Bodice front

Naturalism in design was a characteristic of English bobbin lace in the 1860s, particularly at Honiton, but also in Bedfordshire. One of the leading figures in the English hand-made industry was Thomas Lester of Bedford, and this bodice front may have been designed by him and made by his workers; its fern pattern is typical of his work. It would have been intended to be worn over a contrasting coloured silk, setting its pattern into clear relief.