Felixstowe Lacemakers Lace Day
Date: Saturday, July 2, 2011
Place: Old Felixstowe Community Centre, Ferry Road, Felixstowe IP11 9NB
Time: 10:00 AM until 4.00 PM
Speaker: Graham Hudson, “Bookcases to Bobbins”
Tickets: Adults, £4.00, Young Lacemakers £2.00
Contact: Mrs. Jean Voller, 18 Colneis Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 9HF
SAE with cheque payable to Felixstowe Lacemakers
Telephone: 01394 272603
Isleworth Lacemakers 30th Anniversary Lace Day
Date: Saturday, July 2, 2011
Place: St. Stephens Church Hall.
A 10 minute walk from the Hounslow mainline railway station that connects to Waterloo.
Parkside Road, Hounslow TW3 2BP
Time: 10:00 AM until 4.00 PM
Tickets: £4.50, Young Lacemakers £1.00, Shoppers £1.00
Contact: SAE and cheques to Mrs. Margaret Stranks, 16 Sutton Dene, Hounslow, Middx TW3 4ES. Please list names if purchasing more than one ticket.
Phone: 020 8577 2647
The Northern Italian bobbinlaces that developed in centers such as Milan and Genoa are always a bit difficult. I don’t say this in regard to technique. Patricia Read and her student Lucy Kincaid’s carefully researched book “Milanese Lace, An Introduction” was first published in 1988. This, along with their followup publications are excellent resources. Other manuals such as several works by Louise Colgan and Helga Maria Hofmeister’s “Mailänder Spitze” have also stayed very close to the best Milanese traditions. However, much work remains to be done to trace the historical progress of this lace. One of the best references is Margaret Jourdain’s “Old Lace, A Handbook for Collectors” from 1908. Elisa Ricci in “Old Italian Lace” also shows numerous examples and tries to outline design progression, but it is a rather high level survey. She and other authors note the important embroidery and ribbon-making industries of the area and speculate these may have influenced technical aspects of Milanese lace.
Milanese lacemakers carefully developed or adapted techniques to fit the current fashion. The earliest Milanese designs appear to date from around the mid 17th century, and bear a close resemblance to the contemporary flat and gros point needelaces of Venice. Some examples include extensive raised work meant to imitate the sculpted edges of Gros Point. Milanese lace is now considered a tape lace, but it came at a time when lace motifs were starting to break up into small pieces. Many early pieced laces, particularly from England, still retain their continuous tape origins. Note the birds in this month’s selection – are they tape or pieced? Tape laces in much lighter linen thread were also made at roughly the same time in Flemish work. It does appear that subsequent Milanese took a more purely tape lace route while the breakup into discrete motifs was developed further in northern Europe (although early works such as the 1599 footbench cover made for Archduke Albrecht and his wife Isabel of the Netherlands demonstrate that figural bobbinlaces were already well under development before Milanese really got started). Here is where most of the confusion lies – many different tape laces developed from this base and spread to a number of countries, especially Eastern Europe and Russia. It is not easy to tell them all apart.
Another often noted characteristic of Milanese laces is the gradual development of a mesh background. This month’s piece, with very few brides, is typical of earlier work. As the 17th century progressed we find some of the earliest attempts to develop a background mesh. Milanese laces also often included heraldic elements, and the figural work seen here is still carried out in places like Cantu today. The thread is heavier than what one finds in contemporary Flemish laces, and the small tally elements are also typical of Genoese plaited work. Note the symmetry of the design, and the beautifully figured tape as it winds around the pattern. One element that seem exclusive to Italian Milanese is the continuation of the tape at the bottom of the border, joining seamlessly with the next repeat. The small plaited edge at the very bottom is an addition, but again echos Genoese work.
The piece I chose for this month’s lace is a linen border 6″ wide, which shows elements of both tape and pieced techniques. This piece was formerly in the collection of Marlene Stainer, who use it as an inspiration for her own lacework.
I’m posting these pieces today instead of tomorrow because several excellent laces are ending their auctions on Sunday. And I have some travel to do for work, so this week’s posts are going to be done from hotel rooms, if at all.
http://tinyurl.com/44wk6so HC-antique point de Gaze Brussels lace lappet collar
Size: 2.5-4.5″ x 40″
Starting price: $9.99
Auction ends: May 29, 2011 19:38:53 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller atticcon, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Comments: 19th century joined lappets of Belgian needlelace. Call it point de gaze if you like – this is more a modern term although it is widely used. The label ‘Point a l’aiguille’ is found in contemporary catalogues. This is a nice intact piece – fairly simple work with no separate petals on the flowers. Looks like a few small holes in the net, and a lot of staining on the outer edges. Should come out nicely with a proper cleaning.
Sold for $214.50, 11 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/4y3opef ANTIQUE MIXED BRUSSELS LACE EDGING EXQUISITE 7 W X 30
Size: 7″ x 30″
Starting price: $195.00
Auction ends: May 29, 2011 20:51:43 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller twist-in-time, Philadelphia / DFW, United States
Comments: A very interesting piece. A rather symmetric pattern of Duchesse de Brugges, but with a needlelace ground. Some appears to be point de gaze ground, and there is a lot of various buttonholed bride meshes. These look somewhat like the Alencon brides bouclé, but I don’t think they have that complexity in manufacture. Looks more like looped rows of long twisted stitches that have been buttonholed over on a second pass, which is not really the best way to do this ground. Some of this ground is a bit unraveled, but it’s unclear from the photos exactly where that damage is located.
