Ebay Alerts! Thirteen items – June 12, 2011

Posted on June 12, 2011 by lacenews

http://tinyurl.com/3kkd7dz ANTIQUE LACE-FINE 19THC.BRUSSELS DUCHESSE LACE
Size: 188″ X 3.25″
Starting price: $295.00
Auction ends: Jun 13, 2011 06:53:26 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Good solid border of Duchesse with raised work in the leaves. No needlelace. Seller cits a few small openings, but seems in overall very good condition. Excellent length, very good example.

   Sold for $295.00, 1 bidder.

http://tinyurl.com/3j8mep3 BRUSSELS LACE BONNET VEIL. V. FINE WORK. PRETTY DESIGN
Size: 34.5″ wide, 15″ deep
Starting price: 24.99 GBP
Auction ends: Jun 14, 2011 07:25:08 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller georginanntiques, London, United Kingdom
Comments: Condition is everything on a piece like this, and the machine made lace has held up very well.  I almost wonder if this might be Honiton. The motifs seem a bit large, and the pattern a little too symmetric for Belgian work.  And the tally fillings are extensive, not really typical of Brussels applique. Not sure. Seller cites a few small spots, but otherwise excellent condition.

  Sold for 27.00 GBP, 3 bidders

http://tinyurl.com/3zmsk7s 19TH C DENSE BRUSSELS & POINT DE GAUZE HANDKERCHIEF
Size: 14″ square
Starting price: $9.00 with reserve
Auction ends: Jun 14, 2011 19:36:53 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller jamiexmas*, Southbridge, Massachusetts, United States
Comments: Beautiful Duchesse de Bruxelles handkerchief. The bobbinlace is difficult to do on the small scale such an item demands. Raised petal roses, I see a few tiny holes in the needlelace reseau. But overall the lace is in good condition. Nasty stain in the handkerchief linen or cotton or whatever it is.

Sold for $316.00, 9 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3v8kzqk RICH 19TH C BRUSSELS & POINT DE GAZE LACE HANDKERCHIEF
Size: 13″ square
Starting price: $9.99 with reserve
Auction ends: Jun 14, 2011 19:37:18 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller jamiexmas*, Southbridge, Massachusetts, United States
Comments: Another very good handkerchief from this seller. A few age spots. Bobbinlace is quite fine, needlelace has no raised roses. Very simple fillings at the centers of the corner roses.  Condition, aside from come discolaration, looks very good. Note the rounded shape of the roses – sign of a particular manufacturer, but I don’t know which one.

Sold for $250.00, 7 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3npc5h9 WIE 19TH C HAND MADE BRUSSELS LACE DRESS FLOUNCE
Size: 10.5″ wide, 72″ long (ends sewn together)
Starting price: $9.00 with reserve
Auction ends: Jun 14, 2011 19:37:24 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller jamiexmas*, Southbridge, Massachusetts, United States
Comments: Duchesse flounce, very densely packed design. A few broken brides, but overall looks in good condition, a little worn.  Maybe a few needlelace rings in the centers of some flowers, but nothing extensive. This lace stands on its own.

sold for $138.51, 9 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/43jlhka ANTIQUE LACE- FINE IRISH CROCHET DRESS COLLAR
Size: none given
Starting price: $75.00
Auction ends: Jun 15, 2011 06:47:39 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Irish crochet collar with single picot square bride ground. Good raised work in the centers of flowers. Design has four motifs – small trefoils, large trefoils, and two types of large fan-shaped flower with raised inner petals. Maybe some snaps or buttons sewn on one edge – But overall looks in very good condition.

   Sold for $75.00, 1 bidder.

http://tinyurl.com/3q8yoyv SUPERB BRUSSELS POINT DE GAZE LACE  HANDKERCHIEF HANKIE
Size: 13.5″ square
Starting price: 95.00 GBP
Auction ends: Jun 15, 2011 11:38:43 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller georginanntiques, London, United Kingdom
Comments: Belgian needlelace, no raised petals on the roses, and including some good filligns. Some of the very best Belgian needlelace is of this type, and you can see hints of potential in this one. It’s a very good piece, but rather the worse for wear. Some holes in the ground and center cloth. Just looks a little worn.

   Sold for 250.00 GBP, 5 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3wflb57 HM Antique Vtg FRENCH CLUNY BOBBIN LACE Colalr Dress Ft
Size: 4.75″ wide, 14.75″ inner edge, 42.5″ outer edge
Starting price: $14.99
Auction ends: Jun 16, 2011 18:05:55 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller adtjmd, RED VELVET BENCH, United States
Comments: I like the design of this collar, and it does have more of a Cluny feel than Beds. Looks in basically good condition, rare broken thread and age discoloration.

   Sold for $38.09, 5 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3b9wq76 Vintage Handmade Point de Gaze Lace Butterfly ~ 4 Wings
http://tinyurl.com/3mu4w3w MOST UNUSUAL POINT DE GAZE HAND MADE LACE BUTTERFLY
Size: 4″ wide, 2″ tall.   2″ x 2.5″.
Starting price: $19.99 and $9.99 with reserve
Auction ends: Jun 16, 2011 18:50:01 PDT
Jun 14, 2011 19:20:22 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller annacottage, Connecticut, United States
Ebay seller jamiexmas*, Southbridge, Massachusetts, United States
Comments: Seems to be the week for Point de Gaze butterflies, and I’m putting two together here. Both are double wing, although on the second one, the upper layer only goes halfway. Both have some small stains. For pure Point de Gaze technique, I’ll give it to the first one, but both are quite good examples. Condition, apart from the staining, is mostly good, although the second one has a hole in the net on the lower wing. Photos on the second listing take forever to download.


Left: Sold for $85.00, 8 bidders.
Right: $42.01, 3 bidders, reserve not met.

http://tinyurl.com/3nucz35 Antique point de Gaze Lace Collar ~ Raised Roses
Size: 43″ inner edge, 4″ wide at center back
Starting price: $19.99
Auction ends: Jun 16, 2011 19:05:01 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller annacottage, Connecticut, United States
Comments: Very interesting piece.  Multilayered roses, fine quality work. Note the veining in the rose petals, I’ve never seen this pattern before.  Minimal use of needlelace fillings, but it really stands on its own. It also keeps the reseau to a minimum, resulting in a sort of Point de Gaze guipure. Looks in excellent condition, very minor defects..

   Sold for $775.00, 14 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3ke8x3e Selection of Vintage Handmade Maltese Silk Lace items.
Size: 23″ square, more like a doily than a handkerchief.
Starting price: 24.99 GBP
Auction ends: Jun 19, 2011 11:43:32 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller lacisfair, Surrey, United Kingdom
Comments: I like the design of the large handkerchief, the rest are pretty standard. The large one has an interesting ground, and nicely worked guipure motifs. Looks in very good condition.

   Sold for 42.01 GBP, 3 bidders

http://tinyurl.com/3hoc4ld Ancien carreau de dentellière 39 fuseaux 18e début 19e
Size: 46 cm diameter.
Starting price: 25.00 EUR
Auction ends: Jun 22, 2011 12:15:47 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller papyhote, Belgique, Belgium
Comments: A mystery pillow. I show the thumbnail below because it has a view of the base. There is a small roller set into a box in the center of the pillow. If it weren’t for that I’d say Wallonie. As it is, it looks a little Swedish. Or maybe a French Normandy variation? But the bobbins are French, Le Puy style (in the boxes). And it’s being sold from Belgium. Anway, I’d say it’s an early 20th century piece.  Looks in basically good condition.

   Sold for 95.00 EUR, 5 bidders.

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Auction: Drouot – June 16 and June 19, 2011

Posted on June 10, 2011 by lacenews

Objets de vitrine, linge, dentelles, tissus
Date: Thursday, June 16, 2011
Place: 29, rue Carnot
Auvers-sur-Oise, France
Time: Auction begins at 2:30 PM
Web Page: http://tinyurl.com/3q4rzoo
Auction by: Le Calvez et Associés, SVV – Tél. 01.34.48.03.44, email: finesart@wanadoo.fr
Notes: The article makes it sound like a lot of linens will be sold, as well as fans. It mentions lace but doesn’t go into detail. Anvers-sur-Oise is 27.2 km north of Paris.

Argenterie, art d’Asie, bijoux, bronzes, dentelles anciennes, dessins, objets d’art et d’ameublement, tableaux anciens, tableaux du XIXe
Date: Sunday, June 19, 2011
Place: 33, rue Demées – 61000
Alençon, France
Time: Auction begins at 2:00 PM
Web Page: http://tinyurl.com/4yb9hvl
Auction by: Orne Enchères, SVV – Tél. 02.33.32.00.02, email: commissaire.priseur.alencon@wanadoo.fr
Notes: The article on this auction came out on June 16th. It still mentions lace and linens, but gives no specifics.

Drouot is an organization of auction houses throughout France, including their main facility, the Hôtel Drouot in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Established in 1852, Hôtel Drouot held a monopoly on French antiques auctions until legal reforms opened the way for international competition in 2000.  The Gazette Drouot http://www.gazette-drouot.com/ lists upcoming auctions, and I will post those which indicate lace offerings.
Online bidding: All bidders must first register with Drouot. Go to https://drouotonline.webzone-secure.org/creationdecompte to create an account.
Login at http://www.drouotonline.com/ for online auctions, or http://www.drouotlive.com/ for live auctions on the net.
You also have to register for individual auctions.  I haven’t tried this yet, so please comment if you have experience. There are many videos (in French) explaining the process at: http://www.drouot.com/static/drouot_video_sommaire.html?lang=en.

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Ebay Alerts! Twelve items – June 9, 2011

Posted on June 9, 2011 by lacenews

http://tinyurl.com/44amd72 Antique Lace Collar With Lappets Attached. 168cm Length
Size: 168 cm long
Starting price: GBP 50.00
Auction ends: Jun 11, 2011 13:52:43 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller angel-moreno, Sheffield, Derbyshire, United Kingdom
Comments: I’m taking a chance on this piece – it appeared on Ebay today and ends quite soon. The photos are poor, it might be Point de Gaze, it might be machine. I’m inclined to handmade because of what appear to be some simple needlelace fillings the the edge of the lappets. Just wish there were some closeups.

   Sold for 50.00 GBP, 1 bidder.

http://tinyurl.com/3bz9zu5 SUPERB HM antique Vtg BRUSSELS NET LACE Flounce *+11FT
Size: ~8″ x 139″
Starting price: $49.99
Auction ends: Jun 12, 2011 18:03:41 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller adtjmd, RED VELVET BENCH, United States
Comments: Good length of Brussels bobbinlace application on machine net – I don’t notice any needlelace. Condition is very important in this type of lace – there’s not a lot you can do to repair major holes in the net. Occasional minor holes in this piece, some fraying along top edge, seller also notes rare light spots.  The design is a conventional repeat of flowers and leaves with applique dots in the net, with the area of the net well filled out. A fairly standard example of this lace.

