When an island becomes synonymous with a certain style of something...a specialty that makes it famous, it means you'll have to wade through the mediocre to come up with the good stuff. And although you may not need any help in deciphering the good from the bad, seeking out the best is the way to go. At least to discover it, even if you can't fathom spending that amount of money to take it home!
Venetian lace falls into this category. Most of the lace you'll come across in Venice is of mass-produced, uninspired souvenir status. Lots of it is machine-made in Asia. Even what you'll find on the Venetian island of Burano, known as the island of lace, is mediocre at best.
But Louis XIV and other nobility of the 17th c. knew what was good. The lace making ability of Burano's women was in much demand back then. Louis commissioned an intricate lace collar, using the unique Burano needlepoint stitch. No thread was fine enough (in density) to make his collar, so human hair was used in its creation. So much prestige was associated with wearing Venetian lace in his time, that it was valued more than jewels!
By the 18th century France had mastered Venice's lacemaking techniques & other lace capitals came into vogue. Burano lacemaking was almost extinct. But a revival of this art form came about in 1872, with the opening of a lacemaking school. In the early 20th c. the school functioned like a little industry for awhile, until this artistry could not longer survive economically & it closed in 1972.
Burano's Museo del Merletto, the lace museum, opened in 1981, inside the school building. Valuable pieces of lace, drawings, photos of classes doing their lacework & exhibits on techniques are displayed. One masterpiece of lace you must see is a wedding veil that took 3 women, working 7-hours a day, over 2-years to complete! Our only disappointment was that the lace exhibited is not any earlier than the 19th c.
So where to find early examples? The Museum Mocenigo back in Venice. Where The Center for the Study of Textiles & Costumes is located.
But if you're like us, you'll want to see what's for sale. Some of the best lace in town, contemporary & antique can be bought in Venice. Most of us aren't going to spring for a tablecloth, made entirely of lace, that took 10-women, 3-years to make. And thousands of dollars to take home. So we recommend buying something with Venetian lace trim, that's handmade with real local artistry:
Go to Jesurum (main headquarters in a former 12thc. church, in the Castello district, not the one on St. Mark's Square). An internationally renowned institution for more than 100 years. A combination of museum & boutique in glorious surroundings. Good machine-made pieces are available. But the antique lace is outstanding. And of course, very expensive.
La Fenice Atelier (San Marco District) also sells the best, but in a tiny shop, where made-to-order items are their specialty. Clients include Catherine Deneuve. So you know the French still like Venetian lace!
And finally, visit Maria Mazzaron (Castello District) and her sister at their home in a beautiful palazzo. These two lovely, elderly ladies have an amazing selection of lace trimmed goods, displayed in fabulous surroundings. They can custom make something for you...if you're patient. The best part is just being in their company. They represent a magnificent generation of lace makers, learning their trade when they went to study with nuns at 14 years old! Best to make an appointment. Don't be shy. Tel. 52-21-392