Alençon Lace
ALENÇON lace dates from the late 17th century when Colbert, Louis XIV’s finance minister, became so concerned at the amount of money being spent abroad on Venetian lace that he set up a French industry near his chateau at Alençon in Normandy. At first the lace produced there was similar in style to the Venetian lace, but in the course of the 18th century the designs changed to suit contemporary fashion, and a light mesh background of twisted buttonhole stitches was developed to join the motifs. By the mid 18th century designs were much lighter with a pattern area along the headside often decorated with fillings of tiny buttonholed rings and large areas of mesh ground dotted with small asymmetrical motifs.
This edging from the Lace Guild collection (EYL.17.2004), which dates from the beginning of the nineteenth century, is typical of its time. It is 7 cm wide.