Duchesse lace
Duchesse bobbin lace is made in parts, which arised around 1850. Irreverently said it is an extract of the Vieux Bruxelles and Vieux Brabant. As in the Bruges flowerwork mostly flowers are used as a motif. of course also leaves and garlands are motifs in the lace. The Duchesse is much finer and more elegant than the Bruges flowerwork.
Around the motifs a gimp is inserted or a relief is made. This is also done in the veins. Furthermore, the Duchesse has a limited number of fillings in the motifs, e.g. tulle and half stitch. The background is generally formed by filling of braids.
The Duchesse is developed in Belgium and is named after Marie Antoinette, Duchess of Brabant, wife of King Leopold II of Belgium.
We know the Duchesse de Bruges (all bobbin lace) and the Duchesse de Bruxelles. Typical of the latter are the needle lace medallions and flowers, sometimes with double petals.
In the Netherlands also Duchesse lace has been made. In 1907 a "Guide to making Duchess Lace" by Miss. L.W. Nulle was published. On the lace department of the National School of Applied Arts in Amsterdam and the Royal Lace School "Queen Sophie of the Netherlands" in Sluis, Duchesse was taught. Especially the latter was therefore known. Hence people in the Netherlands also spoke about the Sluise Duchesse.
From this the Duchesse Withof arose in the 80 years of the 20th century. Sister Judith Withof of the monastery Withof in Etten-Leur developed new techniques such making a small roll of threads around the motives. In this the pairs are laid as a bundle around the motifs and attached to it by one of the threads. This makes a tight, thick border around the motif. Moreover the motives are made more dense then in the other Duchesse laces.
