New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-10-25
REVIVAL OF LACE MAKING IN FRANCE.
RECENT MEASURES TO STOP DECAY OF THIS CHAR
4CTERISTIC NATIONAL INDUSTRY.

Paris Oct The present Chamber OF Deputies
has earned the gratitude Of all women who love the
more subtle adjuncts Of the toilet by iegisIaIlhg
for an Industry which has been IN the past one OF
the great gIories of France. On June 10 last Two
short and unassuming clauses 10 the Education
Code were passed enacting that in the lace making
deuartments and centres Of France special instruc-
ton should be given in lace making and designing
with the object Of developing and perfectlng the
artistic education Of the workers
some kind Of state protection for this industry
was very necessary the following figures VIII
show In 17e4 q report made 70 the CEamper ol
Commerce Of Paris estimated that no less IMAM
one-ouarter Of the population OF varying condi-
tons and Of ages from six 70 seventy years hveo
By lace making. In 1870 this number had faHen
10 250O 0; to-day there are scarcely 10000, and
these can hardly be said to their living at the
work SO badly is it paid. The most that can be
earned in a day of from ten TO twelve hours is
two francs. and the minimum. from ~ 20 oo cen
times Is but too often not exceeded
The art OF lace making wss introduced into
France from Italy by Colbert the able minister OF
Louis XIV. who brought Italian designers and
workers over TO teach the French peasants their
beautiful art But introduced. it took root and
hourished 10 such an extent that the French lacSs
soon rivaued those of Venice and Ragusa- For
century the industry thrOve- Lace was then law
ishly used by both men and women IN their dress
the very footmen had their lace rufies and SO
many OF the gentlemen OF the court spent large
fortunes in purchasing lace, to the ruin or their
families. that its use was limited by Louis Nil
by edict. cling Mars is said to have LEFT no less
than 800 different sets Of laces behind him! But
the prosperity Of the industry not 70 last The
stern simplicity OF dress affected during the reign
Of Louis XVI powerful check and the Rev
olution threatened to prove its death blow Chder
the First Empire, however It revived to some eA-
tent and under the Third 1t prohted to stlh
greater degree. The Empress Eugenle mao pas
sion fer lace As lille. MOntijo she made prac-
tee Of visiting all the lace shops and hunting
through their goods for beautiful pieces IN IHS'
she opened a competition among lace workers Tor
two dresses, one 10 be or ChaIully anu the 0'HeI
OF AIencon. and. dressed in the latter she gave
owav the prizes The paid for this beautiful
robe was 5000 francs 5000 pounds sterling.
7-bare are five principal centres Of lacemaking
to-day; the largest, Auvergne, heads the hst' WIKI
On 600 workers Lorraine has about 1000; Franche
Cornte about 10 900; Normandy. 1900. and Flanders
zoo The work for the most part Is done at home.
as If IS in England in DevOnshire, Bucks and Beds
More likely as in Auvergne. the women meet at the
house 81 one whom they call he "beate-' Ihls
woman for small consideration. supplies nre ana
lfght nd either reads relates stories. or oners
.yars TO relieve the tedium OF the days work
In Normandy in winter, the women carry theH
frames or pillows into the stables where IN ti7
warm proximity OF the placid beasts. they worh "
the light OF A candle placed between four saS7
globes. "a
For their designs the manufacturers use the olu
ones that have been handed down from the more
prosperous days OF ths industry, ana tHeS o.,
ploy their own designers TO arrange u IHO---
these AT the Beaux Arts this year ule4e VIC"
new departure in the shape OF an exhibit OF manu-
80 Ice % ex,renoeIv beautiful and artistic de-
sign and workmanship each signed py ti'e ~ -
It would be another step in the right oiIeolon
manufacturers would encourage orlsln1Ii'y 80
their hands by considering all dra"4sS az -.
- a : -. 80. thew found suitable There
- -. 49,, s.l,,o IN the French peasant and
these lace women often possess astonishing truth
and delicacy OF taste. -. 81, ,ha tn
The two great causes OF the decline :. a.Y con-
dustry are irst. the difficulty under s"-e re
-il4oi-s % .,,,nsry The first difficulty VIII
oo''lte'itio4 % Ia -Ia,ses in the Education Code
Hitherto a child has been compelled to attend the
primary schools until tho age OF thiI'een ra
such lnces a. tho Alsneon ana Inc