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HISTORY OF LACE.

The imitations of the guipures of Malta and I.e Puy unfit thelace-workers for the more delicate white laces with the Lilleground. Mr. Lester, of Bedford, is making most spirited endea-vours to sustain the old industry, and in the international ex-hibition of 1874 he produced a collection of specimens remarkablefor their excellent workmanship, for the even “ clothing ” of theleaves, and the firmness of the raised cord.

Buckingham produces black lace of great beauty. Her lace-makers have also succeeded in making pieces of considerablewidth, showing great skill and artistic design. They formerlycould only produce lace 8 inches wide ; some they exhibitedmeasured 88 inches; the English lace-makers having acquiredthe art of “ fine joining,” a knowledge until of late confined toFrance and Belgium. But since this period the lace industry ofBuckingham has to sustain a powerful competition in the narrowlaces of Normandy and the “piece goods ” of Grammont. Thenumber of lace-makers in the counties of Buckingham, North-ampton, Bedford, and Oxford, is estimated at 25,000.

Pillow lace was also made to some extent in Derbyshire.

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