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Mechlin lace trim

Lace Trim,
1790-1810,
Lace
Mechlin lace trim
Lace Trim,
1790-1810,
Lace
Lace Trim, 1790-1810, Lace
Status
Not on view
Label Text

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. Martha Washington owned several sets of lace that she used to adorn her gowns, caps, and other accessories. This narrow example of Mechlin lace was likely worn by Martha Washington or her granddaughter, Eliza Parke Custis, either as edging on a bonnet or on a neckline. Mechlin lace, dubbed “the queen of laces,” was initially known for its elaborate patterns, but later adapted to changing taste at the beginning of the nineteenth century, when women preferred more open, airy designs for their lace.

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Date1800-1810
Geography Made - Belgium
Medium/TechniqueLinen, bobbin lace
DimensionsOverall: 3/4 in. × 26 5/8 in. (1.91 cm × 67.63 cm) Other (Mesh mount): 2 1/8 in. × 29 5/8 in. (5.4 cm × 75.25 cm)
Credit LinePurchase, 1949
Object numberW-1920/C
DescriptionFlemish Mechlin linen bobbin lace featuring a repeating floral motif on Mechlin ground. A single stylized floral motif repeats across the outer edge of the lace, formed almost entirely by a characteristic silky gimp (thick outline thread). A large mesh fills the motif’s leaves. The rest of the piece features a characteristic Mechlin ground, which is hexagonal in shape. Four of its sides are twisted threads, and two sides are single threads.
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