Shawl

"Silk lace mantilla. The headpiece is made from gold linen thread, with a natural silk braid trim. It is embellished with black lace thread, and is decorated with the floral iconography typical of silk lace.

The mantilla headpiece originates from the classic Spanish cloth mantilla. It had two elements: the headpiece and the embellishment. The former was a long, rectangular piece of fabric that could be made of taffeta, velvet, or satin. The embellishment was a gathered frill made from Catalan silk lace using the bobbin-lace technique. This type of lace emerged in the 18th century, during the reign of King Philip V of Spain, although some date it from the time of the Arabs in Granada. The mantilla was the most important use of silk lace and this is a beautiful example of lace that has been exquisitely crafted. It is classed as silk lace because it is made using loop stitch at the ends, with a tightly woven tulle background and pink stitching within the motifs.

Throughout the 18th century, Catalonia was the major hub that specialized in silk lace. These early laces had a white-gold color. Later, the silk became a more intense white, before black was eventually used."