VOLUME/X
SA.~PLI~G-S: A selected offering of antique samplers and needlework
M. Finkel ~ Daughter. established 1947 ANTIQUE TEXTILES AND PERIOD FURNITURE 936 Pine Street, Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19107 215-627-7797
fax 215-627-8199
Cover Illustration: Detail of Sarah Elizabeth Haines, page 1
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DDDDDDDD Copyright Š 1996 by M. Finkel & Daughter, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without the permission in writing from M. Finkel & Daughter, Inc. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Samplings ... volume IX
The president of the Museum of American Folk Art in New York, when discussing antique samplers, was quoted as follows in a recent article in Art & Auction magazine (December 1995): "very desirable material remains out there, just waiting to be collected." We support this observation and continue to be surprised at the availability of extremely appealing samplers and needlework from the 18th and 19th centuries. As is clear from this catalogue, we are very interested and knowledgeable in this field. Most of these pieces are American and, in keeping with the field in general, were worked by schoolgirls under the guidance of schoolmistresses. We search for examples that represent excellence in needlework and are in fine condition. Because of the importance of provenance and documentation, we tum to our everincreasing sources to conduct research. From a simple marking sampler to a rare and important needlework picture, each offering is a reflection of our knowledge and dedication. The selected bibliography included at the end of the catalogue is regularly updated and we refer to some of the books as they pertain to specific samplers. If any of these books prove difficult to procure, let us know and perhaps we can assist in locating them. Our firm was established in 1947, and we have been in the same location for 48 years. We like to think that our positive relationship with clients, many of whom are now second generation, is because of our commitment to customer satisfaction. Buying antiques should be based in large measure on trust and confidence, and we try to treat each customer as we ourselves like to be treated. We operate by appointment and are at the shop five days a week, except when we are exhibiting at an out-of-town antiques show. Please let us know of your plans to visit us. Every item in this catalogue is guaranteed to be authentic and original, and you can rely on our expertise in describing each piece as to age and condition. Most of the samplers are described as being "conservation mounted," and where this is noted, the work has been done by our own TEXTILE RESTORATION DEPARTMENT. A description of the step-by-step process can be found at the end of this catalogue along with other information about our restoration services. All merchandise is offered subject to prior sale. Should your first choice be unavailable, we urge you to discuss your collecting objectives with either Amy or Morris Finkel or Nancy Shore. Our inventory is extensive, and we have many items not included in our catalogue. Moreover, through our sources, we can often locate the sampler that you are looking for; you will find us knowledgeable and helpful. Payment may be made by check, VISA, Mastercard, or American Express, and we ask for payment with your order. Pennsylvania residents should add 6% sales tax. All items are sold with a five day return privilege. Expert packing is included; shipping and insurance costs are extra. We prefer to ship via UPS second day air or Federal Express, insured. Amy Finkel Morris Finkel Nancy Shore
Are you interested in selling? We are constantly purchasing antique samplers and needlework and would like to know what you have for sale. We can purchase outright or act as your agent. Photographs sent to us will receive our prompt attention. Call us at 215-627-7797 for more information.
AMERICA'S LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel e; Daughter.
ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF CONTENTS Lancaster County Amish Sampler, Pennsylvania, 1875 .......................... ........ .............. page 16 Mary Ann Bancroft, ''White Dove school", western Massachusetts, circa 1825 .......... ........ page 2 Sarah Blank, probably Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1834 .......................................... page 3 Sarah B. Cochran, town of Bradford, 1829 ................ .... .. .. .................................... page 2 Darning Sampler, M.K., Netherlands, 1780 ............................................................ page 14 Ann Dickson, Pennsylvania, 1827 .................................. .... ........... .. ..................... page 11 Elizabeth Fryer, Wells School, England, 1810 ........ .............................. .. .... ............. page 6 Catharine Margaret Garrett, Ramsey, N.J., 1833 ............................. .. .... ..... .............. page 13 Sarah Glines, Lowell, Massachusetts, 1833 ........................... ................................. page 18 Fanny C. Gridley, Granby, Massachusetts, 1821 ...................................................... page 5 Sarah Elizabeth Haines, Carroll County, Maryland, 1848 ............................................. page 1 Sarah Ann Hallowell, Westtown School, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1818 .................. page 18 Fanny M. Harrelson, Caswell County, North Carolina, 1852 ....................................... page 8 Elizabeth Hinds, England, 1787 ........................................................................... page 10 Lydia James, Scituate, Massachusetts, 1791 ............ .. .............................................. page 21 Nancy Jones, Hartford, Connecticut, 1793 ............................................................ page 15 Eliza Matilda Koch, American, 1836 ..................................................................... page 16 Sarah Lock, American, 1804 .............................................................................. page 10 Miniature Sampler, M.H., American or English, 1811 .. .............................................. page 19 Susan H. Munson, "Potosi" ship portrait, probably New York, 1824 .............................. page 9 M.V.N., Holland, 1778 ....................................................................................... page 20 Jane Nunn, England 1815 ................................................................................. page 20 Sally Paige, New England, circa 1815 .................................................................. page 19 Catherine Pancake, Mrs. Leah Bratten School, Harrisburg, 1803 ................................. page 7 Phebe S., Pennsylvania, circa 1815 ..................................................................... page 14 Louisa Pope, Lubec, Maine, 1822 ........................................................................ page 17 Quaker Medallion and Basket Sampler, Delaware Valley area, circa 1820 ........................ page 12 Mary Cook Saltonstall, Haverhill, Massachusetts, 1790 ............................................. page 4 Maria Schanck, Monmouth County, N.J., coat-of-arms, 1827 ....................................... page 23 Elisabeth Steinbach, Pennsylvania German, 1839
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Sarah Elizabeth Haines, Carroll County, Maryland, 1848 We consider it a privilege to offer this extraordinary and important sampler which displays an unusual and appealing exuberance of design; the eight-year-old needleworker, Sarah Elizabeth Haines must have enjoyed her project. The imposing house with its curling front staircase, the satin-stitched lawn and flock of white geese, the reclining stag, and the overstuffed baskets contribute greatly to the overall picture while many small motifs, such as the birds, dogs, water pump, fence, and various flora fill in the details. The inscription on this sampler reads, "Sarah Elizabeth Haine's I Sampler Worke'd in her 8th Year, Sep 26th, 1848 I By this Work the World may see W7zat I Care my Parents Took of me I Andrew Haines Sarah Haines." The samplermaker was born in 1839 in Carroll County, Maryland, the middle child of Andrew and Sarah (Swigart) Haines. Andrew Haines, a farmer and landowner, was the great-grandson of Michael Heintz, who emigrated from Germany in 1743, and arrived in Philadelphia, where the family name was subsequently anglicized to "Haines". Within twenty years, it seems that the family had moved to Maryland and purchased large tracts of land in Virginia and Maryland. The Frederick Town Herald (Maryland) reported on April14, 1832, the marriage of Andrew Haines to Sarah Swigart, and in 1850 the census index recorded that the family was living in Uniontown, Carroll County, Maryland and that their three children, Levi, Sarah E., and Martha, were all in school. Sarah died young, at age twenty years, and is buried at the Mount Union Cemetery in Carroll County. The two-line verse that Sarah inscribed was a popular choice, but in fact, we now read her words and appreciate the fact that in 1848, the Haines' sent their eight-year-old daughter to what must have been an important school of needlework located somewhere in the vicinity of their home, and still active at the end of the first half of the nineteenth century. The sampler was worked in silk, crewel wool and cotton on linen, and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a period mahogany frame. Sampler size: 25 112'' X 26" Price: $14,500.
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LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel e;, Daughter.
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Mary Ann Bancroft, "White Dove school", western Massachusetts, circa 1825 Our stylish, meticulously wrought sampler exhibits an unusually well balanced design which we found immediately attractive. In our quest to know where it was made, and to further identify its maker, we were fortunate enough to be guided by Betty Ring, who pointed out the similarities between this Bancroft sampler and others known to have been worked in the Deerfield, Massachusetts area between 1791 and 1826. Documented in Mrs. Ring's Girlhood Embroidery, Vol. I, page 146, this delightful group is referred to as the ''white dove school," because many of the samplermakers cross-stitched a white dove motif into their work. Another shared design is the odd diamond-shaped stylized tree which appears next to each of the tall evergreens in our sampler. The samplermaker was most likely the Mary Ann Bancroft whose birth was recorded in Montague, Massachusetts, just across the river from Deerfield, circa 1812. We are hopeful that further research will provide greater detail regarding Miss Bancroft. The sampler is worked in silk on linen, and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a molded frame. Sampler size: 12 1/4'' x 17 112'' Price: $2,400.