   Sold for $385.00, 16 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3u27pn4 SUPERB Antique Vtg BRUSSELS POINT DE GAZE LACE *61in
Size: ~4.25″ x 61″
Starting price: $49.99
Auction ends: Jun 12, 2011 18:08:45 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller adtjmd, RED VELVET BENCH, United States
Comments: Length of Point de Gaze-type Belgian needlelace, with raised petal roses. Note the small diamond windows in the raised petals. A few interesting needlelace fillings.  Condition looks very good. Occasional small hole in the net.  It’s a fairly typical design, nicely done.

   Sold for $310.00, 11 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/4y8vtps SUPERB Antique Vtg BRUSSELS POINT DE GAZE LACE Collar
Size: ~40.5″ around neckline, ~102″ outside edge, 7″ wide
Starting price: $49.99
Auction ends: Jun 12, 2011 18:13:01 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller adtjmd, RED VELVET BENCH, United States
Comments: Good Duchesse de Bruxelles bertha. Combined needlelace with Duchesse motifs – I like the density of the design. The bobbinlace is rather flat – little raised work, and a bit more on the Bruges side of Duchesse.  Needlace inserts are fairly simple. But some interesting needlelace fillings in areas along the edges. Other than minor discoloration, it looks in very good condition.

   Sold for $288.00, 12 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3g2w7mc NZ-Antique Brussels Duchesse lace topper-AMAZING! 26″
Size: 26″ round
Starting price: $9.99
Auction ends: Jun 12, 2011 19:23:22 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller atticcon, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Comments: Vary interesting Duchesse round piece, I’m not sure of the measurement. Could that be 26″ in diameter? If so I’d say it was a parasole cover, however the very center point is filled in, so it’s probably something for the table. I like the needlelace inserts – must be a record for the number of rays in the center star. Good raised work in the bobbinlace, and the design works very well for the format. Condition looks very good, no damage I can see. I’d only ask if it might have been washed – looks a little puckered in places, and the whiteness might indicate bleaching.

   Sold for $422.01, 9 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3kd5pbh Irish crochet collar c1910
Size: 4″ deep, 30″ around neck edge, 40″ outer edge
Starting price: 26.00 GBP
Auction ends: Jun 13, 2011 01:45:45 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller lunnantiques, London, London, United Kingdom
Comments: Shaped Irish crochet collar with heavy raised work in the centers of the various motifs. Condition looks very good, I can’t spot any damage.

   Sold for $26 GBP, 1 bidder.

http://tinyurl.com/4yxoygg ANTIQUE LACE-HONITON LACE HANDKERCHIEF
Size: ~14″ square
Starting price: $35.00
Auction ends: Jun 13, 2011 06:52:35 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Good Honiton handkerchief, separate motifs united by a needlelace ground. Thistle and rose design, nicely done and in very good condition. I can’t spot any damage.

   Sold for $36.00, 2 bidders

http://tinyurl.com/3ur575h ANTIQUE LACE-CIRCA 19THC. 145″ OF APPLIQUE LACE
Size: ~145″ X 13″
Starting price: $35.00
Auction ends: Jun 13, 2011 06:52:35 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Very good cutwork appliqued on machine net. Can’t really tell if it is Carrickmacross or perhaps a Belgian piece.  Some embroidered fillings  along the edge. A lovely design, looks in excellent condition.

   Did not sell.

http://tinyurl.com/3shvn8g La DENTELLIERE
Size: 18 cm high
Starting price: 38.00 eur
Auction ends: Jun 13, 2011 10:10:27 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller fanfan0660, CLERMONT-FD, Auvergne, France
Comments: Seated bobbin lacemaker Santon by Landucci. Clay hands, head, presumably the legs also. Dressed in a traditional Provence costume.

   Did not sell.

http://tinyurl.com/3v5sc96 BEAUTIFUL BRUSSELS BOBBIN LACE FAN LEAF . LOVELY DESIGN
Size: 5.5″ wide at midpoint. Width ~19.75″
Starting price: 39.99 GBP
Auction ends: Jun 14, 2011 07:05:43 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller georginanntiques, London, United Kingdom
Comments: Fan leaf of Brussels application on machine net – both bobbin and machine motifs. Note the grid of needlelace rings in the center motif.  Flower appear rather naturalistic.  Overall condition very good – seller notes a few broken threads and one well-done repair.

   Sold for 79.00 GBP, 4 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3ce6pcm Stunning Brussels Point de Gaz Hankie 3 D Flowers c 1870
Size: 13.5″ square
Starting price: $19.95 with reserve
Auction ends: Jun 14, 2011 12:44:38 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller mianna, Plantation, FL, United States
Comments: Good Duchesse de Bruxelles handkerchief. Lots of raised work in the bobbinlace, and the needlelace roses have multiple raised petals. Very minor breaks, and quite clean. The design is a bit crowded for my taste, but it is a well made piece.

  $255.00, 6 bidders, reserve not met.

http://tinyurl.com/3zlcfk5 ANTIQUE LACE-PRETTY CHANTILLY LACE LAPPET
Size: ~43″ X 4-3/4″
Starting price: $35.00
Auction ends: Jun 14, 201113:51:59 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller mianna, Plantation, FL, United States
Comments: Joined Chantilly lappets that appear to be in excellent condition. They look unused.

   Sold for $41.00, 2 bidders.