Did not sell. Relisted as #300562608571, $225 Buy-it-Now.
http://tinyurl.com/3t8dyt3 Mechlin cap back c1780
Size: 9″ x 7.5″
Starting price: 260.00 GBP Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: May 30, 2011 01:18:39 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller lunnantiques, London, London, United Kingdom
Comments: It might have been cut down from a larger piece, but if you stare at it long enough the design syemtry looks good and fits the form pretty well. I’m not happy about the edge along the sides and top. And, I don’t think this is Mechlin, it looks more like the pieced Brussels bobbinlace know as point d’angleterre. The ground also looks a bit odd, but there aren’t enough closeup photos to really say what really is. It doesn’t have the rigid structure I’d expect from the droschel ground, so it might be something else. Simple bride fillings. It is a design you’d expect from a similar mechlin piece which often showed such symmetry because they were pieced side-by-side from one long length of lace. Date? Maybe late 18th century, but early 19th c isn’t out of the question.
Did not sell.
http://tinyurl.com/3oellt6 ANTIQUE LACE- RARE EARLY LILLE LACE SKIRT
Size: 52″ around top, 90″ around bottom, 42-43″ width
Starting price: $45.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 30, 2011 08:57:25 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: These large panels of Lille aren’t as rare as you might think – two have come up for auction on Ebay in the last 6 months (http://tinyurl.com/3kl4afd). Levey’s “Lace, A History” shows one with an 1800 date (plate 352). Toomer in “Antique Lace: Identifying Types and Techniques” shows one in plate 225 dated 1800. Hannover in “Tønderske Kniplinger” shows examples of this thin line pattern and labels it late 18th c Arras, not Lille. The problem with this date is how do you join together strips of a very large point ground lace before the racroc stich was invented? I have also seen large pieces dated more around 1840. So it’s a bit of a mystery.
Usually these pieces are made of linen, and this one is pieced together from several smaller (but not much smaller) lengths, so I don’t think the joining problem is completely reconciled with an 1800 date.
This example is excellent, just a few spots and one loose seam.
Sold for $895.00, 3 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3g7whoj ANTIQUE PUNTO IN ARIA LACE COLLAR 17THc RARE POWYS COLL
Size: 6″ at widest point including net. lace 2.75″ wide. 25″ inside collar, 31″ outside collar
Starting price: $795.00
Auction ends: May 30, 2011 17:57:23 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: This appears to be a documented piece from the famous dealer Marian Powys. It very well could be a late 16th, early 17th century piece. Hard to tell if it was originally a collar – the original neckpiece, if there ever was one, is long gone. The net support is an obvious much later machine-made adaptation. It’s a little hard to see from the photos, but I think the trace at the bottom of the motifs (where it is sewn to the net) is a single braided cord. This is not unknown in pieces this early which had only recently been freed from a drawnwork support. Very good condition.
Did not sell.
http://tinyurl.com/43usyok stunning antique black maltese hanmade lace stole
Size: 106″ x 13″
Starting price: 15.00 GBP
Auction ends: May 31, 2011 09:23:13 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller reddolly123, nottingham, Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom
Comments: Black silk Maltese shawl. Good guipure patterns and an interesting ground. Minor defects, a few seams that need sewing up. Pieces like this made on the long narrow Maltese pillow were made in strips sewn together.
Sold for 123.99 GBP, 5 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3fgvxun Victorian~Ornate HM Needlelace Collar~Flowers/Butterfly
Size: 34″ long, center 12″ x 13″
Starting price: $19.95
Auction ends: May 31, 2011 12:39:44 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller twist-in-time, Philadelphia / DFW, United States
Comments: Good crochet collar, I think it’s Orvietto. It has the combination of small random bride ground and a larger mesh in interior spaces, along with well worked motifs. Interesting sort of Art Noveau design. Seller says it’s a little dusty, but no damage or spots. A very interesting piece.
Sold for $78.00, 4 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/43qcnnr c1840 Hnd Md POINT de GAZE SHAWL COLLAR MUSEU PIECE~A+
Size: 5″ at deepest point, 30″ along top edge, 46″ along bottom edge
Starting price: $368.00 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: 4 days 10 hours
Offered by: Ebay seller grannyfannysattic, Lebanon, Tennessee, United States
Comments: Belgian needlelace ‘point de gaze’ collar with a few raised petal roses. Seller says it was a museum deacquisition, but gives no details.The design is fairly conventional, and there is little in the way of needlelace fillings. But you have to give it to this piece for the excellent condition. I’d put it later in the 19th century, no particular reason to think it was done before point de gaze was invented.
Unsold
http://tinyurl.com/3uf247p Swedish LACE MAKING PILLOW & BOOK
Size: Box 9″ x 11.8″ x 4.2″. Pillow 8″ long
Starting price: $160.00
Auction ends: Jun 01, 2011 19:00:32 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller pilbon, Lebanon, Dalarna, Sweden
Comments: Traditional Dalarna lace pillow. The stripes on the pillow are to guide the lacemaker because this is meant for a freehand lace. I have no idea how old this is, usually they have wonderful woodworking joints. This one has some screws holding the divider piece in. A pillow like this is used with straight juniper bobbins with a handcarved indent for the thread. (more modern machine ones are now available). Unfortunately no bobbins with this one – the division at the back is used for bobbin storage. The accompanying book is excellent. These pillows are very hard to find, and this one comes directly from Dalarna.
