Historical information

A machine made length of lace trim which is off-white in colour, the delicate design features a six-petalled flower with a zigzag motif and a scalloped picot edge. Close inspection reveals subtle picots in the square net to achieve shading. One can imagine how feminine a woman would feel with this lace adorning her garments, possibly at the neck and cuffs of an afternoon dress or as an edging on a petticoat or nightgown. By the mid 19th century, machine made lace had improved so much that it was used by the couture houses on fashionable garments and the handmade lace makers countered by broadening the scope of their lace and marketing it as ‘real’ lace. By the end of the 19th century machines could make perfect copies of any handmade lace.

Significance

The Amess family owned Churchill Island from 1872 to 1929

Physical description

machine made off-white length of lace trim with zig-zag and flower motif and scalloped picot edge.