Sarah B. Cochran, town of Bradford, 1829 This engaging sampler exhibits the handsomely designed and executed borders often found surrounding elaborate scenery or motifs. Ten-year-old Sarah B. Cochran's accomplishment was to combine such borders with three bold alphabets and one numerical progression. The top and side borders were worked in lustrous crinkled silk forming flower buds and leaves, while the bottom border features a pair of delightful spotted birds perched on branches, flanking a charming low basket sporting satin-stitched flowers. Sarah Cochran stitched the name of her town, Bradford. Regional characteristics of this piece point to Bradford, Massachusetts, or Bradford, New Hampshire. Further research will, no doubt, reveal the specific identity of the samplermaker. Worked in silk on linen, this sampler is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a black painted frame with a gilt liner. Sampler size: 16" x 16 W' Price:$3,600.
M.Finkel ~Daughter.
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LEADING SAMPLER AND NHDLEWORK
DEALER
3 Sarah Blank, probably Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1834 If a perfectly executed sampler served as an advertisement of a young lady's achievement in this realm, a perfectly executed fully worked sampler would have been viewed as an exceptional accomplishment. Sarah Blank's sampler is a fascinating and flawless piece of needlework. The classic baskets, fat birds, flowers, geometric stars and border were tightly worked in silk floss and then the entire background was solidly stitched using crewel wool. It is a time and material consuming samplermaking device and was not practiced with frequency.
(detail) Sarah Blank may have been living in Lancaster or Chester County, Pennsylvania, but most likely attended school in Chester County; the design of her sampler shares regional characteristics with the impressive body of work from that area, including, specifically, the low baskets designed with a 'W' within their bases. Worked in silk and crewel wool on linen, it is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a beveled cherry frame with a maple bead. Sampler size: 19" x 17" Price: $9,800
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Mary Cook Saltonstall, Haverhill, Massachusetts, 1790 The roots of the Saltonstall family tap deeply into the history of the town of Haverhill, Massachusetts. Nathaniel Saltonstall (1639-1694) served as Town Clerk of Haverhill from 1679 to 1686. His great-grandson, Dr. Nathaniel Saltonstall, a prominent physician, married Anna White, also of Haverhill, and their daughter, Mary Cook Saltonstall, worked this wonderfully appealing little sampler in the town when she was nine years old, in the year 1790. Mary was born September 20, 1781, and married John Varnum in October 1806. The Hon. John Varnum, a distinguished Haverhill lawyer and senator, and his wife Mary were the parents of three sons: John, Nathaniel, and Richard. Haverhill is a town at the northern edge of Massachusetts that enjoys a reputation for having produced a body of outstanding samplers during the 18th and early 19th centuries (see Betty Ring, Girlhood Embroidery, Vol. I, p.l24-129). Mary's fine piece shares many of these regional traits, such as the tent-stitched fruit tree, grassy hills, and sawtooth borders. Our sampler is inscribed: "Mary Cook Saltonstall wrought this in the 9 year of her age, AD 1790." It was worked in silk on linen, is in excellent condition, and is conservation mounted into a walnut frame with inlay and gilt liner. Sampler size: 13 1/4'' x 10" Price: $4,800.
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AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
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Fanny C. Gridley, Granby, Massachusetts, 1821 We are proud to offer this outstanding sampler, which has enormous visual appeal and is accompanied by a wealth of information. The future samplermaker, Fanny C. Gridley, was born in Granby, a small town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, which was founded in 1768. Her parents were the Rev. Elijah and Ruth (White) Gridley; the Rev. Gridley was a prominent pastor and leader of the Congregational Church in Granby. He was also a founder and trustee of the Amherst Academy, a co-educational school which opened in 1814 in Amherst, just north of Granby, and remained open to young women only for the first decade of its existence; it is extremely probable that this splendid sampler was worked at the Academy. The lower half of this sampler abounds with unusual and meticulously-worked images; there are two sailing ships, six flower baskets, an eagle surrounded by stars, bird-filled trees, a house, a church, and two tethered dogs. A verse from the poetry ofWilliam Robert Spencer (1770-1834), an erudite English literary figure, also features prominently.