Did not sell.
http://tinyurl.com/42p4sf8 HM Antique Vtg MALTESE LACE Handkerchief Hanky Hankie
Size: 13″ x 13″
Starting price: $19.99
Auction ends: Jun 02, 2011 18:05:13 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller adtjmd, RED VELVET BENCH, United States
Comments: Good silk Maltese handkerchief, very minor condition issues. Looks like it has the original silk center. The design is a nice combination of several Maltese techniques, crosses, dense tallies, stars, and the net-like bar ground. A nice example.
Sold for $46.05, 4 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3d99uyl HANDMADE ANTIQUE BELGIAN LINEN SAMPLE TAPE LACE METALC
Size: 38 cm x 15 cm
Starting price: $79.99 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: May 27, 2011 04:18:00 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller seltmeister, simmerath, Germany
Comments: I don’t particuarly like this piece, but the seller does give a maker, which is unusual. The Firm of Braeckmans Fre & Soeurs, Brussels and Paris. And, it has a few fillings of metallic threads. It’s a fairly coars, bold bobbinlace guipure, with a very heaavy single thread gimp raised a bit above the main work. It must have competed well with heavy machine embroidered laces. Date unknown, condition good, might be the occasional small spot.
Did not sell.
http://tinyurl.com/3llf2f9 ANTIQUE LACE- C. 18THC.FRENCH ARGENTAN LACE
Size: 2.5″ X ~65″
Starting price: $45.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 28, 2011 15:18:11 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Border of 2nd quarter 18th century Alençon or Argentan – you really can’t tell the difference between the two at this date. Naturalistic design of flowers and pomegranates with elaborate fillings. Condition is quite good – some repairs to the ground, but overall it has survived well in a good length.
$267.00, 4 bidders, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/4xwpsja ANTIQUE LACE- C.1600-1700’S,POINT DE SEDAN CAPBACK
Size: 12″ x 9.5″
Starting price: $45.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 28, 2011 15:55:59 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: This cap back has quite small motifs, in contrast to the border described above. A bit hard to tell from the photos, but it doesn’t seem to have too many raised edges. It’s almost more like a flat grounded Belgian needlelace, early 18th century, but not too early. As the seller notes, it has been pieced together. As if the upper center is one piece, surrounded by a separate border at the sides and top. With another border added at the bottom – you can see the join about 1/4 the way up. I haven’t stared long enough to see if this was all made from the same original piece. Condition looks quite good.
$61.00, 3 bidders, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/3gjnftd ANTIQUE LACE-RETICELLA CUFFS
Size: each ~11″ x 3.5″
Starting price: $35.00
Auction ends: May 28, 2011 16:41:16 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Two cuffs of reticella-type drawnwork. Proabably 19th or 20th century. Note the finished edge on all sides – these have not been cut from a larger piece. The raised ribs are often elaborated on in Greek work. Note the picots where eight ribs meet in the centers of the motifs. Look in excellent condition.
Sold for $43.90, 2 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3qhenu5 Irish crochet collar c1920
Size: inner curve 38 cm, 18 cm deep
Starting price: 24.00 GBP
Auction ends: May 29, 2011 01:06:53 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller lunnantiques, London, United Kingdom
Comments: It might be my imagination, but this piece almost looks like silk. Some of the raised work is rather shiny. Very interesting motifs with edge picots, and occasional multilayered raised work. The symmetry could probably be improved with some blocking, but overall I think it’s charming. Condition looks very good.
Sold for 28.00 GBP, 3 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3uupe79 Irish crochet collar c1900
Size: 16 cm deep
Starting price: 24.00 GBP
Auction ends: May 29, 2011 01:18:54 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller lunnantiques, London, United Kingdom
Comments: Irish crochet collar with vandyked edge. I like the little looped flowers. The raised work starts to hint at Venetian Gros Point, which was an original inspiration for this kind of lace. It looks in very good condition.
Sold for 104 GBP, 3 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3zz2ugv BEAUTIFUL HANDMADE DUCHESSE LACE BUTTERFLY PERFECT
Size: 3″ x 3″
Starting price: $35.00
Auction ends: May 29, 2011 11:00:26 PDT
Offered by: Paivi Roberts, Ebay seller greatlace, Paris – Palm Beach, United States
Comments: There have been several recent Ebay offerings for Point de Gaze butterflies, but here’s one in a Duchesse or Brugge pattern. Double layered wings, condition appears excellent.
Sold for $82.60, 4 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3dvvkz2 Santon de Provence de Simone JOUGLAS : une dentellière
Size: 30 cm high
Starting price: 28.00 EUR
Auction ends: May 29, 2011 11:47:41 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller dame*du*lac, Lausanne, Switzerland
Comments: Lace Merchant santon by Simone Jouglas. Jouglas is credited as being the first to dress the traditional clay santon figures in regional costumes. This piece is quite typical of her work and has beautiful features. It is in very good condition.
Sold for 35.50 EUR, 3 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/42fpaak Breathtaking early Georgian antique lappet Collector!
