| Brief Description |
This black crepe shawl has cream coloured machine-embroidered flowers and vines all over with a deep knotted fringe with long loose ends. The shawl was purchased by the donor's father in Spain in 1931.
Spanish shawls originated in China where the fabric squares were made, and then shipped to Spain where fringe was added. Called "manton de manilla," these shawls have been popular in Spain for one and a half centuries. The traditional way of wearing them, often seen on Flamenco dancers, is to double them over on the diagonal and wrap them so that they fall from the bust to a point that grazes the bottom hem of the skirt. The ends of the shawl cross at the back and then wrap forward toward the shoulders, where they are pinned. [Wikipedia 2013]
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