ALENCON.

109

to her as having been made there, where it is styled “ argentella,but M. Dupont-Auberville claims it as the product of Alenpon, onevidence, he states, that cannot be refuted. The lovely diaperedground, resembling the mayflower.or “ oeil de perdrix,” of porcelain,he has discovered in a piece of lace undoubtedly of Alenfon make,and has five other specimens which have been transmitted forgenerations in a family of Normandy. M. Dupont-Aubervillestyles it “ fond rosace, ” a term we shall adopt, with the name“ argentella,” which it has always borne.

In the “ Description of the Department of the Orne,” draw n upin 1801, it is stated, “ Fifteen years back there were from 7000 to8000 lace-workers at Alenfon and its environs: the manufactureof Argentan, whose productions are finer and more costly, hadabout 2000.” Almost all these lace-makers passed into England,Spain, Italy, Germany, and the courts of the North, especially toRussia. The two establishments produced to the annual value ofat least 1,800,000 francs, and when they had extraordinary orders,such as “ parures ” for beds and other large works, it increasedto 2,000,000 francs (80,OOOZ.). But this commerce, subject to thevariable empire of fashion, had declined one-half even before theRevolution. “ It supported three cities and their territory, forthat of Seez 16 bore its part. Some black laces are still made atSeez, but they are of little importance. P.S.—These laces haveobtained a little favour at the last Leipsic fair.” 17

The manufacture of Alenfon was nearly extinct when thepatronage of Napoleon caused it to return almost to its formerprosperity. Among the orders executed for the emperor on hismarriage with the Empress Marie Louise was a bed furniture ofgreat richness; tester, curtains, coverlet, pillow-cases. Theprincipal subject represented the arms of the empire surroundedby bees. 18 1 rom its elaborate construction, point d’Alencon isseldom met with in pieces of large size; the amount of labourtherefore expended on this bed must have been marvellous. TheAuthor, when at Alenfon, was so fortunate as to meet with a pieceof the ground pow'dered with bees, bought from the ancientmanufacture of Mercier, at Lonray, when the stock many years

^ eez has now no i ecords of its umnu- l’iiiterieur.”

ftttfcure.

17 “Deacr.Publice

IW. du Dep. do l’Orne. An 185 i.U lce l >llr ordre du iniuistie de

18

Illustrated Nows,'’ March 22,