Such lace is not to be purchased now except at great price. The piece illustrated, see page 55, was only 1-1/8 yards in length, and was sold for L145 by one of our leading lacemen. Barely 5 yards of Venetian lace, only 2 inches wide and _in rags_, was sold at Debenham & Storr's in August, 1907, for L60; and even the smallest collar or a pair of cuffs runs well into L10. Even in the days of its manufacture this lace commanded high prices. In the inventory of Queen Elizabeth's gowns we find such entries as-- "To 1 yard Double Italian Cut-worke, 1/4 yd. wide. 55/4. " 3 yds. broad needlework lace of Italy, with purls. 50/- per yd." James II. paid L29 for a cravat. [Illustration: VERY FINE EXAMPLE OF "GROS POINT DE VENISE."] IV THE LACES OF GENOA AND MILAN [Illustration: LOUIS XIII. OF FRANCE, SHOWING VANDYKE LACE COLLAR AND NARROWER LACE ON SCARF.] IV THE LACES OF GENOA AND MILAN Argentella wrongly called Italian--Genoese--Mixed laces--Milanese--Macrame. These are mostly Pillow laces, but fine Point laces were also manufactured in these towns. In the first-named town it is said that the lace called "Argentella" was made, but this is extremely doubtful, most authorities arguing that it was certainly a French lace made at the best period. A very representative lace of Genoa is known as collar lace, very widely used for the falling collars of the Vandyke period. It was an exceedingly beautiful and decorative lace, and almost indestructible. Specimens of this lace can even now easily be secured at a fair price. The laces known as "Pillow Guipure" are somewhat open to question, the authorities at South Kensington Museum agreeing to differ, and labelling most of the specimens "Italian or Flemish." The finer pieces of this type of lace may safely be described as "Flemish," as the flax-thread grown and made in Flanders was much finer than that grown in the Southern Countries. Much of the Genoa lace was worked in what we term "mixed lace," the design being woven on the pillow, and the ground and fillings worked in with the needle either in a network or by brides and picots. A much inferior kind is made with a woven braid or tape, the turns of the pattern being made in twisted or puckered braid, much after the style of the handmade Point lace made in England some thirty years ago. This lace was known as "Mezzo Punto," though the French were discourteous enough to term it "Point de Canaille," as undoubtedly it was an imitation of the finer laces made in a loose, poor style.