Vamberk bobbin lace becomes first Czech craft to win EU geographical protection
For generations, the town of Vamberk has been synonymous with lace-making. Now its most famous craft has earned a new distinction: the exquisite Vamberk bobbin lace has become the first Czech craft product to receive European protected geographical indication status.
Nestled in the foothills of the Orlické Mountains in the north-east of Czechia, Vamberk has been associated with lace-making since the 17th century. The tradition dates back to the Thirty Years' War, explains ethnologist Martina Rejzlová from the Lace Museum in Vamberk:
“After the war, Kašpar of Gramb arrived in Vamberk with his wife, Magdalena, who helped develop bobbin lace-making in the area. She brought lace-makers with her, especially instructors from Flanders, and they taught local women this sophisticated Western European style of lace-making. From this tradition later evolved the distinctive Vamberk ‘train lace’ style.”
The craft continued to flourish and by the end of the 19th century, the first Czech vocational lace-making school had been established in Vamberk, and it remains open to this day.
For Rejzlová, the tradition is also deeply personal:
“The tradition has been passed down within families from grandmother to mother and from mother to daughter without interruption for almost 400 years. We ourselves are an example of this. I am the fifth generation of lace-makers in my family, and our daughter, if she chooses to pursue lace-making, although she already knows how to make lace, would be the sixth.”
According to Rejzlová, one reason lace-making survived in Vamberk while it disappeared elsewhere was its close connection to the local nobility.
“Elsewhere in the Czech lands there was another type of lace-making tradition associated with mining settlements. Miners’ wives made lace while their husbands worked in the mines, but once the deposits were exhausted, the miners moved on and the craft gradually disappeared from those regions. Of course, many other factors contributed as well, including the geographical conditions in the foothills of the Orlické Mountains and the opportunity to sell lace throughout the Habsburg monarchy.”
Today, only lace made in and around Vamberk using traditional local techniques can carry the protected designation. Another hallmark of Vamberk lace is its extraordinary precision, says Rejzlová:
“We use specific techniques, and above all a large number of bobbins and thread pairs to ensure the lace is dense and finely crafted. Each lace-maker also develops her own distinctive patterns. Some specialise in lace jewellery, others focus on decorative lace or pictorial lace. What matters most is top-quality craftsmanship and the connection to the Vamberk region.”
The craft has already been included on Czechia’s list of intangible cultural heritage. The new European designation, Rejzlová says, is further recognition of the skill and dedication of local lace-makers.
“We have many highly skilled lace-makers producing top-quality Vamberk lace. Thanks to our inclusion on the national list of intangible cultural heritage, and now with the addition of this European designation, we feel that we are helping to safeguard the craft and create favourable conditions for future generations so that lace-making can continue to thrive here.”
Meanwhile, efforts are already under way to have Vamberk bobbin lace added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The nomination is being prepared jointly with Slovakia, explains Rejzlová:
“Historically, lace-makers from Vamberk travelled to Slovakia and produced traditional Vamberk lace there. The craft took root in Slovakia and is still practised there today. After 1945, the Vamberk Cooperative was established and began collaborating with professional artists and designers, who brought a strong artistic dimension to the craft.
“As a result, modern bobbin lace developed extensively in our region after the war. In Slovakia, however, the traditional Vamberk ‘train lace’ style has remained largely unchanged and continues to be made to this day. We believe that this shared heritage could help open the door to UNESCO recognition.”
Those wishing to see the results of generations of lace-makers can visit the Lace Museum in Vamberk, which is open daily from June through September.
