Antique Lace Page (1)

		joachim@mendes.co.uk

We have many samples of lace not displayed on our website. Should you require a piece for study purposes or to fit in your collection please contact us.

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When clicking on Buy Now all the information is already included (e.g. price stock number etc) and therefore we can post your items to you on the following working day!

You can pay for anything on our website by Paypal. Please let us know the stock number or the item that interests you, and we will forward a Paypal invoice. There is nothing else to pay.

Another little bit of (English) history... From "Blandford" by Peter Smith. (Writing about the lace work in that town) - "the costly pillow lace - also known as bone or bobbin lace because of the slender bone bobbins, came here in 1568 with the Flemish refugees and reached its zenith in William and Mary's reign 1689- 1702, the Queen herself being an adept. Noblemen paid high fees to have their daughters instructed and Daniel Defoe in his 1724 "Tour through the whole of Britain" says: "Blandford is chiefly famous for its lace, the finest in England, where they shewed me some exquisitely fair as I think I never saw better in Flanders, France or Italy..."

"... Miss Payne has spoken of elderly folk who had been lacemakers at work in their doorways as late as 1850..."

Samples of blonde lace (late 18th to early 19th century)

A little bit of (European) history... Although the popularity of Blonde lace is often attributed to the early part of the nineteenth century, some researchers put it much earlier: De Gheltof speaks of a permit being given by Mercanzia magistrates in 1759. In "Beck's Drapers Dictionary" quoted by Universal Magazine 1754 a quotation states that: "A vandyke in frize your neck must surround, turn your lawns into gauze, let your Brussels be blond". According to the Duchesse d'Abrantes, who married in 1800, blonde lace was a summer lace and it was plentifully used to trim the gowns of her trousseau. Blonde lace was mainly made in France from this period onwards. Caen, Bayeux, Chantilly and other French towns led the fashion, but some information exists to say that black or white blonde were also made at Sherborne in Dorset until the 1780's. In 1773 the Annual Register mentions that, under royal patronage, an institution was formed for "the useful employment of female infants, especially those of the poor in the blonde silk lace manufacturers at no. 14 Mary-le-bone lane. (from"Old Lace" by M. Jourdain)

The labour of making lace (vraie Valenciennes) was so great that it took ten months of working fifteen hours a day to finish a pair of men’s ruffles" (from "A History of Lace" by Mrs Bury Palliser)

Skilled repairers of antique lace (which was often passed from mother to daughter) were still to be found in the 1920's and '30s. They gave the client valuable advice as can be seen in the letter below :

I really think the days were longer and the eyesight stronger when these laces were made - there will never be any more like the fine collars - I could look at them for hours -


Antique lace page one - stock no. K65.4 is a long and completed length of fine Reticella? work lace probably late 17th century. It measures: 305 x 11cms. Condition: good. Price: Ł375 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. K46.4 J A is a fine bobbin lace Vandyke border circa 1600-1620, it measures: 145 x 10cms. Price: Ł875 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. K46.5 J.S. is a two sides of a cover (i.e. one corner) border of Reticella work, it is a very exquisite and fine work, not sure of the period, but it is priced according to the very fine work. It measures: 115cms to its V or 230cms from end to end by 14cms. Sold Price: Ł625


	Antique lace page one - stock no. K40.1 is a very beautiful and complete panel of 17th century lace possibly English, showing scrolls and many flowers included daffodils. It measures: 84 x 76cms. Condition: good. Price: Ł875 GBP Reserved


Antique lace page one - stock no. K18.7 is an attractive shawl made with 18th century Brabant lace. It measures: 215 x 64cms. Condition: minor damage. Price: Ł580 GBP


	Antique lace page one - stock no. H71.1 is a beautiful and large 18th century Brabant lace flounce showing a variety of flowers and fruits. It measures: 320 x 64cms. condition: a few minor faults. Price: Ł750 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. H85.6 is a beautiful flounce of 17th/18th century Flemish or Milanese lace, showing many animals and birds. It measures: 300 x 32cms. Condition: Minor faults. Price: Ł1600 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. J2.3 is a beautiful length of Flemish? 17th century lace. It measures: 320 x 31cms. Condition: one small tear and a few age spots. Price: Ł850 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. H71.2 is a long length of 18th century Brabant lace. It measures: 450 x 28cms. Condition: a few age stains. Price: Ł300 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. F29.1 is an early 18th century very large flounce of Brussels/Flemish lace dating from around 1700. This enormous flounce is similar in design to what is known as candelabra design. It measures: 400 x 62cms. Condition: minor damage one or two small tears. Price: Ł1650 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. C68.1 is a large flounce of very beautiful Brussels/Flemish bobbin lace dating from around 1700. This type of lace is very similar in design to point de France. It measure: 390 x 27cms condition the first 290cms is in good condition perhaps minor breaks. There is approximately 30cms in length of damage towards the end of the flounce in the last 100cms. Price: Ł1200 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no.J34.8 is part of a late 17th early 18th century handkerchief surround. Each side measures: 49 x 8cms. Price: Ł85 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no.J34.9 is an 17th century handkerchief surround. Each side measures: 58 x 5cms. Sold Price: Ł175


