Bidspirit auction | Punto in Aria lace, c.

Punto in Aria lace, c. 1625/1650 Italy, and Punto de Venecia lace, c. 1650 Spain. Countess of Effingham's collection - Set consisting of two strips of antique lace: the first, a strip of needle lace called Punto in aria, second quarter of the 17th century (c. 1625/1650), made in Italy or Spain (larger piece); the second, a strip of needle lace called Punto de Venecia al relieve, mid-17th century (c. 1650), made in Italy or Spain (smaller pieces, in the centre). Provenance: Collection of Gladys Irene Freeman, Countess of Effingham, United Kingdom. These two pieces of lace come from the collection of Gladys Irene Freeman, who was made Countess of Effingham on 12 August 1952. She was the second wife of Mowbray Henry Gordon Howard, 6th Earl of Effingham (1905–1996). The two pieces appear to have been basted onto a maroon fabric that acts as a backing, where two labels and a tag provide information on the provenance and 19th-century cataloguing of the set:  ”No. 703. OLD TAPE LACE with needle / made fillings. Italian, possibly L. 17n. C. / Priests Alb flounce, / made to resemble ‘point plat’: Previously / in Irene Countess of Effingham's collection” (1st label, referring to the large piece). ‘Tape lace. Possibly Spanish, no. 651’ (2nd label, referring to the small piece). ‘No. 703 Tape lace / Probably / Italian / L 17º C’ (hanging label). The first two texts, written in black ink with a pen, are enclosed between horizontal lines drawn in black pencil; the text on the label, which is more modern, is written in black ballpoint pen. Dimensions: 88 x 55.5 (red backing); central strip 74 x 7.5 cm; 224 x 23.5 cm. In good condition. Una destacada pieza de encaje, procedente de esta misma colección de dicha Condesa, se subastó en Kerry Taylor Auctions (subasta del 27 de febrero de 2017, lote 406, estimación 500-900 libras esterlinas, precio de remate 1.200 libras; ver última fotografía de este lote): ” An exceptional figurative panel of Gros Point de Venise, late 17th century, with design of a lion, deer and other creatures within giant flowering plants, with a variety of patterned fillings and picots to the lion's mane, 12 by 40cm For a similar panel probably from the same flounce see 'The Margaret Simeon collection', Phillips, 9.9.1992 lot 192. Provenance: The Countess of Effingham collection ”.