the ground for all
Brussels lace made at the present time, except when special orders like
Royal trousseaux are in hand. The lace-makers of Burano, it may be
added, imitate the finest Venetian Rose Point, Point de Gaze, Alencon,
ever produced, the prices comparing very favourably with the old work,
though still very costly.

[Illustration: POINT D'ARGENTAN WITH POINT D'ALENCON BORDER.

(_S.K.M. Collection._)]

[Illustration: ARGENTELLA LACE, SHOWING THE "PARTRIDGE-EYE" GROUND.

(_S.K.M. Collection._)]

VI

THE PILLOW LACES OF FRANCE

[Illustration: EARLY VALENCIENNES.

(_S.K.M. Collection._)]

[Illustration: OLD VALENCIENNES.

(_Author's Collection._)]

VI

THE PILLOW LACES OF FRANCE

Valenciennes, "Vraie" and "Fausse"--Lille--Chantilly--
Blonde--Caen and Brittany.

_Valenciennes._

Valenciennes was formerly part of Flanders, being in the province of
Hainault. It became a French town in 1668 by treaty. Being a Flemish
town, the lace made there was purely Pillow lace, and in fineness of
thread and beauty of design it rivalled in its early stages some of the
fine old Flemish laces, which are more like ornamental cambric than
anything else.

There are two kinds of Valenciennes lace, known as "Vraie" and "Fausse."
These names are very misleading, as they merely denote the laces made in
the town itself, or in the outskirts.

Early Valenciennes can only be distinguished from Flemish laces of the
same age by the difference in the _ground_. By reference to the little
chart of lace stitches the distinction will easily be seen, the
Valenciennes being much closer and thicker in the plait, and having
four threads on each side of its diamond-shaped mesh. Conventional
scrolls and flowers were used as designs for the toile, the ground and
the pattern being made at the same time.

This lace is said to have been worked, like that of Brussels, in dark,
damp cellars, the moist atmosphere being necessary to prevent the tiny
thread breaking. The lace-workers became nearly blind, and quite
useless, long before they reached thirty years of age.

So expensive was the fabric that a pair of ruffles for a gentleman's
coat would sell for 4,000 livres. Madame du Barri made extravagant use
of this lovely lace. In her wardrobe accounts are mentioned, in 1771,
head-dress, throatlets, fichus, and ruffles, "all plisse de Vraie
Valenciennes." The amount of lace used for a head-dress alone is said to