DUCHESS BOBBIN LACE

It's a Flemish non-continuous thread lace.

It was born towards the middle of nineteenth century. Its name has been given it in 1853, in honour of Marie-Henriette duchess of Brabant who liked much this lace.

We must distinguish two Duchess laces :

The Brussels Duchess lace : certainly the most beautiful, it's realized with very fine threads and it has tall floral motif, large leaves. The motif are maintained thanks to bars with picots. It could have motif executed in needle lace and, in this case, it's named Mixed Brussels Duchess lace.

The Bruges Duchess lace : more simple, its decoration is made of flowers of apple tree, trefoils and daisies. Often made of a bigger thread, its motif were applied on a network realized with bobbins. This one, named Drochel network, will be put in place of mecanic tulle.