Irish Dresden Lace

A few weeks ago dh gave me a belated birthday present, a gorgeous porcelain base with several porcelain figurines. Underneath the porcelain base was stamped a crown with the initials MV and the writing “Irish Dresden”, Ireland-Wedding March. The figurines are absolutely beautiful but what intrigued me were the dresses of the ladies.

It seemed as if the dresses were real fabric, sort of a netting type lace. When I remarked upon this to dh, he smiled and said that it is real lace but has been through a special process which has transformed it into porcelain.

 Yes, I did have a moment of “Really!” Intrigued, I googled up the words Irish Dresden to find an amazing process which indeed uses real cotton laces and transforms them into porcelain. http://www.hoi.ie/porcelai/drinfo.htm  

The Irish part is a recent addition. In actuality, the process started in East Germany. War and hard times led the family to migrate to Ireland where the art is  practised even today. 

The figurines with the bride’s hat and tiny handkerchief as well as her dress and the dresses and outfits of the wedding procession is so delicately shaped and adorned here and there with tiny porcelain rosettes that I found myself wondering at the marvel of these artists. The pictures definitely do not do justice to the beauty of the piece.

This fascinating process is I’m sure a timely and very intense process. There is definitely no shortage of artisans in our world and what beauty we all create. A definite treasure for me.