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HISTORY OF LAC E.

One of the earliest pattern books, that printed by Yorster-man 64 —the title in English—was published at Antwerp. Thereis no date affixed to the title-page, but it only contains patternsfor Spanish stitch and other embroidery—no lace.

Turnhout, Antwerp, and Mechlin seem to have largelymanufactured lace up to the present century; as we find in 1803,out of forty lace manufactories in the province, there were thirteenat Antwerp, twelve at Turnhout, and nine at Malines.® 5 Turnhoutnow produces Mechlin.

FLANDERS (WEST).

The most important branch of the pillow lace trade in Belgiumis the manufacture of Valenciennes, which, having expired in itsnative city, has now spread over East and West Flanders. Theart was originally imported into Flanders from French Ilainault inthe seventeenth century. As early as 165(1, Ypres began to makeValenciennes lace. When, in 1GS4, a census was made by orderof Louis XLV., there were only three forewomen and sixty-threelace-makers. In 1850, there were from 20,000 to 22,000 in Ypresand its environs alone.

The productions of Y pres are of the finest quality and mostelaborate in their workmanship. On a piece not 2 inches wide,from 200 to 300 bobbins are employed, and for the larger widthsas many as 800 or more are used on the same pillow. 60 Theground is in large clear squares, which admirably throws upthe even tissue of the patterns. 67 In these there was littlevariety until 1833, when a manufacturer 68 adopted a clearwire ground with bold flowing designs (Fig. 57), instead of thethick “treille” 69 and scanty flowers of the old laces. The changewas accepted by fashion, and the Valenciennes lace of Ypres

44 See Appendix.

44 ‘‘ Tableau statistique du Dep. desDeux-Nethes, par le Citoyen llerbou-ville. An X.” = 1802.

44 In the International Exhibition of1874, there were no less than 8000bobbins on a Courtrai pillow used formaking a parasol cover.

47 Ypres Valenciennes was exhibited, in1867, at 801. (the metre). The lace-maker,working twelve hoursa day, could scarcelyproduce one-third of an inch a week. It

would take her twelve years to completea length of six or seven metres; herdaily earnings averaging two to threefrancs. Ypres makes the widest Valen-ciennes of any manufacture except Cour-trai, whence was exhibited a half-shawl(pointe) of Valenciennes.

44 M. Duhayon Brunfaut, of Ypres.

40 “ Treille” is the general term for theground (re'seau) throughout Belgium andthe Dep. du Nord.