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The handsome church worked in the lower right corner of the sampler is of specific interest to us in that it is an accurate portrayal of the impressive new church built for Rev. Elijah Gridley and his congregation in Granby in 1820, at a site called Cook's Hill, well documented in a book entitled Granby Bicentennial1768-1968 (see insert). It is indeed rare for a piece of needlework to survive with such provenance. The sampler, which is in excellent condition, has been conservation mounted and is in a striped maple frame. Sampler size: 16 IN' x 16" Price: $11,000. AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel (;j Daughter.
6 Elizabeth Fryer, Wells School, England, 1810 This endearing little sampler worked at the Wells School is an excellent example of extremely fine English needlework. The tight, satinstitched lettering, structured and symmetrical motifs, narrow border (a handsome Greek key design in this case) and corner blocks of pattern darning all typify the best of early 19th century needlework from the British Isles. The verse reads as follows:
"They're only Great, whom no base Motive rules. Who owe no Glory to the Breath of Fools Good without Pride, tho' humble, yet not mean In Danger fearless, and in Death serene." The inscription "Wells School Elizabeth Fryer May 14th, 1810" is at the center of a trio of cartouches, flanked by a pair of very charmingly worked tent-stitch deer. The sampler, worked in silk on wool, is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a 19th century gold frame. Sampler size: 12 Price: $2,450.
1/4 "
x 8"
Elisabeth Steinbach, Pennsylvania German, 1839 We were quite pleased to have discovered this splendid sampler, an excellent example of Pennsylvania German needlework. It was worked by Elisabeth Steinbach in 1839, and relates closely to the 1836 sampler made by Susana Geisiner (of Lehigh County) in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and an undated sampler worked by Heidi Wiand (also of Lehigh County) published in Tandy and Charles Hersh's Samplers of the Pennsylvania Germans, page 274. All three samplers share many motifs, including the tall frond growing out of a basket, carnation sprouting from a polka-dotted heart, other specific floral arrangements, and crowns. The distinctive checkerboard alphabet also appears on, but is not exclusive to, those three samplers. In the case of Elisabeth's alphabet, one cannot help but notice that her "Z" was worked at the far lower right corner, and backwards.
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M.Finkel ~Daughter.
Elisabeth Steinbach may have been the daughter of Jacob Steinbach, a farmer from Manheim, Lancaster County, as recorded in the 1830 census index. The sampler is in excellent condition, worked in silk and linen on linen, conservation mounted into a nineteenth century painted frame. Sampler size: 11" x 15 1/z" Price: $2,800.
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Catherine Pancake, Mrs. Leah Bratten School, Harrisburg, 1803 This rare and important sampler is an early example from the well-documented school of Leah Bratten Galligher Meguier of Lancaster and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Under the tutelage of this talented schoolmistress, a body of remarkable pictorial samplers was created, distinguished by their ambitious pictorial composition and flawless execution. Our Pancake sampler is a fascinating discovery; there is only one other known example worked in 1803 from this school, and together these pieces confirm the information known about this schoolmistress. In 1802, after her marriage to Mr. Galligher of Lancaster had "dissolved", she moved to Harrisburg and taught under her maiden surname, Mrs. Leah Bratten. According to Mary Jaene Edmonds' Samplers and Samplermakers, "the period of greatest achievement would seem to span the years after her move to Harrisburg, beginning in 1802 through 1812". This sampler is certainly a splendid example, worked early in this period. Both the center panel of the sampler, filled with a decorative composition, and the highly pictorial bottom border were new to sampler design in 1802-1803. Catherine Pancake, a young lady with a delightful surname, was clearly a highly talented needleworker, and the scene at the center of this piece obviously required exceptional skill. The compartmented border contains many richly-worked embellishments characteristic of Mrs. Bratten's designs, and the deep border along the bottom of the sampler also required a spectacular amount of work: a striking two-chimney Federal house sits near an endearing scene of two young boys and a spotted dog playing a game of marbles. The meticulously cross-stitched inscription reads: "Catharine Pancake A