Ultra rare lace collectors item. All handmade white Irish linen and filet lace tablecloth in excellent condition. It would fit on a smaller table, but for a larger one, consider dampening the lace and stretching it with ironing (with due care of course) as the linen centre is puckering a bit at the moment. Measuring approximately 136 x 136 cm/53" including the lace edging which is rounded on the four corners. The linen centre is approximately 62 x 60 cm/23 x 24".
Price includes free worldwide shipping with tracking and insurance.
Please view the photos carefully and ask any questions before buying.
Mary Card (1861-1940) was an Australian educator and lace designer who took crochet to another level. Starting a new career as an independent middle aged woman, she shot to stardom status first in Melbourne, then moved to London and later to New York where she worked for women's magazines and continued to publish her own, very successful charts and books. Her stunning unparalelled patterns were inspired by nature, especially by the unique Australian flora and fauna. Her work has delighted and enriched the lives of women across the world when the craft of lacemaking was very popular and is still highly regarded today with collectors and lovers of antique lace. She was a very prolific designer, so much fun to be had if you should decide start collecting her work. Mary's designs inlude numerous small doilies, placemats, clothing accessories, as well as over 40 large items such as tablecloths, chair covers, towel insets and bedspreads.
We do due diligence when deciding the authenticity of the pieces we list. Some designs commonly believed to be Mary Card's work cannot be authenticated as some magazines did not credit or name their designers. For those who wish to do their own research, we recommend the excellent books of Barbara Ballantyne on the topic.