Collar

Object Type
Lacemaking developed in England during the 16th century in response to the growth in personal wealth and to changes in fashionable dress. By 1600, bobbin lace was being made domestically throughout the country and professional centres had been established in London, the West Country and the Midlands. The lace for this collar may have been worked at home for its maker's own use.

Materials & Making
The quality of English lace in the 17th century was affected by the type of linen thread available. English thread was softer and more irregular than Flemish, though it was praised for its whiteness. When Celia Fiennes, during her travels around England, visited Honiton in Devon in 1698 she wrote, 'here they make fine bone [bobbin] lace in imitation of the Antwerp and Flanders lace, and indeed I think its as fine, it only will not wash so fine which must be the fault in the threads.'

Ownership & Use
Lace was worn by both men and women in the 17th century. It could be made to shape for particular items, or worked in lengths and attached to linen garments like shirts and collars. The showiest effects were achieved with lace worn at the throat, setting off the face, and at the wrist.