Flea Market Item 26-323

Antique French Needle Lace Mat – c.1900–1920

A particularly beautiful oval French lace mat, worked in a warm ecru cotton thread with an exceptionally intricate combination of scrolling floral motifs, tiny picots and delicate openwork. 

The two large flower medallions are surrounded by a wonderfully elaborate lace ground and finished with a deep, decorative scalloped border.

The close-up shows the lovely dimensional quality of the work, with densely wrapped and knotted threads forming raised outlines. This appears to be a handmade needle-lace / corded lace technique, rather than ordinary tatting, and would have required considerable time and skill to produce. Pieces such as this were made as decorative table mats, tray cloths or dressing-table pieces.

Date: approximately 1900–1920, late Belle Époque to early Art Deco period.

It measures approximately 44 x 29cm long. 

It has a beautifully mellowed antique ecru colour and appears to be in very good condition for its age.

A gorgeous piece for a lace collection, textile study, display or incorporating into a special slow-stitching project.