Strip of Needle Lace with Symmetrical Compositions of Flowers and Cartouches

Strip of natural-coloured needle lace: Alençon lace. The repeating pattern consists of two symmetrical flower motifs. An oval cartouche crowned by a small rosette and with radiating feathered leaves. And a broad butterfly-shaped motif built up from wavy lines and curling leaves, with directly underneath an oval flower flanked on both sides by a hanging fan-shaped flower. Motifs are built up from festoon stitches with openings and provided with relief contours. Motifs are connected by a fine mesh ground, an Alençon ground. Various grounds are applied in the flower hearts and between leaves and other parts of the motifs, including a diamond ground. The irregular scalloped edge derives from the pattern and is finished with picots. The upper side of the strip is finished straight with a bobbin lace strip.