VALENCIENNES.

199

The lace made in the city alone was termed “ vraie Valen-ciennes,” and attained a perfection unrivalled by the productionsof the villages beyond the walls. In the lace accounts of Madamedu Barry we find frequent mention of this term. 3 “ Vraie Valen-ciennes ” appears constantly in contradistinction to “ batarde ” 3and “fausse.” 4 M. Dieudonn4 writes: 5 “This beautiful manu-facture is so inherent in the place that it is an establishedfact, if a piece of lace were begun at Valenciennes and finishedoutside the walls, the part which had not been made at Valen-ciennes would be visibly less beautiful and less perfect than theother, though continued by the same lace-maker with the samethread, and upon the same pillow.” 6

The extinction of the fabric and its transfer to Belgium hasbeen a great commercial loss to France. Valenciennes beingspecially a “ dentelle linge,” is that of which the greatest quantityis consumed throughout the universe. Valenciennes lace isaltogether made upon the pillow, of simple combination, with onekind of thread for the pattern and the ground (Fig. 94). Nolace is so expensive to make from the number of bobbins required,and the flax used was of the finest quality. The city-made lacewas remarkable for the beauty of its ground, the richness of itsdesign, and evenness of its tissue. From their solidity, “ les belleset eternelles Valenciennes ” became an heirloom in each family.A. mother bequeathed them to her daughter as she would now herjewels or her furs. 7 8 The lace-makers worked in undergroundcellars, from four in the morning till eight at night, scarcelyearning their tenpence a day. The pattern was the especial

7 “1772. 15 wines 3-16 m " jabot huutJo vraie Vuloncienne, 370G livres17 sousand many other similar entries-

8 “ 5/8 Batarde dito h bonlure, h GO 11.,37 11. 10 s .”—Comjiles de Madame du■Harry.

■ see Bailleul, p. 208.

5 “ Statistique du Dep- du Nord,M. Dieudonne, Prefet eu 1804.”

* “ Among the various loco fahaving the same process of manufucthere is not one which produces exact!same style of lace. The same pattern,the same material, whether executeBelgium, Saxony, Lille, Arras, Mirec°r Le Puy, will always hear the star,the place where it is made. It has r

been possible to transfer any kind ofmanufacture from one city to another,without there being a marked differencebetween the productions.”— Aubry.

May not this difference be ratherattributed to mechanical causes, thedifferent inclination of the pillow, theweight and size of the bobbing, thedifferent way of pricking the pattern, andof twisting the bobbins ? All these mayinffuence the production.

7 In the already quoted “ Etat d’unTrousseau,” 1771, among the necessaryarticles, are enumerated : “ Une coeffure,tour de gorge et lo fichu pliste' de vraieValencienno.” The trimming of one ofMadame du Barry’s pillow-cases cost