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Ebay Alerts! Nine items – June 5, 2011

Posted on June 5, 2011 by lacenews

http://tinyurl.com/3wgmao3 ANTIQUE LACE- 125″ OF LUMINOUS BLONDE LACE
Size: ~125″ x 6″
Starting price: $75.00
Auction ends: Jun 07, 2011 08:54:40 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforis Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Interesting length of white silk Blonde de Caen.  Some obvious damage to the net, but the motifs seem to be in good shape. A good example of this lace, which is fairly difficult to obtain in any condition.

   Sold for $102.50, 3 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3t2srba ANTIQUE WIDE ROSALINE BOBBIN LACE COLLAR PERLS EXCEL
Size: 35″ around, inside collar is 21″. Width varies from 1-5″
Starting price: $225.00
Auction ends: Jun 07, 2011 17:53:52 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller twist-in-time, Philadelphia / DFW, United States
Comments: Fine Rosaline collar with extensive raised work. The perls are in needlelace. This piece appears to be in original condition, no alterations that I can see. Condition also appears very good.

   Did not sell.

http://tinyurl.com/4yvfxrx GORGEOUS ANTIQUE BRUSSELS DUCHESSE BOBBIN LACE TRIM
Size: each 4″ wide x 10″ long
Starting price: $85.00
Auction ends: Jun 07, 2011 20:17:24 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller twist-in-time, Philadelphia / DFW, United States
Comments: Matched set of Duchesse cuffs, a little on the Bruges side. Good symmetric design with interesting bride pattern. Condition appears very good.

   Did not sell.  Relisted as #300567082865, $115.00, Buy-it-Now.

http://tinyurl.com/3gckqu3 ANTIQUE VERY FINE POINT DE GAZE LACE COLLAR
Size: 2″ maximum width, inside edge 13″
Starting price: $65.00
Auction ends: Jun 07, 201120:30:33 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller twist-in-time, Philadelphia / DFW, United States
Comments: Small, but very nicely done. Note the intermittent looped picots around the edge, this surely is the mark of a specific manufacturer. Someone needs to write a book about Belgian needlelace trying to identify the characteristics of various makers.  A fewsmall holes in net and one flower center, unfortunately in a piece of this size they get a bit noticeable.

   Did not sell.

http://tinyurl.com/455kxyb vintage TURNED WOOD LACE BOBBIN WINDER D G HODSON
Size: 17″ long, 5.5″ widest point, bracket 4″ long
Starting price: 9.99 GBP
Auction ends: Jun 09, 201112:17:57 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller starshine1821, Berkshire UK, United Kingdom
Comments: I have one of these, and it’s a really excellent piece of woodworking. Mine works a little stiffly, probably would loosen up with some oil. The bobbins are meant to be held in with shaped pieces of cork – you can see some stuck  in the orifice. Mine came with a whole bag of drilled corks cut lengthwise. I’m glad to see the maker, D. G. Godson – mine is not marked.  I think this is a later 20th century piece. Wish there were a picture of the whole thing, it’s really impressive once everything is put together.

   Sold for 17.25 GBP, 4 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3kd8abd irish crochet collar c1910
Size: 4″ deep, 38″ around neck edge, 44″ around outer edge
Starting price: 24.00 GBP
Auction ends: Jun 13, 2011 01:23:02 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller lunnantiques, London, London, United Kingdom
Comments: Interesting motifs in this collar, looks like some needlelace edgings on the inside of the trefoil shapes. Very heavy raised ring centers.  Condition looks good, I can’t see any damage.

   Sold for 24.00 GBP, 1 bidder.

http://tinyurl.com/3lbzsbz Antique Brussels Duchesse Point de Gaze Bertha Collar
Size: 38″ inner circumference, 82″ outer circum. ~20″ diameter, 5″ wide.
Starting price: $229.00 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: Jun 13, 2011 01:23:02 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller mdes162nj, Newtown Square, PA, United States
Comments: Duchesse de Bruxelles bertha, fairly standard design, one raised petal on the point de gaze roses. Some age spots, looks like it could do with a cleaning. No damage that I can see.

   Sold for $150.00

http://tinyurl.com/429daw8 Pañuelo encaje bolillos 22 x 22 cm2 – perfecto
Size: 38″ inner circumference, 82″ outer circum. ~20″ diameter, 5″ wide.
Starting price: 49.99 EUR
Auction ends: Jun 15, 2011 20:20:24 H.Esp
Offered by: Ebay seller guadalopecoches, ALCAÑIZ, TERUEL, España
Comments: You need to log into Spanish Ebay to bid on this.  There’s quite a bit of Spanish bobbinlace on Ebay with widely varying quality. I like the look of this piece – it’s nicely done.

   Did not sell.

http://tinyurl.com/4xdqtcq LA17 Vtg Handmade French ALENCON Lace Lappets 18th C.
Size: 2-1/2″ wide by 24″ long
Starting price: $375.00 Buy-It-Now
Auction ends: Jul 01, 2011 17:58:00 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller lois437, Michigan, United States
Comments: Definitely do not pass these by – I like them very much. Condition appears excellent, and Alençon reseau of this period rarely survives so well. Just a few spots on the motifs. Don’t complain that the design isn’t that interesting and the fillings not that ambitious. Condition on this outweighs everything, and you won’t see it again for a very long time.

   Sold for $375.00

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Collecting: Furniture for the Lacemaker

Posted on June 5, 2011 by lacenews

(last update 1/18/2014 to add the Le Puy table.)

