Pair Gauntlets. Early 17th century.

These kid gauntlets are a rare survival from the early 17th century and the highly complex silver and gold thread needlelace cuffs are a superb example of their type. Two fingers and thumb on the underside of each palm have been deliberately cut, probably to gain extra purchase for the hand in the sport of shooting, hawking or archery.
Another pair also with cuts in the same position is in the Lady Lever Collection and illustrated in Xanthe Brook, Catalogue of Embroideries ( LL5417 X3810 ).