Historical information

This narrow (3.3cm) piece may have been used to embellish the bodice or the waistline of a garment. Chemical lace is a late 19th century form of machine lace made by embroidering the lace pattern onto a sacrificial fabric which has been chemically treated to dissolve when immersed in a solution which will not harm the lace. However, the composition of the solution was not environmentally friendly so this method of lace making has all but disappeared in many countries. Chemical lace can be distinguished from needle lace by a slight fuzziness of the embroidered threads

Significance

The Amess family owned Churchill Island from 1872 to 1929. This lace collection was owned and contributed to by four generations of Amess women, see above.

Physical description

Narrow length of chemical lace