![Lace Its Origin and History Real Mechlin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/Lace_Its_Origin_and_History_Real_Mechlin.png)
Mechlin lace or Point de Malines is an old
bobbin lace, one of the best known Flemish laces, originally produced in
Mechelen.
Worn primarily during summer,
it is fine, transparent, and looks best when worn over another color.
Used for women's clothing, it was popular until the first decade of the 20th century.
["Mechlin." ''The Oxford English Dictionary''. 2nd ed. 1989.] It was made in
Mechelen,
Antwerp,
Lier and
Turnhout
Turnhout () is a Belgian municipality and city located in the Flemish province of Antwerp. The municipality comprises only the city of Turnhout proper. In 2021, Turnhout had a total population of 45,874. The total area is . The agglomeration, ho ...
. It was used for ''coiffures de nuit'' (evening hair-styling), ''garnitures de corset'' (corset trims), ruffles and
cravat Cravat, cravate or cravats may refer to:
* Cravat (early), forerunner neckband of the modern necktie
* Cravat, British name for what in American English is called an ascot tie
* Cravat bandage, a triangular bandage
* Cravat (horse) (1935–1954), a ...
s.
History
Its history goes back to the Brabant laces. Originally the term 'mechlin lace' was used for any bobbin lace from
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
.
Mechlin lace grew in popularity throughout the late 17th century and the 18th century, and was mentioned several times. The 1657 inventory of the Maréchal de la Motte included 'a pair of Mechlin ruffles'.
Jean-François Regnard
Jean-François Regnard (7 February 1655 – 4 September 1709), "the most distinguished, after Molière, of the comic poets of the seventeenth century", was a dramatist, born in Paris, who is equally famous now for the travel diary he kept of a vo ...
, when visiting Flanders in 1681, wrote of the lace and lace-makers. When the English prohibition was removed in 1699, Mechlin lace became the grand fashion in England, and it was advertised in the ''London Gazette''. It was very popular at this time in France and Holland as well. The earliest with a ''réseau'' (open net) ground wasn't made until 1720,
and at this point the term became specific to this lace with the open net.
In 1755 Mechlin lace went into decline in England, and by 1834 there were only eight manufacturers left.
Machine-made Mechlin lace started to be produced in 1819.
Another machine was invented in 1847 which exactly followed the hand movements a lace-maker would make. Manufacture has since died out.
Mechlin lace was also very popular with the English royalty.
Queen Mary II
Mary II (30 April 166228 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, co-reigning with her husband, William III & II, from 1689 until her death in 1694.
Mary was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York, and his first wife ...
, in spite of the prohibition against imported laces, purchased two yards of knotted fringe for her Mechlin ruffles in 1694.
Queen Anne purchased a sizeable amount of it— 83 yards in 1713.
George I George I or 1 may refer to:
People
* Patriarch George I of Alexandria (fl. 621–631)
* George I of Constantinople (d. 686)
* George I of Antioch (d. 790)
* George I of Abkhazia (ruled 872/3–878/9)
* George I of Georgia (d. 1027)
* Yuri Dolgor ...
had a Mechlin cravat, and it was a favorite of
Queen Charlotte
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and of Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until the union of the two kingdoms ...
and
Princess Amelia.
Appearance
Mechlin lace is known for its rich floral patterns,
fine twisted-and-plaited, hexagonal ground, and its outlined designs.
It looks much like
Brussels lace
Brussels lace is a type of pillow lace that originated in and around Brussels."Brussels." ''The Oxford English Dictionary''. 2nd ed. 1989. The term "Brussels lace" has been broadly used for any lace from Brussels; however, strictly interpreted, ...
, however it is made all at once,
with the ''réseau'' or ground made at the same time as the pattern on the
pillow
A pillow is a support of the body at rest for comfort, therapy, or decoration. Pillows are used in different variations by many species, including humans. Some types of pillows include throw pillows, body pillows, decorative pillows, and man ...
. Also, the plait is shorter, and the mesh smaller than those of Brussels lace.
All Mechlin laces are outlined with a loosely spun silk cord used to define the pattern, whereas
Valenciennes lace isn't.
Mechlin lace is also more expensive than Valenciennes lace, as it takes more time to make because of the different ''réseau''.
Sometimes Mechlin is grounded with an ornamental ''réseau'', instead of the usual hexagons. In the regular hexagonal ''réseau'', the two sides
parallel
Parallel is a geometric term of location which may refer to:
Computing
* Parallel algorithm
* Parallel computing
* Parallel metaheuristic
* Parallel (software), a UNIX utility for running programs in parallel
* Parallel Sysplex, a cluster of ...
to the long axis of the lace are plaited three times, and the other four sides crossed.
The same threads pass across the whole width, and thus form both the ground and the pattern.
Gallery
File:Carolus_-Private_Collection_-_Mechelse_kant-detail.jpg
File:Carolus_-Private_Collection_-_Mechelse_kant.jpg
File:Border_(ST274)_-_Lace-Bobbin_Lace_-_MoMu_Antwerp.jpg
File:Border_(ST271)_-_Lace-Bobbin_Lace_-_MoMu_Antwerp.jpg
File:Mechelse_kant_CBY-30.jpg
File:Mechlin_lace.jpg
File:Strook_mechelse_kant_400.jpg
File:Mechelse_kant_CBY-27.jpg
File:Mechelse_kant_CBY-28.jpg
File:Fragment_of_Lace_LACMA_60.41.32.jpg
File:History_of_Lace_-_Figure_061.jpg
File:Mechelse_kant_CBY-26.jpg
File:Unknown artist - Bobbin Lace (Mechlin) Lappet - 1934.256 - Cleveland Museum of Art.jpg
References
External links
*
{{lace types
Bobbin lace
Textile arts of Belgium