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The fragile beauty of lace attracts the eye and fascinates collectors. Lace can be varied in size, depth and intricacy, but it always adds a touch of elegance and a bit of drama to clothing and household linens.
Framed antique lace is beautiful, too, and offers an unusual visual treat. Like samplers or other forms of needlework, it is a wonderful decorating statement.
Ireland has a strong heritage of lace making and with the onset of Saint Patrick's Day, I thought I'd share a little research.
Lace was originally made by hand and not until the machine age of the late 1800s, did this fact change much. An openwork weaving, lace making is an ancient craft and one that many Victorian ladies mastered. The Irish also turned to lace as a cottage industry to help provide meager income during the devastating potato famine of 1845-52.
Ursuline nuns taught young Irish girls and women to make lace in an effort to help them support their families according to all the research I've read, mostly online. Lacemaking schools sprung up, along with 19th century pattern books that provide important social history today. Many families though did not write their own particular patterns down, preferring to keep their tricks of the trade secret.
Lace usage in the Western World began back to the Middle Ages though, around 1400-1600, when linen, silk or even gold and silver threads were used to create ornate trimmings for nobles' clothing or religious vestments and linens. Just think of the images that you've seen of England's Queen Elizabeth I, with her elaborate stiff lace collars or ruffs. Even the noblemen wore lace collars, jabots and cuffs at the time.
Lace is a labor-intensive needle art. Thread is looped and twisted, braided and crocheted to create intricate patterns, like a beautiful cobweb. Lace is valued by its difficulty of stitches, condition, overall design and quality of workmanship. What a fascinating study old lace is with its tiny threads and patterns!
I have a small collection of lace. It includes lovely Victorian lace collars that are decorated with delicate beads and ribbons, rolls of lace edging that are heavy and luxurious, and lace trimmed clothing, like our family's antique christening gown, which was worn first by my maternal grandfather who I never knew.
An Irishman, Edgar O'Malley was from Bellaire, Ohio and died a tragic drowning death in the Ohio River, under the old Bellaire Bridge in 1923. My mother was just 3-years old at the time, and she and her mother returned to live with her Wheeling family after the tragedy.
Though Ireland is linked to lace, Belgium and Italy are considered the birthplace of the fancywork and it is thought that the nuns that taught the Irish to make lace brought the skill with them from Europe.
According to libraryireland.com, "There are seven different sorts of Irish lace-work: flat needlepoint lace, raised needlepoint lace, embroidery on net (either darning or chain-stitch), cut cambric or linen-work (applique laces), drawn thread-work, pillow lace (Devonshire Lace imitation) and crochet lace.
Bobbin lace is also called pillow lace and it takes its name from the way it is created -- on a firm work pillow. The lace paper pattern is placed on the pillow and the threaded bobbins are twisted back and forth to create the design, sort of like plaiting. Pins hold the twists and turns in place. Antique bobbin lace is collected all over the world.
The bobbins too are collected by fans of lace, sewing items and curiosities. These long narrow spools are made of wood, bone, brass, ivory and pewter and many of the antique ones have inscriptions or dates noted on them.
"Collecting Antique Linens Lace & Needlework," by Frances Johnson seems to be one of the best collecting books for those wanting more information. Published in 1991, you'll have to turn to a resale shop or Amazon to purchase it though. Other collector books on lace include collector books by both Schiffer and Krause.
I also read a 2021 article in House and Garden magazine that tells the story of Ireland's Rosemary Cathcart and her collection of Irish lace. This collector now sells strictly online at sheelinlace.com.