Size: 29″ x ~4″
Starting price: 10.00 GBP
Auction ends: May 29, 2011 12:43:07 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller poppy1109, Rochester, Kent, United Kingdom
Comments: Mid 18th century Belgian Point d’Angleterre pieced lace with droschel ground lappet and some bride work. It has a dense design typical of earlier pieces of this type of work. It looks like both lappets are there, but they have been cut short and joined together at the center. A lot has probably been lost – but sometimes this is the only way such sets have stayed together over such a long time. It has lovely fillings mainly based on snowflake designs, and even at this early stage the droschel ground is made in strips. Wish there were more photos showing the entire design. Aside from the issue of the initial modification, condition varies a lot. Some areas are intact, some damaged with very coarse attempts at repair. Lots of tears in the net. The extreme ends are also a bit strange, wonder if there was some piecing at those points. The piece is now a ghost from an amazing past. Enjoy.
Sold for 119.80 GBP, 5 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3u7scmg Vintage Maltese lace Burtha,circular collar,free pp vgc
Size: ~6.5″ deep, 22″ outside diameter, 10 ” inside diameter
Starting price: 65.00 GBP
Auction ends: May 29, 2011 13:16:55 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller oooptafagv, lincolnshire, United Kingdom
Comments: Seems a little small for something I’d call a bertha. Maybe just a large collar. Good traditional design, very appropriate to the drape of the piece. Condition appears very good, I can’t see any damage or staining.
Did not sell.
http://tinyurl.com/3cvo4ok GV-antique EXTRA fine Rose point Brussels lace fragment
Size: 4″ x 16″
Starting price: $9.99
Auction ends: May 29, 2011 19:24:38 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller atticcon, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Comments: A fragment of a mid 19th century Alençon border. Note the horsehair continuously strung through the picots on the lower edge. Good examples of different fillings and clothwork (toilé) variations. A piece like this would have had a lot of dry pressing when finished. Condition – obviously cut short, and there are a lot of defects and repairs in the ground. Doesn’t look too clean.
Sold for $159.50, 9 bidders.
The 30th Idrija Lace Festival
Date: June 17-19, 2011
Place: Mestni trg 1, 5280 Idrija, Slovenia
Conference Web Site: http://www.slovenia.info/?prireditve_festivali=28465&lng=2
Phone: ++386 5 374 39 16
Fax: ++386 5 374 39 15
e-mail: ticidrija@icra.si
This classic event includes exhibitions workshops and many other events. The Ivanka Ferjančič Award, named after the first teacher (1850–1879) of the Idrija Lace School, is presented at the annual competition. Most exhibitions will be held in the Gewerkenegg Castle, site of the Idrija Municipal Museum.
See http://www.culture.si/en/Idrija_Lace_Festival for a good English summary.
5ème Biennale Internationale de Dentelle
Sponsor: Dentellières de Sebourg http://www.dentellieres.com/index.htm
Date: June 3-6, 2011
Place: 59990 Sebourg, France. Several sites in the village will house eight exhibitions.
Hours: Open to the public, Saturday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Sunday, 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Entrance fee: 3.00 EUR for entry into all exhibitions.
Conference Web Site: http://www.dentellieres.com/Biennale/index.htm
Email: info@dentellieres.com
The theme of this year’s event is marriage, and the results of a competition (20 entries) using that theme will be announced on Sunday at 6:00 PM.
This event also honors lace from Poland, especially the lacemaking town of Bobowa. A course taught by Eva Swpila will be offered Monday morning, followed by a trip to the new Cité de la Dentelle de Calais museum.
This event includes numerous exhibitions, demonstrations, and suppliers. Elke Grossenbaker will speak on collecting German lacemaking equipment Sunday, June 5 from 11:00 to 12:00.
http://tinyurl.com/3dhv42g HM Antique Vtg HONITON NET LACE Wedding Veil Shawl Wrap
Size: 78″ x 80″
Starting price: $149.99
Auction ends: May 22, 2011 18:05:00 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller adtjmd, RED VELVET BENCH, United States
Comments: Very good square shawl of Honiton appliqued on machine net. Seller notes a few breaks in thenet, some spots, and one well-done repair. To me this is really nice condition – the cotton net on large pieces like this is beautiful but often doesn’t survive well. The lace design is a little scattered, motifs are simple but nicely worked. Note the curious bars connecting a lot of the tips of the leaves and other motifs rather than cut off and finished. I guess this was a way to speed up the work.
Sold for $315.00, 8 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3o4bojy HM WIDE Antique Vtg HONITON LACE Flounce
Size: 7-1/4″ x 45″
Starting price: $19.99
Auction ends: May 22, 2011 18:28:12 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller adtjmd, RED VELVET BENCH, United States
Comments: Short length of Honiton Guipure. Good condition, seller notes a little edge fraying and 1 broken bride. The lace in the photo looks a little yellow, that might just be the red background. Typical ‘snails and slugs’ design. There was actually a Honiton lace specialty known as ‘slug maker’. Not the most ambitious piece, but a good example. Many photos taken from the backside.
Sold for $61.00, 6 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/4476ah6 ANTIQUE LACE-19THC.BLONDE LACE FISCHU SHAWL W/DAMAGE
Size: not given
Starting price: $45.00
Auction ends: May 23, 2011 07:03:04 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay seller mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: I’m putting this one up because large pieces of Blonde de Caen don’t come up in any kind of condition very often. I love the big bold flowers so typical of this work, and the white, shiny silk. In its day it was an outstanding piece. Could it be again? I’ve heard of some excellent point lace repairers. Someone should really give this one another chance.
