Thoughts on Flanders Lace

I recently came upon some photos of Flanders lace and now I can not stop thinking about it. It has long been theorized that the designs are figural and depict monkeys. Here is an interesting floral progression.

First: very old Dutch. This shows a central flowerhead flanked by mirror image leaves.

Next: this lace is called “aape” which has been anglicized to the “monkey” design. But, doesn’t it seem to have the same flow as the 18th c. piece above?

The next photo is the edging of a 20th century coaster. This may be the “Aape” design, just a few hundred years newer?

The fineness of different threads is demonstrated in the next photo.

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The Lace Museum (Kant Museum) in Bruges, Belgium

Lace in the Kant Museum

Photos and commentary from my September 2008 trip to the lace museum in Bruges, Belgium. (The Flemish word for lace is “kant.”

Rare and Beautiful Laces, Linens and Embroidery

I saw (in person!) bobbin laces that I have only ever read about in books. One lace, called “Binche” (pronounced “bansch”) has a reseau called “fond de niege” or “snow ground” because the ground looks like snowflakes. It’s remarkable.

This is a round tablecloth with exquisite peacocks.

More peacocks decorate a superb handkerchief.

This is a lappet (or barbe) made in point d’Angleterre.

a close up:

Some gorgeous handkerchiefs were on display.

The lace is called “Toveressewerk” in Flemish.

a close up:

The following handkerchief is embroidered with spectacular whitework flowers. There was a remarkably similar one in the Irma Lace Shop for sale for around $2,000.

A coronet crowns this deer bobbin lace cartouche.

Windmills, swans and castles flow around this tea-sized tablecloth.

Delicate flowers and embroidery trace ethereal designs on this tablecloth edged with superb lace.

a close up:

This tablecloth combines many kinds of superb lace: filet (lacis), bobbin lace and needle point lace. (point de Venise)

Note the picots on the brides of the point de Venise ground.

This point de Venise (needlepoint lace) tablecloth features putti (winged cherubs) shaded in half stitch.

Another astonishing point de Venise (needlepoint lace) tablecloth has a large center medallion
with a portrait of the Virgin Mary.

a closer look:

These laces are no longer being made. Thread this fine has not been made for more than a hundred years. And, even if the raw materials were available, there is no longer any one with the ability to make it. Here is a movie of a lace making demonstration at the museum. The woman who is making the bobbin lace uses a pattern which she keeps beside her and she glances at it from time to time without stopping her hand movements!