daughter of Valentine and Anne Pancake and made this sampler in Harrisburg in Mrs. Leah Brattens school in the year of our Lord 1803". Our genealogical research revealed the following information regarding the samplermaker's parents, Valentine and Anne Pancake: during the Revolutionary War, Valentine Pancake served twice in companies of the Lancaster County Militia (Dauphin County was formed in 1785 from a section of Lancaster County), specifically in Captain Martin Weaver's Co. in 1777 and Captain John Rutherford's Co. in 1778. On April14, 1779 the marriage of Anna Leein and Valentine Pancake was recorded in Paxtang, a town just south of Harrisburg, and in 1790 the household of Valentine Pancake with his wife and two daughters was recorded in the Harrisburg, Dauphin County census. Along with silk and crinkled silk floss, young Miss Pancake worked with coiled metallic thread, sequins and hair onto extremely sheer linen. The sampler is in good condition, with some loss to the linen; the needlework is in fine condition. Conservation mounted into a walnut molded frame, which is an exact reproduction of a period frame. Sampler size: 16 W' x 15 3/ / ' Price: $16,500. (detail)
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AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
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8 Fanny M. Harrelson, Caswell County, North Carolina, 1852 "Samplers and pictorial embroideries survive from the South in far lower numbers than from the North," according to Betty Ring in American Needlework Treasures, and to quote from Gloria Seaman Allen in Family Record (DAR), "Family records made for southern families are few. Early as well as late examples survive from Maryland and Virginia but none are known, at present, from further south." Our Harrelson family record sampler, made by Fanny M. Harrelson in Caswell County, North Carolina in 1852 is, therefore, a fascinating and extremely rare example. The Harrelson family remains large and prominent in Yanceyville, Caswell County and the listing of twelve family members on the sampler corresponds with the Harrelson names in The Heritage of Caswell County (Hunter, Winston-Salem). It would seem as if the samplermaker was a student of schoolmistress Nancy Weatherford, who is listed in the 1850 census living in Yanceyville, married to Hiram Weatherford, a farmer. Mrs. Weatherford may herself have learned needlework under Quaker guidance, the influence of which is found in the two floral motifs.
Fanny's handsome and straightforward sampler survives to document the type of needlework that remained fashionable in more rural areas of the United States into the middle of the 19th century; we are fortunate to have the opportunity to offer this piece. Worked on silk on linen, it is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a period walnut frame. Sampler size: 16 W' x 16 W' Price: $7,200.
M. Finkel
es Daughter.
AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Susan H. Munson, "Potosi", probably New York, 1824 This outstanding sampler would be considered an important addition to any collection. The landmark book, American Samplers, by Bolton and Coe, published in 1921, illustrates this sampler on a full page, plate LXXXII, and it remains the only known American "ship portrait" sampler. The samplermaker portrayed the Potosi with much nautical knowledge, as well as attention to detail. The Potosi, a frigate from the late Federal period, sports three masts with three yard arms on each mast and gun ports on its hull. The foremast and gaff fly American flags, while the main mast shows the homeward-bound pennant; the ship was depicted on its way back home to America. Other interesting details include the reef points on the sails, rippling ocean waves, and the sun and moon within the billowing clouds. The verse reads, "From rocks I shoals and I stormy I weather I 0 God I protect the I Potosi ever. I A rainbow I at night I is a I sailors I delight. " The inscription indicates that this is the work of Susan H. Munson at age 13 years in 1824 (the last digit was worked backwards). The border, a bud and vine wrapped rod, indicates to us the probability that this sampler was worked in New York (see our catalogue VIII, Abigail Springer's 1829 New York sampler for the identical border) and this is corroborated by the discovery of the New York marriage record for Susan H. Munson, to Joseph Y. Bryan on June 12, 1829. Further research should produce more information regarding Susan H. Munson. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in very good condition, with slight loss to the silk, conservation mounted into black painted and molded frame. rl)I'~
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Sampler size: 15 'N' x 17" Price: $11,500.