Sold for $45.00, 1 bidder.
http://tinyurl.com/3k544wz EXTREMELY FINE ANTIQUE POINT DE GAZE LACE LAPPET ASCOT
Size: 2″ – 3″ x 42″
Starting price: $195.00
Auction ends: May 23, 2011 19:32:36 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller twist-in-time, Philadelphia / DFW, United States
Comments: It seems to be a good week for later 19th century point de gaze lappets. A few pinholes in the net, but otherwise very good condition. I like the flared design at the ends, very appropriate. The whole design is a little more ambitious than is usually seen.
Sold for $195.00, 1 bidder.
http://tinyurl.com/3jln2g2 Exq. Handmade Antique Belgian Point d Gaz Lace Lappets
Size: 4″ x 20″
Starting price: $49.99
Auction ends: May 24, 2011 18:12:47 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller quiltlover, Plymouth, MN, United States
Comments: Someone would do this piece a favor by taking the stabilizing net off. Condition appears good, I spotted a few tiny pinholes. Looks like the 2 lappets were separated at some point, then overlapped at the top to sew back together.
Sold for $96.56, 4 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/44j8aqf Antique Point De Gaze Brussels Needle Lace Lappet Cap
Size: 43″ x 9-1/2″ at midpoint
Starting price: $99.00
Auction ends: May 25, 2011 14:43:38 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller americangirl1968, Sunny California, United States
Comments: Point de Gaze fallcap in very good condition. I don’t see any damage or spots in the photos. The form of this piece, and the condition are big points in its favor. The design is not very ambitious, no variation in the needlelace fillings. Note the unusual looped picots on the edges – probably the mark of a particular manufacturer. Someday someone will write a good history of Belgian needlelace of the 19th century and include all the ways you could identify specific makers.
Sold for $118.51, 3 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3rlk2gt ANTIQUE LACE HANDMADE VALENCIENNES LACE CARNATIONS 1850
Size: 2.5″ x 53″
Starting price: $9.99 with reserve
Auction ends: May 25, 2011 15:15:07 PDT
Offered by: Paivi Roberts, Ebay seller greatlace, Paris-Palm Beach, United States
Comments: The clothwork on this piece is amazingly dense and contrasts beautifully with the square mesh. Valencienne borders like this really don’t get the respect they deserve – this was a difficult lace to make, but people look at it and tend to think ‘undergaments’. And let’s face it, some of this was made with more speed than care. But a piece like this recalls so much of the great 2nd half 18th century ‘line drawing’ Valenciennes – in my opinion some of the finest lace ever made.This one has one join, and a little fraying on the picot edge, otherwise looks good.
$9.99, 1 bidder, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/3mz8r8x ANTIQUE LACE HANDMADE IRISH YOUGHAL NEEDLELACE C 1890
Size: 3″ x 90″
Starting price: $29.99 with reserve
Auction ends: May 25, 2011 18:53:50 PDT
Offered by: Paivi Roberts, Ebay seller greatlace, Paris-Palm Beach, United States
Comments: Narrow length of Irish Youghal. Seller notes 2 small stains and one broken bride – which is very minimal. It’s a good, basic example, and usable pieces in good condition don’t come up that often. But the design doesn’t really stand out. It’s a little dull.
$29.99, 1 bidder, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/3wfcgbt Exquisite Antique Handmade Lace Fan – Point deGaz
Size: folded length ~10″
Starting price: 9.99 GBP
Auction ends: May 26, 2011 12:00:15 PDT
Offered by: Paivi Roberts, Ebay seller greatlace, Paris-Palm Beach, United States
Comments: Very good point de gaz fan, rose petals do not look raised. Good design of irises, roses and other flowers, and I like they way they used rings to put veining into the irises. Some variation on the fillings, especially on the larger rosette ones. It’s not a spectacular piece, but a very good one. Excellent contrast with the plain amber colored sticks. Condition looks very good, I don’t see any problems. Comes with J. Duvelleroy box.
Sold for 327.55 GBP, 13 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3d2knpx ANTIQUE IRISH CARRICKMACROSS LACE FAN BUTTERFLIES ETC
Size: folded length 10-3/4″, unfolded 20-3/4″, lace ~6″ deep
Starting price: 85.00 GBP
Auction ends: May 27, 2011 14:20:43 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller georginanntiques, London, United Kingdom
Comments: Carrickmacross applique on machine net fan leaf. Buyer beware on the purported tortoiseshell/ox bone sticks – export controls will apply if this is the real thing. The lace has a very nice design, note the butterfly at one end. The loops on the edge are characteristic of Carrickmacross. A few broken sticks supporting the lace, but the lace itself appears in good shape.
Sold for 85.00 GBP, 1 bidder
http://tinyurl.com/4yvcfx7 ANTIQUE LACE- FINE MECHLIN LACE –
Size: 2-3/4″ x 111″
Starting price: $45.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 20, 2011 07:39:53 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Border of Mechlin – note the metal tag which was often used by lace retailers. This one doesn’t appear to say anything. But it probably means the piece was unused. Nicely worked design, I don’t see any damage from the photos.
