A lace-making school in the Renaissance stone town of Pag, on the island of Pag, has been operating for three years now. This town was designed by one of Sibenik s most famous citizens, Juraj Dalmatinac, the man made famous by his masterpiece, the Sibenik cathedral. It ensures the continuation of the centuries-old tradition of the widely known Pag crochet lace. Opened at the last minute, the school has halted the imminent death of the tradition, as only old Pag women used to do this work. The only lace-making school in Croatia represents a rarity in the world, and is situated in the original building that used to house the former Banovina lace-making school. The beauty of Pag lace was presented to the public as early as 1880, after an exhibition organized by Father Frane Bulic, a famous Croatian archeologist who is best known for the first excavation of the remains of the ancient town of Salona, near Split. However, Europe knew about Pag as much esteemed lace a long time ago. Pag lace used to be sold abroad as Greek, Austrian or Italian lace, although it was always the same Croatian lace from the island of Pag, known as Pag lace.

It is interesting that in 1939 Pag lacemakers participated at the world exhibition in New York. The Pag lace-making school existed back at the beginning of the century and the person who deserves credit for the preservation of Pag lace-making is Austrian Natalie Bruck-Auffenberg. In 1911, she wrote a wonderful book Dalmatia and its Folk Art. She searched for the lost Dubrovnik lace all along the Dalmatian coast and, visiting the islands, discovered Pag lace. She
bought Pag lace for herself, for exhibitions in Paris and an Austrian museum, and for the Archduchess Maria Josephine, Otto von Habsburg's grandmother. Only a few days after receiving the first lacy blouse from Pag, Maria Josephine arrived in the town. She was the first person to
make an order to the old Pag lacemaking school. The orders from Emperor Ferdinand and the Romanian queen, Carmen Sylva, soon followed.
 
 
 

The same lace that was prized by emperors is still made today. The new lace- making school is led by Pag natives Neda Oroz and Urica Orlic. The production of lace, called teg by Pag women, is very painstaking work usually done with an ordinary mending needle. A solid background is necessary for making lace; usually a firm lace-maker s pillow. It is made without a draft or plan, which makes each piece of lace unique. Pag s lace-makers say that not even a computer could repeat the pattern they create each time.

First the circle is defined within which little holes are made several millimeters apart, and then thread is pulled through them. This is how the base for Pag lace is made it consists of eight thread sticks which are spread diagonally across the circle. When the base is ready, small circles and triangles (mendulice) are made from the center. When lace is created, it is firm, as though it has been starched. Pag lace, unlike the other well-known Dubrovnik and Lepoglava laces, can be washed without losing its firmness. Of course, Pag lace is expensive and is, for this reason, called white gold. The diameter of a normal lace is 20 centimeters. Such lace costs from one to two hundred German marks. However, larger lace is made to order. A piece of lace-work with a diameter of 40 centimeters costs one thousand German marks. Lace-work even larger than this is made by special order for those who can pay for it. Despite its high price, Pag lace is always in demand. During the tourist season it is always sold out, while during the year large orders are placed. All of these are reasons explaining why the lace-making school has been reopened and that young women are being given the chance to learn this skill.