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(detail)
AMERICA's LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
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Elizabeth Hinds, England, 1787 This engaging sampler features Adam and Eve (each with blue legs) and the serpent-wrapped apple tree beneath alphabets and the following verse:
You whose fond wishes do to heaven aspire W'lzo make those blest abodes your sole desire If you are wise and hope that bliss to gain Use well your time. Live not an hour in vain Let not the morrow your vain thoughts employ. Symmetrical, well balanced design is often an indication of English origin and in this case, the presence of two prominent crowns is significant as well. The sampler is worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition in a burl maple frame with a gilt liner. Sampler size: 12 W' x 10 If/' Price: $2,200.
Sarah Lock, American, 1804 The inscription on this handsome band sampler, "Sarah Lock her sampler worked in the fifteenth year of her age 1804" appears along with alphabets, a numerical progression and four sets of family initials. A variety of stitches was worked in between each line and at the bottom, including the tent, queen, eyelet, flat and cross. According to the verbal family history which accompanied this sampler, Sarah Lock was from Gloucester County, New Jersey and is buried in the Methodist cemetery in Swedesboro. The sampler was worked in silk on linen, is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a figured maple frame. Sampler size: 17" x 8" Price: $1,200.
M.Finkel e9 Daughter.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
11 Ann Dickson, Pennsylvania, 1827 A wonderfully charming vignette, that of a dog who has apparently chased a kitten up a tree while a fashionably hatted lady looks on, dominates this lustrous little sampler. The overalt design and extremely fine needlework, as evidenced specifically in the house, tree and lawn, indicate the likelihood that the sampler was worked at one of the refined schools of needlework that existed in the Lancaster County area. Our research indicates that Ann Dickson was the daughter of William and Mary (Jordan) Dickson; William Dickson was the longtime editor of the Lancaster Intelligencer, the newspaper which remains the predominant paper of the area. Ann married Mr. Bedford, and the 1859 Lancaster County will of Mary Dickson mentions Ann Dickson Bedford and her son William Bedford. Copies of this will and other family papers accompany this perfectly delightful sampler. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a veneered 19th century frame. Sampler size: 9 W' x 12 IN' . Price: $4,200.
(detail)
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel
rs Daughter.
12 Quaker Medallion and Basket sampler, Delaware Valley area, circa 1820
(detail)
It is unusual to find a sam-
pler which so obviously required exceptional skill to ¡' complete, yet remained unsigned by its maker. This praiseworthy example was executed in the finest schoolgirl tradition, its maker no doubt attending one of the highly respected Quaker schools in Pennsylvania or New Jersey. The five large-scaled geometric medallions and the pair of doves flanking a bellflower are characteristic Quaker motifs, while the lavishly worked satin-stitched fruit basket represents greater originality and spontaneity. The border is an effective combination of satin-stitched buds and flowers on the outside, and cross-stitched buds and flowers on the inside. Worked in silk on linen, in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a 19th century gold leaf frame. Sampler size: 17" x 17" Price: $3,800.
M.Finkel ~Daughter.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
13 Catharine Margaret Garrett, Ramsey, England, 1833 This stylish, colorful sampler is a particularly fine example, replete with large and small animals, birds, insects and many pots of flowers. The unusual asymmetrical house sits up on a hill at the end of a walkway and a shepherdess and her dog tend a flock of sheep grazing near a peacock. Two large stag dominate the center of the scene, reclining under a tree upon which five large birds perch. It would seem that the nineyear-old samplermaker enjoyed the whimsy of her work. The sampler is inscribed "Catharine Margaret Garrett's work Aged 9 Years Ramsey 1833". Determining the origin of this sampler was a challenge for us. It was sold at a major New York auction house as an American piece and was used to illustrate an article about American folk art in Art & Auction magazine (December 1995). To us, however, the narrow border and floating, stylized symmetrical motifs suggested an English origin. Nonetheless, we began our research to identify the samplermaker with the New Jersey town of Ramsey, the only possibility within the United States. We discovered that Ramsey, N.J. was named as such in 1849 and did not exist when this sampler was worked in 1833. The town only came into existence as a designated stop on the Paterson & Ramapo Rail Road which opened in 1848. Miss Garrett must have been working her sampler in the town of Ramsey, England (which is north of Cambridge) and it is an excellent example of a pictorial English sampler with strong Quaker influence. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a cherry frame with birds' eye maple corner blocks. Sampler size: 21" x 16 1/2" Price: $5,200.
(detail)
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LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel (S Daughter.