$45.00, 1 bidder, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/6z3889z ANTIQUE LACE-CIRCA 18THC. MECHLIN LACE
Size: 2″ x 53″
Starting price: $45.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 20, 2011 08:02:12 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Border of 18th c Mechlin. The mesh is a little denser than the previous example – a sign of the linen thread. Design is OK, but not particularly exciting, although there are some varied fillings. Condition looks good, note one join.
$45.00, not sold.
http://tinyurl.com/67vx5e7 ANTIQUE LACE- SUPERB FALLCAP W/LAPPETS
Size: 39-40″
Starting price: $45.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 20, 2011 08:22:47 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: This might be classed as a fallcap, although the proportions seem a little off. I think the 25″ measurement given in the writup might be wrong, or I don’t understand the dimensions. It’s a really interesting example of what is probably Bruge – note the unusual ground of tallies. There aren’t many motifs, but they are arranged in a bold design. Condition looks very good.
$45.00, 1 bidder, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/66avumt ANTIQUE LACE- CIRCA 1700’s BRUSSELS BOBBIN LACE CAPBACK
Size: not given
Starting price: $45.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 20, 2011 08:33:12 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: This cap back seems to around the 3rd quarter of the 18th c. Design is a bit spare, but that was the trend in style. The droschel ground has numerous small pulls and repairs, and there are some breaks in the fillings. But it doesn’t really detract much from the appearance.
Sold for $253.99, 3 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3wlck86 ANTIQUE LACE-BRUSSELS POINT DE GAZE HANDKERCHIEF EDGE
Size: not given
Starting price: $95.00
Auction ends: May 20, 2011 15:41:42 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Nice to see a handkerchief edge without a center. You can concentrate more on the lace. This point de gaze border is rather conventional with raised petal roses – motifs look a little blocky. Fillings look like they are there only because they have to be. Condition looks very good, I can’t spot any obvious damage or spots.
Sold for $355.00, 4 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3weju4w ANTIQUE LACE-FINE UNUSED BOBBIN LACE HANDKERCHIEF EDGE
Size: ~1-1/4″ wide
Starting price: $35.00
Auction ends: May 22, 2011 15:07:08 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: Good narrow handkerchief border of 20th century Binche. There have been a number of books written on this kind of lace recently, and a surprising number of proficient lacemakers. This type of lace can be traced back to early 17th century Belgium. This edge isn’t as fantastic as many I’ve seen, but it’s a good example of the non-figural type. Could have been made at any time in the 20th century. Or later.
Condition looks very good, no obvious damage.
Sold for $41.00, 2 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3p84o6x ANTIQUE LACE-FINE BRUSSELS LACE BONNET VEIL
Size: 15″ x 34″
Starting price: $35.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 22, 2011 15:13:59 PDT
Offered by: Maria Niforos, Ebay mithya, London-New York, United States
Comments: The condition of this piece isn’t the best – numerous small holes in the net. But the bobbinlace motifs appliqued onto machine net are lovely. They have a few simple needlelace fillings.
Sold for $46.00, 4 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/67dq6ln Extremely Rare Antique Brussels Figural War Lace Doily
Size: 5-1/2″ diameter
Starting price: $35.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 22, 2011 17:39:12 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller mike10_mike, West Hartford, Connecticut, United States
Comments: This seller has a number of small circular mats for sale this week, be sure to take a look (350463449884 is quite nice). The most interesting is the Belgian Point de Paris War Lace piece, with English, French, Belgian and Russian symbols. The seller has an interesting writeup. Belgian lacemaking was supported throughout WWI, with the result that the government owned large quantities of lace at the end of the war. Few pieces found today have the very obvious symbolism of this small mat. I’d recommend two books on this period, Charlotte Kellogg’s “Bobbins of Belgium, A Book of Belgian Lace, Lace-workers, Lace-schools and Lace-villages” (1920, one of my all-time favorites), and the much newer book by Kerry and Carol Brooksbank, “The Story of “Ma’s” Laces, 1914-1918, Her response to the trauma of wartime” (2004).
This piece looks in excellent condition.
$57.00, 2 bidders, reserve not met. Relisted as #350465339287.
http://tinyurl.com/3vraqjz MALTESE HAND MADE SILK BOBBIN LACE 19th C 410 x 50 cms
Size: 20″ x 160″
Starting price: $10.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 16, 2011 01:11:42 PDT
Offered by: Anne Swift, Ebay seller eastayton, London. England, United Kingdom
Comments: Wide flounce of Maltese formed into a circle – seller thinks it may have been the border to an alb. It has a rather heraldic look – the fleur de lis in the lower border, and the little elements around the Maltese crosses. Very well worked, condition looks excellent.
$59.00, 6 bidders, reserve not met. Looks like the auction ended early. Word on the street is that it was sold to a priest in Malta. Final price unknown.
http://tinyurl.com/5u6v5cd dentelle ancienne Point de Gaze Bruxelles antique lace
Size: 3.9-4.3″ x 137″
Starting price: 50.00 EUR
Auction ends: May 17, 2011 07:17:56 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller ninoduparc, Rhône-Alpes, France
Comments: Belgian needelelace border without raised work. The design of windswept flowers is quite nice. Needelace fillings in the lower edge are excellent – but not much used in the rest of the piece. Clothwork in the rest of the motifs is OK, but the long distances needed to define the narrow flower leaves makes this a little less crisp than it could be. There are many holes in the ground, and one of the most interesting things is that the seller says #3000 linen thread will be supplied to make repairs. Of course a piece like this is cotton, not linen, but I’d love to see what that thread is all about.
