Weaving workshop "Société de Tapis d'Art De Saedeleer et C°"

Part of the current building (currently the Kalitek company) housed the weaving workshop "Société de Tapis d'Art De Saedeleer et C°" or also "Studio De Saedeleer", which was officially opened on 12 September 1926 with the "pig fair" on the village square of Etikhove.

During their stay in Wales during the First World War, the de Saedeleer daughters had trained in carpet weaving. Shortly after their arrival in Etikhove in 1921, Maria, Elizabeth, Marie-Jozef and Monica (Valerius had 5 daughters) resumed the thread of carpet weaving.

The company was founded in 1925 by the De Saedeleer family in collaboration with the brothers Luc and Paul Haesaerts, who both stayed in Auberge De Vos in Etikhove. The eldest daughter Maria was not part of the company, but was sometimes active as a weaver. Elizabeth De Saedeleer and Paul Haesaert were in charge of the design studio. Luc Haesaerts was industrial and commercial director. Marie-Jozef and Monica were in charge of the weaving mill and took care of the training of the staff. Many artists provided design drawings and ended up in Etikhove.

In 1927, at the request of director and architect Henry Van de Velde, Elizabeth started teaching in the Textile Art Department of the Higher Institute of Decorative Arts in Brussels. The studio in Etikhove fell silent and was transferred to Brussels, where Elizabeth also gave weaving training. Both for her own studio and for her pupils, a large number of looms were made in the Van Nieuwenhuyze joinery in Etikhove.
In the meantime, a number of home weavers, including Lea Baert, worked in Maarkedal on behalf of Elizabeth.

From 26 September to 26 October 2014, the exhibition "Between summer light and winter dream, Valerius De Saedeleer linked" will run in the company buildings.

source: BOURDEAUDHUI, J., "Valerius De Saedeleer... after", 2014.

Gemeente Maarkedal