14 Darning Sampler, M.K., Netherlands, 1780
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The darning sampler, indigenous to the Netherlands, is a fascinating combination of "plain sewing" and "fancy work." It teaches even a casual observer exactly how darning would have been learned and provides an exceptional geometric needlework picture while doing so. The darnings recreate the intricate, richly patterned fabrics of the mid-to-late 18th century and serve as a reminder for a needleworker who might encounter such fabrics in need of mending throughout her life. Nine squares of the background linen were cut out and discarded before the needleworker began her work on this sampler; the corner darn (at the lower right corner) is a particularly rigorous challenge. The initials "M.K." appear inside a center cartouche with the date "ANNO 1780" within the center square. Worked in silk on linen and in excellent condition in a gold frame.
Sampler size: 18" square Price: $1,850.
Phebe S., Pennsylvania, circa 1815 This endearing sampler shows strong Quaker influence and was no doubt worked at one of the many fine Quaker schools that flourished in this area in the first quarter of the 19th century. Our samplermaker was clearly receiving excellent instruction, as her stitches are extremely tight and fine. She completed the difficult task of working the motifs, letter-perfect verse, and ten sets of family initials, but left incomplete her name (note the silk thread coming from the top of the unfinished "S" of her last name). The sampler was worked in silk on fine linen gauze and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a beveled and veneered frame. Sampler size: 11 'h'' x 15" Price: $1,750 .
M.Finkel ~Daughter.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK UI,ALER
15 Nancy Jones, Hartford, Connecticut, 1793 The town of Hartford, Connecticut was a bustling city at the end of the eighteenth century, with a substantial number of fine academies and schools of needlework for young ladies from wellto-do families. Major Daniel Jones, a gentleman from a prominent family, and his wife, Olive Tinker Jones, clearly sent their oldest child, a daughter named Nancy, to one of these esteemed schools, and we are delighted to offer the end result. Nancy Jones subsequently married Henry King, in September 1804 and, as a note of peripheral interest, we mention that Nancy's younger brother went on to marry Eliza Webster, a daughter of Noah Webster. Nancy's praiseworthy sampler, worked in 1793, when she was eleven years of age, includes a charming pastoral scene, with a small flock of beige sheep guided by a brown dog. The cottage was worked with two luminous satinstitched windows and two highlydetailed brick chimneys. The imposing tree at the far right was worked in a combination of chain stitch and satin stitch with outstanding results. The sampler was worked in silk on linen, and it is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a fine period walnut frame with inlay and a beaded edge. Sampler size: 14" x 12" Price: $6,800.
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AMERicA ¡ s
LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel ~Daughter.
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Lancaster County Amish Sampler, Pennsylvania, 1875 This richly colored sampler is only the second Amish sampler we have ever owned; our experience would indicate that relatively few Amish girls worked samplers, as it is likely that they would have been considered a frivolous and showy form of needlework. Our example is dated 1875 (the date appears after the last alphabet). This would be considered an unusually late date, however, we know that the Amish held on to their traditions for many generations. Published examples of Amish samplers date through the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries. The wreaths, baskets, and flowers that appear on our sampler are traditional motifs, however the elephant and tropical bird are highly unusual and quite whimsical. The sampler was worked in merino yarn on penelope linen, with its original purple tape woven binding. It is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into painted and molded frame. Sampler size: 15 W' x 14" Price: $1,850.
Eliza Matilda Koch, American, 1836 Our handsome and appealing sampler well represents American schoolgirl samplermaking in the early nineteenth century. The maker, Eliza Matilda Koch was working at age fourteen in 1836, probably in New England, in a format that included four alphabets and one numerical progression with a house and tree central to the design of the sampler. The border is a simple but effective stylized flower and vine; the colors include a rich blue which contributes to the overall charm of the piece. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition with some slight loss at the upper right corner, conservation mounted into a later oak frame. Sampler size: 11 W' x 16 W' Price: $2,200.
M.Finkel (:)Daughter.