Sold for 301.00 EUR, 9 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3arfsa9 Antique rare Irish Borris lace parasol cover..collector
Size: 25″ across widest part
Starting price: 150.00 GBP
Auction ends: May 17, 2011 08:35:58 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller discover4, London, United Kingdom
Comments: I’ve been staring at this for a long time today, also consulting the new book “The Borris Lace Collection” (Marie Laurie & Annette Meldrum), and “The Technique of Brnascombe Point Lace” by Lillie D. Trivett. Throw in some Pat Earnshaw for good measure. What I note about this piece is that there are no picots on any of the brides. And the tape itself is plaited, not woven, as was common in Borris. Note that there is a needlelace ‘perl’ edging of what looks to be 3 stitches on both sides of the tape. That’s a lot of work! This kind of edge is used in both Borris and Branscombe, but only on the outside edge of pieces, from what I’ve been able to see in the photos, and those perls usually have 4-5 stitches. There are areas of quite solid stitch, which seems a bit at odds with Borris. But a Branscombe attribution has problems too – it’s more consistent with the plaited tape, it also has perls, but not bordering the tape. But the fillings are more solid than Borris and are generally more varied. There are no looped picots or woven wheels so typical of Branscombe, but neither is absolutely necessary in earlier pieces. In conclusion, I think it tends more toward Branscombe. Then again, it could just be some homemade thing out of a woman’s magazine.
150 GBP, 1 bidder, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/63xxrnb Carreau de dentellière
Size: none given
Starting price: 30.00 EUR
Auction ends: May 17, 2011 11:16:11 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller corrine4195, tourcoing, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
Comments: Good example of a Bruge 2-part lace pillow. Two drawers, one in the wedge-shaped base, the other at the top of the larger cushion. The smaller part detaches and can be added to the bottom to give the bobbins more space before the lace has to be repositioned back up the pillow. These pillows were made with white canvas covers, the colored cloth is an addition which can be changed when needed. You can see the edges of the original cloth at the top and bottom of the larger portion. The internal structure of these pillows is a stepped affair meant to accomodate the drawer, and also make the flat, curved surface easier to build. Making these was a serious cottage industry – they are usually stuffed with wool
This one looks in very good shape – the side drawer pull looks original. Not sure about the top drawer pull. The blue fabric is rather stained, and faded from past pattern use. But that is a minor consideration.
Sold for 47.50 EUR, 5 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3n9r3x5 ANTIQUE HAND MADE MALTESE LACE COLLAR TRIM 41″ EXCLNT!
Size: 41″ long, 3-5/8″ wide
Starting price: $0.99
Auction ends: May 17, 2011 18:32:18 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller meadowpaint, Carlsbad, California, United States
Comments: Lots of good Maltese this week. This is a long, narrow collar of fairly conventional Maltese cross design on the outer edge. But it is greatly enhanced by the meandering leaf design against a tally leaf ground on the inner edge. It is either cotton or linen, hard to tell from the photo. No damage apparent.
Sold for $21.53, 9 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/44guusm Antique Brussels Lace Point de Gaze Wedding Hanky
Size: ~14″ square
Starting price: $195.00
Auction ends: May 18, 2011 19:05:04 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller goodsax, PA Dutch Country, United States
Comments: Lovely Duchesse de Bruxelles handkerchief. Unencumbered by a monogram. The lacemaker has successfully scaled down the typical Duchesse bobbinlace motifs and put some innovation into the design – it works very well for this piece. I see the one pinhole in the point de gaze net, but otherwise it is in very good condition. A beautiful piece.
Sold for $365.00, 5 bidders.
http://tinyurl.com/3wbr7rr PRECIOSO CUELLO BERTA DE XIX HECHO A MANO BOLILLOS SEDA
Size: Cuffs 22 cm x 9 cm. Collar neck is 46 cm, width varies from 20-22 cm, outside measurement 135 cm.
Starting price: 62.00 EUR
Auction ends: 19 may 2011 11:22:10 H.Esp
Offered by: Ebay seller claud17114, Comunidad Valenciana, España
Comments: Nice solid collar of cream colored Maltese with extensive areas of densely packed leaves. Not sure if the cuffs, which are a little different design, are a match to the collar. Condition looks very good, I can’t see anything wrong from the photos.
Did not sell.
http://tinyurl.com/422eug2 Antique mother of pearl & lace fan floral design french
Size: 11″ long, 22″ across when open.
Starting price: $299.00
Auction ends: May 19, 2011 12:45:09 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller shop*antiques, montevideo uruguay, Uruguay
Comments: Good Brussels bobbinlace appliqued on machine net. The assymetric design of loose flowers suites this piece very well, although the work is pretty conventional. Fan sticks are pierced, and have damage and some repairs, but the lace looks in fairly good shape – a few small brown spots and some holes extending over a few meshes – fairly minor.
