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Point de Gaze lace trim

Point de Gaze lace trim
Point de Gaze lace trim
Point de Gaze lace trim
Status
Not on view
Label Text

In the late-nineteenth century, Belgian Point de Gaze lace was the most sought after choice for women’s dress for its elaborate decoration and its light mesh ground. This ostentatious piece likely served as the trim or flounce on a dress. The piece features classic Point de Gaze elements, including the gauze-like mesh ground, the thin cordonnet (outline thread) around each motif, and the elaborate multiplicity of closely spaced geometric and organic designs. Its distinct style and high quality would have openly displayed the wearer’s wealth. This lace descended in the Lewis family of Virginia.

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Date1855-1910
Geography Made - Belgium
Medium/TechniqueCotton, needle lace
DimensionsOverall (H x W): 7 1/4 in. × 132 in. (18.42 cm × 335.28 cm)
Credit LineGift of Colonel and Mrs. Edward Parke Custis Lewis Cumming, 1990
Object numberA-1143.5
DescriptionPoint de Gaze needle lace featuring featuring a repeating pattern of a basket of flowers. The cordonnet (outline thread) is relatively thin. The techniques used are characteristic of Point de Gaze: the loose buttonhole mesh, the decorative dots, loose clothwork, the relatively thin cordonnet (outline thread) surrounding the main motifs, and the variety of fillings.
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