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HISTORY OF LACE.

“ Colbert Correspondence,” showing it to be coeval with Alenfon.'1 here still exists at Argentan an humble inn with “ Le Pointde France ” as its sign. The two manufactures appear to havebeen distinct, though some lace-makers near Ligneres-la-Doucelleworked for both establishments. Alenfon made the finest reseau—Argentan specially excelled in the bride.

The bride, or we would rather call it the “grande bride,”ground, to which we have before alluded in the notice on Alenfon,belonged almost exclusively to Argentan. It was of very elaborateconstruction, and consists of a large six-sided mesh, worked overwith the button-hole stitch. It was always printed on theparchment pattern, and the upper angle of the hexagon ispricked. After the hexagon is formed by passing the needle andthread round the pins in a way too complicated to be worthexplaining, the six sides are worked over with seven or eightbutton-hole stitches in each side. The grande bride ground wasconsequently very strong. It was much affected in France; thereseau was more preferred abroad. 3

The flowers of Argentan were bolder and larger in pattern, inhigher relief, heavier and coarser than those of Alenfon. (ColouredPlate IX., and Fig. 84.) The toile was flatter, and more compact.The workmanship differed in character. On the clear grandebride ground this lace was more effective than the minuterworkmanship of Alenfon.

In 1708 the manufacture had almost fallen to decay, when itwas raised by one Sieur Mathieu Guyard, merchant mercer atParis, who states that “ his ancestors and himself had for morethan 120 years been occupied in fabricating black silk and whitethread lace in the environs of Paris.” He applies to the councilof the king for permission to re-establish the fabric of Argentan,and to employ workwomen to tbe number of above 600. He asksfor exemption from lodging soldiers, begs to have the royal armsplaced over his door, and stipulates that Montulav, his draughts-man and engraver, shall be exempted from all taxes except thecapitation. The arret obtained by Guyard is dated 24th July1708.

Guyard’s children continued the establishment. Montulay

3 Indeed so little is the beautiful work- flowers of Argentan relentlessly cut out,manship of this ground known or under- and transferred to bobbin-net, “ to got ridstood that the author has seen priceless of the ugly, coarse ground.”