Thanks to everyone who responded.
Based on the replies I've gotten so far, I'm going with the notion that
the letter refers to a needle lace appliqued to machine-made net, the
"Brussels Needlepoint" lace that according to my sources was the basis
for the 1860's resurrection called "point de gaze". One source mentions
that needle lace motifs from Alencon would be stockpiled and then
applied to the previously-made ground. At the time (1770-1780) there
apparently was a machine-made net available, which I think would
probably account for the "50 times faster" part of the quote.
If anybody thinks this sounds crazy, please let me know. I'm giving a
talk next Saturday on lace in the period 1775 - 1815, and although I
will tell them my theory is pure speculation, I'd rather not speculate
if somebody actually knows for sure.
Adele
I've been trying to think what kind of lace could possibly be fifty
times faster to make than blonde, and still be something a queen would
want to wear. I know it's not "point de gaze", because my sources say
that arose in the 1860s. I know Marie-Antoinette was fond of
Chantilly, but the 18th-century Chantilly I've seen doesn't look 50
times faster to make than blonde.
Does anybody know what this "gaze" refers to?
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