Hello Lacefriends,
Let's go along with the subject. From Bayeux it isn't a long way to
Courseulles sur Mer. We arrived just before the Musée du Vieux C. And
the lady was very sad to tell me that there aren't lots of laces. but I
looked at them and found some interesting caps for folk-costumes, some
lovely Chantilly laces, big drawings for a huge shawl and a few other
lace related things. the rest of the museum is about all the other
things belonging to this region during the last centuries. We call such
a museum Heimatmuseum. The lady who was probably the director of the
museum tried during that time to fone to the family which "hosts" the
Polychrome Chantilly Laces. But again didn't get an answer. I heard
from a lacefriend that the man died in january and since that time his
widow doesn't appear in public neither answer the fone. that's a pity
because this is the onliest point we could see such laces. I told
everybody I met in Luxeuil and we discussed what to do. Perhaps
somebody of you has an idea.
So we drove back to Caen sad and a bit soughtful. And Dp didn't know
what to say.
We spent the afternoon at the museum of Caen. This museum shows the
history and the cafts and trades of the town. So a bit of lace too.
There you find a dress and a shawl totally from Blonde-lace, a dress
for a bride. Unhappily there isn't a lot of light. Nearby some marriage
thigs with or without lace. Bonnets for folk costumes in another corner
and the story from Rose Durand who after 1927 tried to give children
lace lessons.
The next day I reached needle-lace-friends paradise. South east of Caen
you find Argentan. A lovely little French town. A bit outside the
center situated in a beautifull garden with the lake Noé behind you
find a very nice middle-class house from the XIX cent. Today the House
of Laces. It was closed for renovation and had just opened the first of
june. On the rez-de-chaussee you find not only breathtaking Argentan-
and Alencon-laces but the needle lace history beginning with Punto in
Aria and Reticella.
One of the pieces, very long and about 30 cm broad looked as if it is 5
cm high so three-dimesional because of the delicate way to put the
different points together and because of the dent de loup -
wolf-tooth. Do you know what this is???? If not I'll explain tomorrow.
They explain very understandeble the differnce between the both needle
laces starting with the Point Royal de France and so on.
The laces have wonderful describtion and for those not understanding
French they have sheets in other languages. And in a correct language.
Because DP doesn't speak French he got an English one, the German one
wasn't ready at that day.
On the first floor you find a collection of different bobbin lace
pieces and in another room machine made laces. And they explain that
those laces not only replaced the hand made but got their names as
well. And today the name "Calais Lace" was synonym for "Mechanical
Lace".
Before or at the end you can look at the video, which is really good
but only in French.
And you can take some of the treasures with you in form of postcards. I
have never seen such a selection. Also books and lace things but
machine made ones.
By the way at the end I'll write you all the adresses on a list.
Greetings for today
Ilske
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