Maria Margaret Pollen’s Seven Centuries of Lace surveys the history of one of the most prized of all textiles, tracing the development of needle and bobbin lace from its Renaissance origins through seven centuries of European craft. The book identifies the great lace-making centers and the distinctive styles of Venice, Flanders, France, and beyond.
Pollen treats lace as both luxury commodity and intricate art, attentive to technique, design, and the changing fashions that drove demand. Illustrated in its original form with notable examples, the study remains a respected reference for collectors and historians of textiles. A connoisseur’s history of lace, it is offered here as a free EPUB download.