Old linens and lace get new life online

WASHINGTON POST
Diane Loesch-Jones fell hard for antique textiles while once living in London. When she came home and settled in Boston, she started selling old English linens and laces to antiques dealers.
Success led to opening her own emporium, London Lace, 26 years ago. Eventually she mixed reproductions among the antique textiles, to great response. Now she's added a catalog and Web site and become a source for one of the largest selections of fine repro Scottish lace panels.
Quality in lace is based on thread count, and the two types of reproductions she offers, Nottingham and Madras, are both at the top.
More than 30 patterns are available, all produced near Edinburgh on 19th-century looms; a sample price: $62 for a 42-by-84-inch Arts and Crafts-style Glasgow panel. Vintage designs like Prince of Wales, a dense feather pattern, are favorites even in these high-tech times, but she says sales are booming for more contemporary seashells, stars and fleurs de lis. "Just because it's lace doesn't mean it's frilly and Victorian," she says.
For a catalog, call (800) 926-5223 or go online at www.londonlace.com for a quick primer on the subject plus lovely images.