Chinese Replications
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Chinese Replications of European Laces
Lacemakers in China make exquisitely beautiful lace. They are masters at replication of European laces in every sense. They have produced bobbin lace, needle lace, knotted lace, tape lace and crocheted lace for many, many years, copying European designs and exporting them to the US and the UK. Unless a set of needle lace placemats comes to you with its original “Made in Italy” label still attached, it can be very difficult to know if you are receiving Italian needle lace placemats or Chinese replications. You may buy what you believe to be traditional, classic Flanders bobbin lace coasters, and they may actually be Flanders lace - but maybe made in China. They look exactly the same.
A lace seller on an on-line auction site may identify her lace tablecloth as Belgian needle lace, but without the original label she may not know for sure. I have been fooled many times myself, as both a buyer and a seller. Some lace buyers do not care about the actual origin of their lace, as Chinese lace is often as beautiful as European lace. The only real problem is that antique European laces are higher in value than mid-century Chinese replications. This folder will offer some photos of Chinese replicated laces we have found - laces that actually had their original labels or packaging when found.
A lace seller on an on-line auction site may identify her lace tablecloth as Belgian needle lace, but without the original label she may not know for sure. I have been fooled many times myself, as both a buyer and a seller. Some lace buyers do not care about the actual origin of their lace, as Chinese lace is often as beautiful as European lace. The only real problem is that antique European laces are higher in value than mid-century Chinese replications. This folder will offer some photos of Chinese replicated laces we have found - laces that actually had their original labels or packaging when found.
Bobbin Lace - Chinese
Crochet Lace - Chinese
Knotted Lace - Chinese
Needle Lace - Chinese
Tape Lace - Chinese