Making bobbin-laces in the town of Vamberk
Making bobbin-laces in the region of Vamberk and the Eagle Mountains has had the history of several hundred years and the rich tradition.
In the beginning the local production of hand-made bobbin-laces provided the source of living already in the 16th century. The lace were made from linen threads. A big boom was recorded at the beginning of the 17th century when the noble woman Magdalena Grambová Rejchlovna of Meldek came to this region and she asked a teacher from her country to come here and teach the women here to make fine Flander bobbin-laces from silk and cotton. The Czech lace-makers used to improve them and created new patterns. During four hundred years a big quantity of laces were made and they made Vamberk famous. The proof of that are the lace names because the lace industry had been original just here. The patterns were inherited from one generation to the next one. The top of manufacture of Vamberk laces can be dated to 18th and above to the 19th century.
In the 20th century the company Vamberecká krajka Vamberk reached a very high level, presented by its trade mark VKV at many exhibitions and fairs of the world. The big success represented the world exhibition EXPO 58 in Brussels and the participation at EXPO 67 in Montreal was very successful, too.
In 2002 the Lace Museum founded a new tradition and in the cooperation with the Municipality of Vamberk organized the 1st Biennial of Czech lace under the patronage of Mrs. Dagmar Havlová. The Biennial presented by the exhibition of the competition works became the show of the best bobbin-laces made since the beginning of the 3rd millenium. The winning work was bought by the Municipality of Vamberk and it is shown in the museum exposition.
Bobbin-lace school, Tyršova 25
In 1889 the First Czech Special Lace School was founded in Vamberk and it was managed by the Town Council. Its task was to keep the tradition of han-made bobbin-laces and to teach new lace-makers. Miss Aloisie Kubiasová became the first teacher.
In 1905 was the school nationalized and subjected to the Central course of bobbin-laces in Vienna. It was the only special lace schools in all Austria-Hungary area where also drawing was taught. The name First Czech Special Lace School was kept. The teachers were educated in Vienna.
After ending the World War I and breaking-up of Austria-Hungary the school in Vamberk became a branch of the State School Institution for the local industry in Prague. In 1964 the name was changed for the School Institution of Artistic Manufacture. The collections of the Lace School became the volume of the Lace Museum in Vamberk in 1929. The artistic coop called Vamberecká krajka Vamberk has been here since 1945.
In 1999 the School Institution of Artistic Manufacture and its branches in the Czech Republic were cancelled. The school in Vamberk was transferred under the district House of children and youth in Rychnov-upon-Kněžná. The Municipality of Vamberk supported that.
Since January 2005 the Lace School has been the part of the contribution organization called KRAJKA (LACE) - the centre for leisure time, Vamberk. The school teaches lace-makers to respect the tradition, it improves their artistic feeling and taste. Regarding their specialization and artistic feeling the teachers are on the high level and are able to ensure the lessons on the high-quality level. The pupils share the realization of new patterns in the area of the hand-made bobbin-lace which represent the school and the town of Vamberk at the exhibitions in the Czech Republic and worldwide.
Since 1 September 2006 the Bobbin-lace School Vamberk has been the organization part of the Town Vamberk.
Lace museum in Vamberk, Husovo náměstí 88
The unique exposition of history and present of the lace manufacture is located in the Lace Museum in Vamberk. This museum offers visitors a unique exposition representing the development of Czech lace since 18th century until now.
It represents old folk laces, development of making laces under the influence of the special school since the end of the 19th century. The work of founding personalities of the Czech lace and their disciples is shown here, above all in the collections of lace work which had represented this country at the world expositions EXPO Brussels 1958 and EXPO Montreal 1967.
There is a separate part of the exposition - a collection of unique Czech artists of the present period.
The Lace museum Vamberk is a specialized institution with the all-country influence. The collection fund dated in 1889 includes above all the bobbin-laces but there are also laces made by different technologies. The Lace museum offers the permanent exposition and besides, exhibitions dedicated to the historical laces or to important personalities.
Vamberecká krajka CZ s. r. o., Žamberecká 380
is the successor of the coop of the artistic production found in 1946. Vamberecká krajka CZ s. r. o. is the holder of the trade mark, which guarantees of the high-quality hand made Vamberk bobbin-lace.
The company Vamberecká krajka CZ s. r. o. develops all the time; besides the famous original bobbin-laces there have been new and modern works developed fulfilling all the wishes of the present demanding customers.
In the area of Vamberecká krajka CZ s. r. o. the visitors can visit a show during all year consisting of three parts:
1. historical exposition with the audiovisual section about the bobbin-lace development complemented with the photographs from the bobbin-lace workshops and coop exhibits.
2. exposition of the current usage of the bobbin-lace, the part of which is also the visit of the bobbin-lace artistic workshop where the current works of the skilful bobbin-lace makers are produced.
3. large-space gallery - shop with a wide product range of bobbin-lace (jewels, brooches, handkerchiefs, table cloths, evening dresses and large curtain bobbin-laces).
The fame of Vamberecká krajka CZ s. r. o. has been proved by the successful benefit exhibitions in this country and abroad as well (RSA - Pretoria, Cape Town, Austria - Mödling, Expo in Japan a others).