Continuing with my series on objects that bear the lacemaking name but may or may not be associated with the art, I’d like to take a look at furniture. The lacemaker needs a place to sit, and something to warm and/or support her feet.  She needs storage space – boxes for bobbins, chests for her lace.  In deciding whether or not to list an object in the ‘furniture’ category, I put a lot of weight on alternative uses. For example, a German klöppelstand supports the feet as well as the pillow, but no one would normally think it had another use. Well, OK, maybe some people think they are plant stands, but the majority of opinion is on the lacemaker’s side. Not so with chairs, stools, chests, and a large variety of boxes.

This is a wonderful collecting area, primarily because of the carved decoration often found in French provincial furniture.  For example, Figure 1 shows a recognized example of a French lacemaker’s chair by a known artist. Chairs like this are generally low (to keep the knees up) with a high back, and carved as to be seen from both the front and back. Note the woven seat. They were usually made by a husband for his wife, or by a fiancé. The sunburst pattern on this chair might be taken as representing a lacemaker’s pillow, but it’s not altogether convincing. Note that the lighter wood in this example is typical of the Le Puy and Auvergne areas.


Figure 1. Lacemaker’s chair Jean-Pierre Salleirelles, dated 1807, height 106.3 cm. It is one of a pair that sold at Drouot in 2009 – estimate was from 7,000 to 10,000 EUR.

The area of French provincial furniture is one where the collector must take great caution – remember that as you look at the examples in this article. Fakes and reproductions are very common. The first example in Figure 2 would seem to be more appropriate to a lacemaker from the decoration – note the bobbin-like spools on the back. This piece and a similar companion have occasionally been offered on Ebay in the past few years, labeled as a reproduction.   A second example in Figure 2 was also seen on Ebay, designated as a lacemaker’s ‘traveling chair’. It does appear to fold up, but the practical connection with lacemaking escapes me.

 
Figure 2. Left:  Probably a reproduction lacemaker’s chair.
Right:  Folding chair, origin unknown, but labeled as a lacemaker’s traveling chair.

One might think that French postcards would be an interesting source of information on equipment, but most of the photographs are taken from the front revealing little about the lacemaker’s chair. The staged narrative postcard shown in Figure 3 might give some information on the type of chair used, note the woven seat and turned elements on the legs similar to Figure 1. But there seems to be no carving on the chair. More typical examples are seen in the other two cards, which show a simpler chair, again with a woven seat.

     
Figure 3.  Three postcards hinting at the form of lacemaker’s chairs. I only wish that we could ask the man caning the chair what the lacemakers of his village preferred as comfortable working seating. Is he working from a standard lacemaker’s template? Or is this general purpose seating.

The lacemakers of all countries need something to sit on. Note the extremely low chair shown in the postcard of Figure 4 from Scanno in Italy. This small chair keeps the lacemaker’s knees very high, and a second chair is used to support the pillow.


Figure 4.  Small chairs used in the town of Scanno in the Abruzzo region of Italy.

Figure 5 shows something that one sometimes sees in England called a Lacemaker’s Stool. The distinguishing characteristic are the stretchers connecting the legs. I discussed this with an antiques dealer, who thought they might support the lacemaker’s feet.  Or perhaps the entire stool could be inverted to support the lacemaker’s pillow…   Unconvincing on either count, but the term occurs often enough to perhaps prompt further investigation. It does appear that this type of stool originates around Olney, Bucks, so there might be some forgotten lacemaking connection.

Figure 5.  Two “Lacemaker’s Stools” with stretchers connecting the legs. As far as originality, the second warped example seems more properly aged than the first one.
At the right is a lacemaker with a rather ordinary chair (see Diana Smith’s “East Midlands Lacemakers in Old Photographs” for information on this lady).

As with France, English postcards with side views showing chairs are rare, but those that do exist seem to show the lacemaker sitting on rather conventional chairs, not stools. One country where lacemakers do seem to have the option to use stools is Germany, as seen in the first postcard of Figure 6. We can only assume this was taken from a representative scene. Given the care put into making klöppelstands, and the reputation of German woodworkers, it would be unusual if we could not find a special chair for the use of lacemakers.

 
Figure 6. Two German postcards showing lacemaking scenes, although it is difficult to vouch for their strict accuracy.  The lefthand card shows the use of stools with the köppelstand. The righthand card shows chairs not dissimilar to what is now known as a “spinner’s chair” among modern handspinners.

Moving to the lacemaker’s methods of foot support, a nice variety of footstools can be found. In both French and English images, especially in postcards, the lacemaker’s skirt is sometimes so long that it is difficult to tell if a footstool was used at all. In others it is obvious that the feet are planted firmly on the ground, sometimes raised a little with the French Sabot shoe. This arrangement is likely the result of a typically low chair which already raises the knees high enough to support the pillow.  Other images definitely show the use of a footstool. Figure 7 shows a wonderful French carved example from the Le Puy area.  Figure 8 illustrates two more conventional pieces from Auvergne.

    
Figure 7.
Right: Wonderful carved French lacemaker’s footstool. Note the lighter colored wood typical of the Le Puy region. The piece measures 16″ long and 6″ high. The feet are fastened on with square headed nails.  (The feet of the footstool, not the lacemaker’s feet…).
Right: Footstools in use are shown in this postcard image from Retournac.

 
Figure 8.  More conventional stools from Auvergne. The one on the left is nailed together, and is 10-3/4″ long, 6″ high. The example on the right is higher, 10-1/4″ long and 8″ high. The feet are held on with large flat-head screws with single slots.

An example of an English footstool is shown in Figure 9. It is a wonderful rustic example, with the feet inset directly into the base.

