Antique Italian Purchase: Fluffy Belgian Bobbin Lace Embroidery Square Cloth

An antique, likely Belgian, from the 18th-19th century, purchased in Italy, with a delicate and beautiful appearance.

This is a small, 17cm square handkerchief, coaster, cocktail napkin, or square cloth, with a fluffy, light, and thin texture.

The bobbin lace trim features abstract and mysterious motifs resembling buildings with windows, the moon, ribbons, and plants, reminiscent of Binche/Brugge lace, or perhaps Flanders lace.

Drawn thread work (ladder lace embroidery) is coolly interspersed within the trim.

The embroidery is in clear, delicate, and elegant white thread. A small picot lace adorns the entire edge, adding to its charm.

The color is a gentle ecru, imbued with the passage of time, a graceful ivory.

It can be folded very thinly and compactly, making it suitable as a decorative pocket square.

The fabric is a fine-gauge, sheer, lightweight weave. It is extremely smooth, soft, and has a flowing, fluffy feel. The fabric material is presumed to be high-quality cotton. The embroidery thread is likely cotton or a cotton-linen blend.

Please excuse any errors in the amateur measurements of this handmade item:

17cm per side (fabric portion is just over 14cm)
Approximately 2g

In beautiful condition with no stains or dirt. It may be unused.
There is one tiny pinhole-sized hole, which is shown in multiple images. Please check the images. There are 2-3 areas where the picot lace loops appear to be coming undone or slightly torn, but they are not noticeable. There is also one small clump of thread fibers.

It would also be lovely as an antique doily to display small dolls or objets d'art.

We recommend not to bleach it, as it may alter the color and texture. If it gets dirty, we suggest quickly washing the entire piece with (natural) soap and drying it immediately.

This is a traditional art craft lace, created by forming threads with small bobbins, weaving a raised relief from a lacy base. It is said that 16th-century Binche/Brugge and Mechelen lace spread to Flanders in the 19th century. What the motifs actually represent is open to interpretation.

We are also offering similar items with more distinct embroidery motifs:
Antique Belgian Flanders Bobbin Lace Trim Drawn Thread Work Modified Doily

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