Belgian lace is the general term for the fine handmade lace produced in the region that is now Belgium, historically part of Flanders and Brabant. Centres such as Brussels, Bruges, Mechelen, Antwerp and Binche were renowned for their work, much of it made in fine linen thread.
Lace making flourished in the Low Countries from the sixteenth century, and Flemish bobbin lace was exported throughout Europe for collars, cuffs, caps and church vestments. Mechelen, known in English as Mechlin, produced delicate bobbin lace with a fine mesh ground, while Brussels became famous for both bobbin and needle lace, including Point de Gaze, a delicate needlepoint lace of the nineteenth century. Bruges and other towns were associated with simpler bobbin laces such as Duchesse and Bruges flower lace. Lace remained an important cottage industry into the twentieth century. Collectors look for fineness of thread, the quality and clarity of the design, and good condition without tears, stains or clumsy repairs. Antique lace should be stored flat or rolled in acid-free tissue and cleaned only by a textile conservator.