  
Figure 9.  Left: English lacemaker’s footstool (ex. coll Shirley Burness-Smith). 10-1/2″ long x 5″ high.
Right:  Postcard of a Honiton lacemaker using a footstool. Foot support was not needed by lacemakers in England and Belgium who normally used a stand. Honiton workers seem to be the only ones using footstools in England.

Figure 10 shows the earliest representation of bobbinlacemakers that we have – from the Nüw Modelbüch printed in Zurich in 1561. The foreground lacemaker is sitting on a stool, and the use of a stand would make a footstool unnecessary. But what is that low stool in the lower left corner of the picture? Why include it at all?  It is a fascinating portrait.


Figure 10. Frontpiece from the 1561 Nüw Modelbüch pattern book. The only thing we know about the author is his or her initials, R. M.  Printed in Zurich by Christoph Froschauer.

In the cold winter months a simple footstool no longer sufficed, and the lacemaker would turn to some kind of warming device. In France this need was supplied by the chaufferette – a vented basket usually of metal designed to hold hot coals, often with a carrying handle. The lacemaker’s feet rest on wooden insulators. Sometimes a second basket was contained within the larger one for easier cleaning. Figure 11 shows a typical example from the Le Puy area, along with a second terra cotta item of unknown origin.

  


Figure 11.  Top Left: Sheet metal Chaufferette.
Top Left: Postcard of Lacemakers, probably from Le Puy. One is using a chauferette.
Bottom: Terra Cotta footwarmer labled as a “chaufferette de dentelliere”.  If true, this is an atypical example in France, but might have some relationship to the dickey pot discussed below.

In England an interesting footwarmer known as the ‘dickey pot’ developed, as seen in Figure 12. The stoneware pot holds the coals, and an elaborate wooden structure supports the feet.

 
Figure 12.  English dickey pot.

Turning now to something different – the next series of figures show boxes which a lacemaker could use to store equipment.  These developed extensively in France where they served as prime media for chip carving decoration. In French they are often called  ‘boites’ and ‘coffrets’. Again, buyer beware – these are often reproduced and faked.  To what extent these were actually used by lacemakers is unknown. Examples are shown in Figures 13 and 14.


Figure 13.  Boites de dentelliére.  The one at the upper left may have been assembled from lacemakers pliors – the decorative plaques lacemakers would wind their finished lace around.  The example in the lower right appears to be encased in metal.

  

Figure 14.  Boites de dentelliére often include innovative methods of opening lids, and elaborate locks. Turning the knobs in the correct combination in the last example will open the lid.

Another type of lacemaker’s box from France strongly resembles the American Shaker oval box. The first example in Figure 15 is elaborately decorated in with chip carving. The second example is a more typical plain wood arrangement.

  
Figure 15.  French ‘oval’ boites de dentelliére of thin wood fastened together with rivets.  The depth of these boxes can vary considerably, and sometimes examples have more than one layer.

We should also include English bobbin boxes in this discussion, as shown in Figure 16. I’ve made use of the Heutson figure in the lacemaker’s lamp discussion http://tinyurl.com/3q39zro, and it is still useful here. English bobbin boxes like these date from the early 19th century, are small, and can be quite complex. They can contain separate spaces for wound and unwound bobbins, pins, and other implements.


Figure 16. English bobbin boxes.
Left: Figure described in T. L. Heutson “Lace and Bobbins” on page 86. The small bobbin box appears to have a sliding lid and a lower drawer.  Note the small size, and how several compartments could be fit into the space.
Right: Bobbin box purchased from the Springett collection. The lid is held on by wire hinges, one of which is missing. The front clasp is also broken. It measures 6-5/8″ long, 4″ wide, 3-1/2″ high.

Specialized tables for lacemaking are rare, however in the Le Puy area there is a very distinctive type shown in Figure 17.  This narrow, tall table is very solid, and the top is edged with an additional band of wood.  Several examples are in the collection of the Retournac Museum.  There is limited space on top, but it is a documented form.

table
Figure 17.  Small table from the Le Puy area. Height 28″, top diameter, 14.5″.

To finish I would like to mention one more furniture form, the “lacemaker’s chest”. This small chest of drawers seems to be more common in France. Note the Santon Lace Merchant in Figure 18 with a chest to store her laces – it shows the approximate proportions of such an item.  Figure 18 also shows a modern interpretation by the Drexel Heritage Company from their Tuscany collection.

Figure 18.  Right – Santon by Simone Jouglas with a lacemaker’s chest.  Other Santon examples of Lace Merchants with chests are known.
Right – Drexel Heritage Lacemaker’s Hall Chest, 35.5″ high.

With the exception of the foot supports and some well documented chairs and small pieces, the label of “lacemaker” attached to the items discussed in this article should be taken with caution. Be especially careful of the boxes. Lacemakers certainly did need places to put things, and it is not unreasonable to assume the names now attached to these items have good solid origins. But there is little documented evidence, particularly in the postcard photographic record. Nonetheless, they can be a wonderful (though often faked) collecting area.

Posted in Collecting | 2 Comments

Lace of the Month: “Sedan” – June 2011

Posted on June 4, 2011 by lacenews

The Commune and Arrondissement of Sedan in the Ardennes Department, and Champagne-Ardenne Region of France, is located only 10 kilometers from the Belgian border. Not too far from Arras.  Note, that is a long way from Alençon and Argentan. But not so far from the lacemaking centers of Flanders.

In an effort to stem the influx of foreign luxury goods, including lace into France, November 27, 1660 saw the issuance of the French edict “Déclaration contre le luxe des habits, carrosses, et ornements”. It didn’t work, and in 1661 it inspired the work “La Révolte des Passemens”, which is one of our chief original sources listing contemporary laces. Note that while Le Point d’Alençon is mentioned in the Révolte, there is nothing about Sedan.

