"The origin of this name Argentella is obscure, but it was presumed to imply that the lace was worked in Genoa or Venice. There is, however, no evidence of this type of lace being made there. Another theory is that Argentella is an Italianised title for the more delicate examples of point d'Argentan. The character of the lace and the style of the floral patterns worked upon mesh grounds are those of Alençon laces." In Specimen 1,373-74 in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection the cordonnet is done in buttonhole stitches closely cast over a thread which outlines various forms in the design—a distinctive mark of point d'Alençon. And the hexagonal wheel device in this example is often to be seen introduced into flounces of point d'Alençon, of which other portions are composed of the ordinary Alençon ground or réseau.—A. S. Cole. Fig. 88 and Plate LVII.
Dictionnaire du Citoyen, Paris, 1761.
Madame Despierres writes on this head that entries of point d'Alençon occur as early as 1663:—
"1663, 9 juin—contrat entre Georges Rouillon, Greffier, et Marie Leroy....
"1900 liv. gagnées par son industrie à faire des ouvrages de point d'Alençon."
Inv. de Madame Anne Palatine, Princesse de Condé. See chap. x. note [468].