Lace, the product of intense, time-consuming hand work, signaled prestige, power, and wealth, and consequently acted as an important finishing touch on elite dress. This Valenciennes lace may have been owned by Martha Washington or her granddaughter, Eleanor Parke Custis Lewis. It likely trimmed a bonnet or cap for everyday use. It features the characteristic diamond-shape Valenciennes ground and tiny picots on the outer edge. As is typical for early-nineteenth century laces, the mesh ground, rather than motifs, is its most important feature. In the early nineteenth century, ladies preferred airy and simple lace trims on their garments and accessories.