. A history of hand-made lace : dealing with the origin of lace, the growth of the great lace centres, the mode of manufacture, the methods of distinguishing and the care of various kinds of lace . io8 HISTORY OF HAND-MADE LACE. It was during the reigns of Louis XIV. and Louis XV. that Alencon was atthe height of its glory. The most extravagant prices were paid for the lace ; notonly were articles of clothing trimmed with it, but the beautiful fabric was usedas bed furniture, valances, trimmings for bath covers, and bed spreads. Altars inthe churches were hung with it, surplices of the priests
. A history of hand-made lace : dealing with the origin of lace, the growth of the great lace centres, the mode of manufacture, the methods of distinguishing and the care of various kinds of lace . io8 HISTORY OF HAND-MADE LACE. It was during the reigns of Louis XIV. and Louis XV. that Alencon was atthe height of its glory. The most extravagant prices were paid for the lace ; notonly were articles of clothing trimmed with it, but the beautiful fabric was usedas bed furniture, valances, trimmings for bath covers, and bed spreads. Altars inthe churches were hung with it, surplices of the priests trimmed with it, and theking gave away to his court favourites cravats, ruffles, and complete robes. Beforethe Revolution in 1794, and before the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, whenFrance lost many of her most skilled workers, the annual value of the manufacturewas estimated to be 12,000,000 livres. Work-people earned at this time 3 sous andupwards per day. During the Revolution the Alencon lace factory became almost extinct, andmany of the workers were killed on account of their connection with the hatedaristocracy, as caterers to the luxury of the age. Others fled from the country,. Alencon Point Lace ; eighteenth century. Each mesh of the reseau or net ground is made with the needle-point. so that it was with difficulty that sufficient workers could be found to carry out thelavish orders of Napoleon I., for the emperor saw prosperity to France in therevival of the lace industry. One of his gifts to Marie Louise was bed furnitureof rich lace ; tester, coverlet, pillow cases and edgings for sheets were all madeof the finest Alencons, the Royal arms on elaborate escutcheons being worked ona ground of Vrai or needle-point reseau, powdered over with bees, the Napoleoniccypher. The Alencon lace factory fell with the empire. Many of the old workers died,and no young ones were trained to take their places. The Duchesse dAngoulemetried to revive the industry, but her own handsom
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectlaceandlacemaking
