Very Fine Antique Needle Lace Crowing Bird, Framed  carved spools and the wonderfully detailed grass

and the wonderfully detailed grass upon which she stands in her tiny black shoes

F it appears) painted in red on the front

This one belonged James Gifford and dates to 1804

structurally super strong with no slumping

Perhaps it's because I was listening to the impeachment hearings when I spotted it

Very Fine Antique Needle Lace Crowing Bird, Framed  carved spools and the wonderfully detailed grassI can't get enough of figural lace, and this particular type style of needle lace is my favorite sort (I believe Belgian in origin), with what looks like a million tiny tight knots making up the bird alone. The wonderful spiderweb like field surrounding it here suggests a nest to me, as if it might have come with open beak to feed the babies, though as the bird appears to have a comb and wattle (launching this a wonderful arch of triangles, like a