A thriftily made schoolgirl’s book featuring over seventy handmade samples of various types of lace work stitched onto four repurposed Gallia notebook covers with four additional sheets folded and bound in with rough stitches. The lace samples are stitched over maps of France on several pages of this book, which was assembled from multi-colour stationery from Librarie Vve Valat [the Bookshop of Widow Valat] in Montpellier. Different colours and weights of yarn and patterns of lace are included, ranging from fine to chunky; much work is evident in the samples, though less in the presentation. An unusually bound sample collection signed “M. Valette” in various places throughout, with some doodling, notes such as “problemes des vacance”, math notations. Softcover book in paper cover. 22 x 17.5cm. 14 pages. Pages frayed to extremities, marked due to multiple uses and needle marks. An entirely charming form of homemade sample book, beautifully utilising whatever materials were to hand. In very good condition. Unique.

Montpellier, France, c. early 20th century.