CIRCA 1670-1680's, EARLY FLANDERS,VALENCIENNE LACE BORDER. This wonderful early lace has both the sellers name and the person who bought it and has the original lace stamp on it.Part of a good early museum lace collection, the design is very unusual and the workmanship is excellent. The lace is edged on all sides with a narrow border with picot edging and the ground is a round Valencienne mesh.There are meandering floral vines and large shaped designs containing snow-flake ground called patridge's eye <oeil de perdrix>". Measuring approx.35" by 6 1/4" wide .The edge might have been added ,I am not sure, there is a piece missing at the top. ..so perhaps it was added at a later date. In very good strong condition, a few light storage spots, totally minor. The lace seems unused or possibly rarely used. The lace has it's original cream patina. During the 1800's-1900's, there were some very wealthy society ladies who had very good lace collections. I believe some o them were instrumental in starting the lace collection at the Met. My experience over the years of lace collections I have bought has shown me that they really collected very fine pieces. I was able to buy from one of these collectors estates one of the earliest lace fans that had ever come on to the market which sold at Christies in London . I could tell from the items that they really were very serious collectors because the items were quite rare and exceptional. I believe this item from a museum deaccession belonged to one of the ladies from this circle. A very good early lace for the collector.
Item #AL1058
SOLD
