[Book on lace

the long version

The very elaborate handwriting is in Italian and a little Latin, I believe. Since I cannot read Italian I don't know whether the words are describing the lace or a completely separate topic. Several pages are exercises in writing the alphabet like in samplers. On each page, the writing is contained in a rectangular frame that is surrounded by elaborate designs for very early needlelace called punto in aria or reticella. There must be hundreds of designs for borders and corners. Beautiful. There are no pictures of actual lace of any kind.