in terms of dating this lace.
However, after the recent workshop at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I am very, very hesitant to attribute dates to pieces like this. There were extensive copies of early laces made primarily in Italy at the end of the 19th c, and suddenly a lot of similar museum examples are being called into question, even if they look absolutely authentic. Many of the donors were intimately involved in the formation of lace schools in Italy and it is unsure if what they gave were originals or copies.
Provenance: None cited.
Date: unknown.
Condition:
Modifications: Ends  cut.
Damage: Occasional broken bride and gaps along edges.
Soilage: Looks clean.
Finish: No obvious creases or wrinkles.

   $51.00, 3 bidders, reserve not met.