84

HISTORY OF LACE.

Children at four years of age are sent to the lace school, andare seated at “almofadas” (pillows), proportioned to their height,on which they soon learn to manage the bobbins, sometimessixty dozen or more, with great dexterity. 33

Of the point lace made in the Spanish Peninsula, we haveevidently but scanty information. The Spanish raised pointwould appear to be identical with that of Venice, but there areothers with different characteristics which are assigned to Spain,such as the class in low relief, wanting the freedom and richness

Fig. 43.

Madeira lace, pillow-made.

are

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of design of the Venetian, and passing in commerce as “flatSpanish point.”

The fine points in relief of Italy and Spain were the result ofsuch time and labour as to render them too costly for moderatemeans. Hence they were extensively counterfeited. The princi-pal scroll of the pattern was formed by means of tape on linen cutout and sewn on, and the reliefs were produced by cords fixedami overcast after the work was finished, thus substituting linenand cords for parts of the needlework. These counterfeit pointswere, in France, the occasion, in 1GG9, of an ordinance.

33 ‘‘Queen,” August 1872.