Someone that did actually help was Jean-Baptiste Colbert, the Minister of Finances under Louis XIV from 1665-1683. He worked diligently to improve the state of French manufacturers, and took steps to promote the lace industry in already established lacemaking centers. This is something that people who claim that Colbert established the French lace centers from nothing often fail to appreciate.  On August 5, 1665 a Royal Proclamation was issued providing 37,000 livres to establish a government backed industry with exclusive trading privileges for 10 years. A selection process ensued to establish lacemaking centers – towns had to apply for registration within two years. It was originally intended that thirty expert workers from Venice and two hundred from Flanders would be enticed to move to the new centers, presumably by high salaries, although exactly how this was accomplished is unknown. The towns that seem to have made the cut were Quesnoy, Arras, Reims, Sedan, Chateau Thierry, Loudun, Alençon and Aurillac.

The effort was not confined to needlelaces, bobbinlaces were also included. The collective name “Point de France” was applied to all the products of the nationalized industry. It was hard going getting the new industry established. Correspondence with Colbert indicates that of the ~8,000 workers in Alençon, only 700 were willing to work for the new company, to its standards and with new designs. Only 250 of these had the skill to imitate the best Venetian products. Workers in convents appeared to have ignored the government’s efforts completely.

The ten-year duration of the company yielded a very good profit for investors, and the acceptance of standards and patterns does seem to eventually have had success. The name “Point de France’ survived, but for the needlelace products of Alençon only, in the highly symmetric small motif lace reminiscent of Italian Punto Nuevo. Needlelace in the 18th century was a continual competition between France and Flanders, with both producing some of the finest pieces ever made.  I have chosen such an example as the June featured lace.

This piece is in the form of a sleeve ruffle. Note the term”élegant” often used to describe this form seems to be a very modern invention and does not seem to be recognized much outside English speaking countries. This example is 41″ long, 4.5″ wide around the center, and has a symmetric mirror image design. It is made of some of the finest linen thread I have ever seen – some strands are formed of only about 4 flax fibers – still plied! The design is around 1725, with the innovative figures in the ground still some distance away from what we now recognize in Argentella lace. The style of the flowers is rather naturalistic, a trend away from the ‘bizzare silk’ patterns of the early 18th century. One could certainly wish it were in better condition, but this is a case where the technique far overwhelms the damage.

So where exactly did this piece come from? Often such dense patterned fine needlelaces are given the name Sedan, without a lot of reasoning behind the choice. Palliser discusses the question, mentioning the opinions of several authors. Sedan itself was known for its cutworks well before the Royal edict – and it is unclear how the needlelace of the area developed. Some consider it a variation of Alençon, some a variation of contemporary Flemish flat needlelaces. By 1752 most authors agree that the Sedan lace quality had fallen to be of little value, and by the revolution, the entire industry had vanished.  Séguin states that the Sedan lace is inferior to Point de Venise à Réseau, although who knows what he means by that? The Venetian flat needlelaces were vastly inferior to contemporary Belgian examples, and at this time both were known as Point de Venise à Réseau. That misnomer applied to the magnificent early 18th century Belgian flat needlelace is still in evidence today.  Lefébure considers Sedan lace as a variant of Alençon, and it seems to me that the pattern of this piece bears a lot of similarity to later Alençon floral designs. Others think it was a Belgian product of Brabant or even Liège.  And the attribution of Sedan also seems to apply to several cities in the Champagne area. Most authors agree that the proximity to Flanders made extraordinarly fine thread available to the lacemakers, both in size and whiteness.

One piece bearing the Sedan label is in the Musée des Tissues in Lyon, and can be seen as on page 171 of Bruggeman’s “L’Europe de la Dentelle”. Aside from the regular bride mesh ground, it isn’t too far from this month’s piece. I don’t know if there is some provenance justifying the Lyon nomenclature.

Posted in About the featured lace | 2 Comments

Ebay Alerts! Nine items – June 3, 2011

Posted on June 3, 2011 by lacenews

http://tinyurl.com/6b6elkw BEST ANTIQUE BRUSSELS DUCHESSE LACE & LINEN TABLE ROUND
Size: 23.5″ wide, 7″ depth of lace
Starting price: $135.00 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: Jun 04, 2011 14:12:25 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller rlbantq, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, United States
Comments: Duchesse de Brugges border on a around mat. Nicely formed flowers and leaves, not very ambitious design, but a good presentation. Looks very white, unsure if this is original. A good typical example, and I haven’t seen this seller before.

   Did not sell.

http://tinyurl.com/3ncd9oq ANTIQUE LACE-C. 19THC. BRUSSELS DUCHESSE LACE
Size: 63″ x 3″
Starting price: $45.00
Auction ends: Jun 05, 2011 09:39:29 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: One could probably call this a Duchesse piece, but there are a lot of variations in this type of Belgian pieced work. The technique is quite dense, and note the small windows in the petals and leaves – this is often associated with laces named ‘Point de Milan’. Perhaps reflecting a Milanese tape lace inspiration. These usually have a mesh ground, so this one with a bride ground remains to be positively identified.

