GENOA.

63

a number of workers under her either at home or out. She sup-plied the patterns, pricked them herself, and paid her workwomenat the end of the week; each day’s work being notched on a tally . 89The women would earn from ten soldi to two lire a day. The lastline laces made at Albissola were bought up by the lace merchantsof Milan on the occasion of the coronation of Napoleon I. in thateitv.

Fig. 33.

Fringed macrame. Genoa.

wif ijn

A considerable quantity of lace was formerly made from thefibre of the aloe (filo d’ erba spada ), 90 by the peasants of Albissola,either of its natural cream colour or dyed black. This lace, how-ever, like that fabricated in the neighbourhood of Barcelona, wouldnot stand washing . 91

There exists a beautiful and ingenious work, taught in the

80 In the Albert Museum of Exeter areseveral of these tallies marked with thenames of their owners—Bianca, MariaCrocern, and others.

80 Called by the people of the Riviera,“ filo del bnroalii di Castellaro.” Aloefibre was foimerly used for thread.—Letter of Sig. C. G. Schiappapietra. It isalso styled “ filo di pita” in the Venetiausumptuary ordinances (p. 44).

91 The author has to express hergrateful thanks to Signore Don TommasoToiteroli, librarian to the city of Savona,and author of an interesting pamphlet(“ Storiadei Merlctti di Genova lavoratiin Albissola,” Sinignglia, 18G3), forspecimens of the ancient laces of Albis-sola, and many other valuable communi-cations.