LACE, BOBBIN, EDGING

Extremely Rare Binche Bobbin Lace Edging in Fine Linen, Flanders c.1750

This exquisite handmade Binche bobbin lace edging, created in Flanders around 1750, is a rare and delicate example of one of the finest lace traditions of 18th-century Europe. Made with exceptionally fine linen thread, likely spun from locally grown Belgian flax, the lace features a floral design repeated every 480mm, executed with remarkable technical precision.

The motifs are outlined with lines of tiny holes, a hallmark of Binche lace, and are interspersed with point de neige (snowflake-like) fillings — tiny, decorative mesh forms that appear in or between the design elements. The ground is a fine net or five-point ground, and the edging is scalloped, finished with minute picots along the border.

Though closely related in appearance to lace from neighbouring Valenciennes, Binche lace has its own distinct identity. Binche is noted for its rich use of filling stitches, layered textures, and snowflake fillings that give a shimmering effect — sometimes referred to as “fairy lace.”

Binche, along with Mechlin and Brussels, was one of the great Flemish lace centres, flourishing during the 17th and 18th centuries. By the early 1700s, Flemish lacemakers had adapted their techniques in response to the growing popularity of imported muslin from India, producing lighter, more fluid lace styles with intricate designs and soft draping qualities.

This edging represents the height of that innovation, and its survival offers a rare glimpse into the exceptional skill and aesthetic sensibility of Flemish lacemaking at its peak.