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Yes we can !
Retournac supports Obama !

Following the initiative of the local newspaper (« L'éveil »), the whole of the electorate of the « Haute-Loire », native district of the Marquess of Lafayette, sends its best wishes to Barack OBAMA. These wishes will be sent to the United States within several visitor's books. For these books, the idea of bookmarks fashioned in hand-made lace was chosen. These are made from the «Musee de France » antique designs belonging to the collection of the Lace Manufactures' Museum in Retournac.

 

 

 

 

Three lacemakers from the museum in Retournac (Magali DELORME, Catherine GUILHERMET, Sandrine OFFENWANGER) and two lacemakers from the Centre d’Enseignement de la Dentelle au Fuseau du Puy-en-Velay (chaired by Mme Mick FOURISCOT) worked to produce these items, showing the astonishing variety of the production of the designers from « Haute-Loire » : from a fac-simile of the 17th century to the last two « modern-style » « Art-Deco » design from the 30's.

 

From left to right : modèles n°7275 (pochette 6), n°13610 (pochette 4), n°13682bis (pochette 11), n°13674bis (pochette 20), n°652 (pochette 6).

 

On tuesday 20th of January 2009, day of the investiture an swearing-in of the president Barak Obama, the lace bookmarks will be presented in the château of Chavaniac-Lafayette by Pierre Astor, Mayor and general Coucillor for Retournac. The bookmarks will then leave for the United States, where an official delegation including two inhabitants from the Haute-Loire, Mr and Mrs Issartel, who won a competition which had been organized by « L'éveil » from the Haute-Loire.

 

On the left, the Mayor of retournac with an american tie

 

This work brings to mind an antique production of the Experton lace manufacture at the time France was liberated after the war, when patriotic handkerchieves to encourage the Allies, where made within the manufacture with texts embroidered in english.

 

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