Collecting Antique Lace

Lace, as we know it, was first seen in Italy and Flanders in the early 16th century where it was used by the Catholic Church for decoration and clerical clothing.  Within a hundred years it had become an essential part of the wardrobe of the wealthy.  Think of the paintings we see of Kings, Queens and Noblemen of the time, they would all have had large quantities of lace as decoration.  The less well off would use lace to adorn their clothes and the same piece of lace could be moved from one garment to another to make it look new.

On the Continent of Europe lace was mainly made in convents and small factories, while in England lace makers worked from home and sold their pieces to visiting lace dealers.  It was also produced in the workhouses and often by children as young as six.  While middle class women would take up lace making for pleasure, it was mainly big business and was made by the poor for the rich and a lot of the profits went to the middle men.  They would sell patterns and threads to the women and often pay them in tokens that could only be spent in their own shops. Continue reading »

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