Did not sell. Relisted as #270773066639, $249.00 Buy-it-Now
http://tinyurl.com/3ra32z7 MILANESE BOBBIN LACE 17TH CENTURY TWO LENGTHS
Size: both 8″ x 43″
Starting price: $10.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 21, 2011 14:50:53 PDT
Offered by: Anne Swift, Ebay seller eastayton, London. England, United Kingdom
Comments: Lovely mid 17th century Milanese – the way the lacemaker plays with and varies the tape is exciting. Everything is focused on the tape, with a few leaf supports in the intervening areas. Some of these connections are broken, and I wish it had been all in one length. But this is one case where the quality of the work makes up a lot for the defects.
$29.88, 2 bidders, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/3t45jnj CHILDS HAND MADE MALTESE BOBBIN LACE DRESS Ca 1900
Size: 19″ long
Starting price: $10.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 21, 2011 15:10:01 PDT
Offered by: Anne Swift, Ebay seller eastayton, London. England, United Kingdom
Comments: A really fun small child’s dress of Maltese lace gathered with a few ribbons. Note the very dense strips of closely worked leaves.Maltese laceworkers were continually coming up with interesting items – tea cosies, socks, etc. I’ve never seen anything quite like this one. Condition looks very good, no damage I can see.
$10.00, 1 bidder, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/44hmw7g FRENCH HAND MADE CHANTILLY BOBBIN LACE 19thC 900x 55cms
Size: 55 cm x 9 meters
Starting price: $10.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 21, 2011 15:30:01 PDT
Offered by: Anne Swift, Ebay seller eastayton, London. England, United Kingdom
Comments: A good, very long, quite wide Chantilly flounce in what looks to be excellent condition (there might be some small repairs in the example photo, can’t say anything about the rest). The design is a vertical, very regular repeat, I measure the repeat length at about 24 cm. No ombré shading. No indication why it is attributed to France.
$41.00, 3 bidders, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/3e7mlx3 RETICELLA AND BOBBIN LACE Ca. 1700 280x 16 cms
Size: 16 cm x 280 cm
Starting price: $10.00 with reserve
Auction ends: May 21, 2011 16:00:01 PDT
Offered by: Anne Swift, Ebay seller eastayton, London. England, United Kingdom
Comments: Amazing piece of Genoese bobbinlace – I don’t see any Reticella. Without knowing anything more you could assign this to early 1700’s. Were there later copies made? Of course, but this one has a tightness especially in the tallies, that looks very good. At 16 cm wide, the thread is probably fairly fine, and it might have been a costume piece. But the density of the design is quite high, and more likely it was meant to edge linens. Condition looks very good, no discernable damage, perhaps a few small brown spots, hard to tell.
$10.00, 1 bidder, reserve not met.
http://tinyurl.com/5wh8nqn ANTIQUE SILK MALTESE LACE SHAWL PELERINE COLOR BLONDE
Size: 14″ max width, ~46 inches long, 72″ around the outside bottom
Starting price: $295.00 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: Jun 02, 2011 21:18:26 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller twist-in-time, Philadelphia / DFW, United States
Comments: Seems to be a small triangular Maltese shawl – I’m guessing it’s a headpiece for church wear. Good regular pattern in the main part, with a Maltese cross design in the border. This kind of pieced construction is very typical of Maltese. Looks in very good condition, I can’t see any damage.
Sold for $295.00
http://tinyurl.com/3he5whe ANTIQUE 17C FLEMISH HANDMADE BOBBIN LACE VEIL SHAWL
Size: 22″ x 144″
Starting price: $2,900 Buy-it-Now or Make an Offer
Buy-it-Now price reduced to $2,610
Auction ends: Jun 05, 2011 22:32:41 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller twist-in-time, Philadelphia / DFW, United States
Comments: It’s a little hard to see a piece in this good condition wrapped around the manikin’s neck… Wide, long Flemish border, I’d say late 17th century. You always have to look at the long edges of a piece like this to see if they are original, so many were cut to size over the years. What I can see seems a bit ragged, but I’d say this one looks pretty good. Would be nice if a section of the entire width were photographed flat to get a better idea of the design. Condition seems quite good.
http://tinyurl.com/3w2qbws ANTIQUE FIGURAL MILANESE BOBBIN LACE TABLECLOTH RUNNER
Size: 11.5″ x 54″
Starting price: $1,200.00 Buy-it-Now or Make and Offer
Buy-it-Now price reduced to $1,080
Auction ends: Jun 06, 2011 06:54:16 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller twist-in-time, Philadelphia / DFW, United States
Comments: Figural bobbinlace, probably Italian. Photographs make it a little difficult to see the whole design. It’s basically a hunting theme, a hunter with a bird, his dog, various animals and birds in the foliage. Little bit of a primitive appearance, and the composition is a bit off for my taste, but this is a large piece. Most Northern Italian figural pieces are much smaller, meant to fit into a large cloth. Condition appears very good, I can’t find any obvious flaws, although the seller cites some small bride breaks.
http://tinyurl.com/3m5k2c6 ANTIQUE BRUSSELS DUCHESSE POINT DE GAZE LACE COLLAR
Size: 6.5″ wide, inside length 17″, outside length 32″
Starting price: $495.00 Buy-it-Now
Auction ends: Jun 10, 2011 23:25:00 PDT
Offered by: Ebay seller twist-in-time, Philadelphia / DFW, United States
Comments: Kind of looks like a fan leaf to me, although I’d expect a fan leaf to have an assymetry in the end which is supposed to be exposed on the outer stick. Could be used as a collar. Technique is quite good, no raised work in the needelace. Condition, aside from some storage folds, appears excellent
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