French author and collector Georges Dubouchet is set to release a 250-page book in September 2026 dedicated to traditional wooden lace boards, known as plioirs, featuring a collection amassed by Dr. Jean-François Giraudoux.
The Giraudoux Collection of Lace Boards
The upcoming book examines the history and craftsmanship of wooden lace boards, which 19th-century lacemakers used to wind and store completed lace pieces. According to Georges Dubouchet, the publication’s second half focuses specifically on a hundred selected plioirs and ten demi-aunes from the collection of Dr. Jean-François Giraudoux, a prominent collector from Vichy. Dr. Giraudoux acquired his first lace board in 1961 and spent 65 years curating the pieces. These artifacts include half-ell measures (demi-aunes), which measure 60 centimeters in length and were historically used by checkers to measure lace output, as reported by L’Éveil de la Haute-Loire.
Regional Heritage and Museum Inventories
During the 19th century, the Velay region in France earned recognition as a center of popular folk art, distinguished by decorated lacemaking tools, boxes, and furniture. Georges Dubouchet documented regional collections across French institutions, cataloging 70 boards at the Crozatier Museum in Le Puy-en-Velay, 50 at Retournac, 154 at Saint-Flour, and 30 at the Mucem in Marseille, based on reporting by L’Éveil de la Haute-Loire. The book categorizes plioirs into two main types: openworked designs featuring geometric patterns that require high craftsmanship, and solid, figurative pieces displaying varied artistic styles.
Historical Forgeries and Auction Market Value
Lace boards became sought-after collector items as early as the 19th century, prompting skilled artisans to replicate them with artificial aging techniques. Georges Dubouchet noted to L’Éveil de la Haute-Loire that he identified a former Fine Arts-trained artisan in Haute-Loire whose replica pieces rivaled authentic items in craftsmanship. The book also addresses market valuation anomalies, detailing an authentic polychrome lace board that fetched 2,000 euros at auction, an event where misunderstandings among local antique dealers initially led to false claims about its authenticity.