   Did not sell.

http://tinyurl.com/4xv8mev Superbe Rouet Ancien Fuseau Dentelle Art Populaire BE
Size: 52 cm long, 20 cm wide. diameter of wheel is 19 cm
Starting price: 26.00 EUR
Auction ends: Jun 05, 2011 11:34:22 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller barrioux, SERMENTIZON, Auvergne, France
Comments:  This seller has offered a number of French bobbin winders, footstools and chauferettes recently. This winder is nicely finished in dark wood – note the crack in the wheel and areas of wormholes. The spindle on the retractable arm is meant to support two crossed pieces of wood for a swift, which seem to be missing. Note the small bobbin storage area in the center of the piece. Condition looks very good. This seller tells me they are taking a break from Ebay until about September.

   Sold for 45.5 EUR, 6 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3vqjn9v HM Antique Vtg BRUSSELS POINT DE GAZE LACE Flounce *78″
Size: 4.25″ x 78″
Starting price: $49.99
Auction ends: Jun 05, 2011 18:02:58 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller adtjmd, RED VELVET BENCH, United States
Comments:  Good typical flounce of Duchesse de Bruxelles – Duchesse bobbinlace motifs combined with Point de Gaze needlelace inserts.  Simple raised petal rose in the needlelace. Design is very conventional – a good basic example.

   Sold for $134.51, 8 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/3brwyfl VINTAGE PROCTOR PATENT WHEEL TENERIFFE LACE MAKER 1903
Size: none given
Starting price: $9.99
Auction ends: Jun 05, 2011 19:00:52 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller myvice123, roseville, MN, United States
Comments:  Round Proctor Teneriffe Lace Wheel. Patented in 1903 by Augusta Proctor of Viroqua, Wisconsin, this listing includes an instruction booklet and part of the original packaging. This black gutta percha wheel (which also came in a square form) is meant to be pinned to a small sawdust stuffed pillow. The black The motif is woven around the pins.  Very rarely you can find the pillow – the wheel itself doesn’t come up all that often in good shape, like this one.

   Sold for $64.23, 8 bidders.

http://tinyurl.com/43744h7 ANTIQUE LACE-CIRCA 19THC., BURANO LACE SHAWL W/DAMAGE
Size: ~110″ X 19″
Starting price: $295.99
Auction ends: Jun 06, 2011 06:11:47 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments:  Good shawl of Burano needlelace. The design and technique are pretty basic, but it’s an ambitious attempt at a piece with large areas of net background. The net has suffered – several holes which will be an interesting challenge to repair.

   Did not sell.

http://tinyurl.com/3eyun34 ANTIQUE LACE- 225″,571cmPRETTY BLACK LACE
Size: 225″ x 17.5″
Starting price: $125.00
Auction ends: Jun 06, 2011 06:34:26 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments:  Black silk guipures come from a number of places – this one might be Le Puy. It has some fascinating fillings, along with a point ground mesh. Some minor defects – and it’s a really long piece. Just wish there were a photo showing a section of the entire piece.

   Sold for $125.00, 1 bidder.

http://tinyurl.com/3nygfg4 ANTIQUE LACE-CIRCA 18THC.UNUSUAL DESIGN
Size: 60″ x 3.25″
Starting price: $75.00
Auction ends: Jun 06, 2011 17:02:18 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments:  I’ll hazard a guess that this is Belgian because of the raised edges on some of the motifs. It’s a tape lace starting to break up into discrete motifs. You sometimes seel laces like this with an early mesh ground. A little damage to the header, but a very interesting piece.

   Sold for $75.00, 1 bidder.

http://tinyurl.com/3zfge39 SUPERB 19THC.BRUSSELS POINT DE GAZE LACE HANDKERCHIEF
Size: ~13.5″ square
Starting price: $45.00 with reserve
Auction ends: Jun 06, 2011 18:17:25 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments:  Good Belgian needlelace handkerchief, one bad repair to the lace in the upper left corner, and a few defects in the cloth.  No raised work, no really interesting fillings. This kind of lace can be absolutely spectacular – but this one doesn’t quite break out of the better than average category. Some half-attempts at shading, a few unusual flowers. But it all seems a bit heavy, although it makes a good presentation.

   Sold for $493.55, 6 bidders.

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Lace Event USA: 2011 International Old Lacers Convention – July 31 to August 6, 2011

Posted on May 31, 2011 by lacenews

The 58th International Old Lacers Convention
Sponsor: The Chesapeake Region Lace Guild (http://www.crlg.org/index.html)
Date: July 31 to August 6, 2011
Place: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

Conference Web Site: http://www.crlg.org/convention.html
Email: laceconvention2011@juno.com

This posting will be updated as further information becomes available.

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Lace Event: Thameside Lacemakers Lace Day – July 9, 2011

Posted on May 29, 2011 by lacenews

Thameside Lacemakers Lace Day
Date: Saturday, July 9, 2011
Place: Steeple View Memorial Hall,
Willowfield, Laindon, Basildon, Essex SS15 4EQ
Time: 10:00 AM UNTIL 4.00 PM

Topic: Bring lace that you are proud of. Show and Tell.

Tickets: £3.50 member, £5.00 non members
Contact: Cheryl. Cheques payable to Thameside Lacemakers
Telephone: 01375 374824

Posted in UK and Ireland | Leave a comment

Lace Event: North Cheshire Lacemakers Lace Day – July 9, 2011

Posted on May 29, 2011 by lacenews

North Cheshire Lacemakers Lace Day
Date: Saturday, July 9, 2011
Place: The Community Centre
Lower Robin Hood Lane, Helsby WA6 0BW
Time: 10.00 AM UNTIL 4.00 PM

Speaker: Julie Abell, “History of Lace” (at 1.30)

Tickets: £2 members, £3 visitors
Payable at the door, including tea or coffee.
Website:  http://www.nc-lacemakers.co.uk
Tel: 0151 353 8313

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