Antique lace page one - stock no. J6.S.J3 is a length of scallop-edged bobbin lace circa 1630s Italian or Flemish. It measures: 75 x 14cms. Condition: minor faults. Sold Price: Ł650


Antique lace page one - stock no. H68.7 is a length of 18th century Brabant. Condition: some joints repairs and stains (see photos) It measures: 290 x 24cms. Price: Ł280 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. H66.9 is a length of late 17th/early 18th century Flemish lace. This lace is made possibly to go around an alter cloth with a border on three sides. It measures: 214 x 37cms. Condition: minor faults. Price: Ł275 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. H66.6 is a very interesting length of 17th century lace. We are not sure if it is Flemish, Danish, or Italian. It measures: 430 x 10cms. condition: good. Sold Price: Ł750


Antique lace page one - stock no. C29.11 it is a magnificent and fine late 17th century Milanese bar ground lace. It measures: 100 x 15cms. Condition: good. Price: Ł580


Antique lace page one - stock no. D14.3 is a very beautiful and unusual piece of Flemish or Milanese lace dating from 17th early 18th century. It is more likely to be Flemish. It measures: 240 x 22cms. Condition: good. Price: Ł340 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. C68.7 is a length of 17th century Flemish? lace. It measures: 78 x 11cms. Condition: good. Price: Ł280 GBP


Antique lace page - one stock no. C68.3 is a pair of 17th/18th century Milanese cravat ends lace. They measure: 20cms in length 23cms across at the top and 33cms across at the bottom ends. Condition: small amount of restoration to one (see photo) Price: Ł280 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. C68.9 is a length of 17th century Flemish lace. It measures: 126 x 6cms. condition: some damage (see photo) Price: Ł140 GBP


Antique lace page - one stock no. C68.6 is a good length of 17th century Flemish lace. This lace is rare in our opinion it is dated from around 1630. It measures: 173 x 10cms. Condition: good. Price: Ł1100 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. C57.1 is a rare length of Flemish seventeenth century lace. There are many interesting points about this lace apart from the fact that it dates from the middle of the seventeenth century: It has a border of work (sfilatura) that we have never seen in lace of this period; (See Seven Centuries of Lace by Mrs John Hungerford Pollen. Plate VII and XXIX) also it has at one end a small square that is part of the same work (see Second photo) that looks much like very fine Reticella. The only similar work that we have ever seen was found in a Flemish Baby's coif of the same period. For a similar lace see "The identification of lace" by Pat Earnshaw page 78. You can also see portraits of people wearing such lace in figure 145 in "LACE a history" by Santina M. Levey. It measures: 370 x 7cms. Condition: minor faults. Price: Ł1550 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. C51.9 is a long length of beautiful 18th century Brussels lace showing exotic flowers. It measures: 350 x 5cms. condition: unfortunately there are 6 joins. Sold Price: Ł450


Antique lace page one - stock no. C29.13 is a length of unusual Flemish mixed lace bobbin and needle circa 1750. It measures : 250 x 19cms; condition: one join and a small stain; Price: Ł325 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. C14 is a Flemish bobbin lace flounce late 17th or early 18th century. It measures: 420 x 18cms. Condition: good. Price: Ł700 GBP


Antique lace page one - stock no. A71.3 is a length of bobbin lace possibly Brussels with a most attractive design of scrolls and flowers. Condition: good but there are some age markings to this beautiful piece. It measures: 450 x x33 cms ( 172 x 13 inches) Sold Price : Ł1200


Antique lace page one - stock no.H41.2 is a length of 17th century Venetian lace. It measures: 265 x 9cms. Condition: some old repairs. Sold Price: Ł180


	Antique lace page one - stock no. G19.2 is a large flounce of late 17th century flat needle lace - possibly English. This lace shows many magnificent exotic flowers with very fine needle work filings. It measures: 168 x 36cms. Condition: At some time in the past this lace has been altered (with very similar lace). In particular at the bottom left of the design there is a length measuring about 70 x 8cms that is of a different design from the rest - but it is very exquisitely adapted and is an amazing piece of work. Price: Ł1700 GBP