A Rare 18th Century Lace Makers Table | Main Gallery
A Rare 18th Century Lace Makers Table
Although deceptively small in size this rare lace-makers table is similar in design to its French counterparts of the same period, its pillow-tier (top) and bobbin-tier (middle) both galleried and graduated in size, while concealed beneath its top are two lighting slides which when in use would have had lace-makers-globes attached to them.
The two upper tiers are made of Birch – their galleries Ash, the laminated block constructed of Oak & Pine secured to its Birch octagonal column (in the same manner as Cornish lace-makers tables) with a threaded Oak nut, its chamfered legs with beautiful dark patina.
This remarkable piece of vernacular furniture would appear to be a rare survivor from what was once a vibrant trade in Ripon, Yorkshire.
Illustrated, is an example of the type of flash-globe that would have been used in conjunction with this table. This particular specimen 15″ high was formally in the collection of ‘Doe & Hope’.
The final monochrome image shows a 19th century lace-maker – her bolster supported on a purpose built stand, making lace by light generated with the aid of a flash-globe. The purpose of these globes being to defuse/magnify candle light, while lace-makers tried to make this light as clear as possible by keeping the water in their globe-reservoirs free from calcification by using various additives.
Product features
- English
- Circa 1780
- Max. Diameter 18"
- Height 27"