AMERICA ' s
LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
17 Louisa Pope, Lubec, Maine, 1822 We find the wild and exuberant border of this sampler enormously appealing. The samplermaker, Louisa Pope of Lubec, Maine, worked moss-covered tree trunks, fat pineapples and large-blossomed flowers in polychrome crinkled silk and cotton thread, making use of known and made-up stitches. Our research indicates that the maker was Louisa Ann Pope, the daughter of Luther and Rebecca (Edes) Pope. The family lived in Dorchester, Massachusetts, where Louisa was born on June 30, 1812. They moved to the town of Lubec in Maine (north of Machias) in 1817, where Louisa subsequently married Josiah P. Davis on February 25, 1830. They remained in Lubec, where they had ten children and Louisa Pope Davis died in 1883. The verse, which appears below the alphabets and numerical progression, is an appropriate choice, found with some regularity on American samplers:
"When youth's s[h]ort season shall be o'er And scene of childhood charm no more My riper years with joy shall see This proof of infant industry." The inscription, "Louisa Pope aged 10" was worked in the center of the bottom border. The sampler is in very good condition, worked in silk on unbleached linen, with some loss (in the region of the uppermost alphabet). Conservation mounted into later gold frame. Sampler size: 15 %" x 16" Price: $4,200.
AMERICA ' s
LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel (::)Daughter.
18 Sarah Glines, Lowell, Massachusetts, 1833 We were quite pleased to have purchased this fascinating sampler, which names the samplermaker's teacher and was worked in Lowell, Massachusetts, a prosperous town in the northeastern part of the state. The inscription flanking the lustrous bowl of fruit at the bottom reads: "Sarah Clines Sampler J Little Wrought in the 13th year of her age 1833". Sarah Glines was the daughter of Daniel and Sarah Glines, born circa 1821 in Lowell. Our research revealed that J. Little was most certainly Juliet Little, a teacher in Lowell who was born circa 1814, and in 1846 was recorded as marrying a clergyman, Norman Clark, also of Lowell. The samplermaker, Sarah, is recorded as marrying Daniel Gookin, a carriage maker and wheelwright, on August 26, 1841 and their daughter Abby was born July 10, 1843 in Lowell. Her sampler presents many handsome alphabets but then seems to focus on the memory of a certain recently departed Caroline, with a verse that begins "Carotin thou art now at rest". The pair of tombs and four sprouting willows accentuate the memorial nature of this piece. Samplers and silk embroideries worked in memory of friends or family members were very much the vogue in the early nineteenth century; according to Anita Schorsh in Mourning Becomes America, "Mourning art ... was a way of showing that one had good taste and proper manners". The sampler is worked in silk on linen, is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a 19th century walnut frame with a gold liner. Sampler size: 20 1/.t x 16 W' Price: $3,400.
M.Finkel es Daughter.
AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
19
Sally Paige, New England, circa 1815 We offer this endearing little sampler, exhibiting strong Quaker influence, with a charming verse as transcribed below:
"This needle work of mine can tell That when a child i learned well And by my mistress i was taught Not to spend my time for naught" Sally Paige signed her sampler along the bottom, and names Marcia Fish, who was, no doubt, her teacher. The basket at the right provides the delightful image of a bird perched or resting amongst the flowers and a three-sided blue scalloped border completes the sampler. Worked in silk on unbleached linen, the sampler is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a fine period maple and mahogany frame. Sampler size: 9 W' x 12 W' Price: $1,950.
Miniature Sampler, M.H., American or English, 1811 The dominant motif of this outstanding little sampler, a large and graceful swan, was worked in white silk with black outline, using the satin stitch; it is positively luminous against the background linen. Initialed M.H. and dated 1811, this piece also features a Quaker-style basket with perched birds and a well-balanced border. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a painted frame. Sampler size: 8" x 7 3/4'' Price: $1,650.
AMERICA ' s
LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel e;, Daughter.
20 Jane Nunn, England 1815 We rarely find samplers worked as meticulously as this tight and fine example by Jane Nunn, completed on October 3rd, 1815. The miniature curly-tailed dogs, birds, flowers and bas' kets were tent-stitched with great precision; the black silk verse and inscription were crossstitched similarly. Worked in silk on wool, the sampler is in excellent condition and conservation mounted into its original Hogarth frame. Sampler size: 11 '12'' square Price: $2,450.
M.V.N., Holland, 1778 Dutch samplermaking at its best provides wonderful variety, whimsical motifs and extremely fine needlework; this sampler offers excellence in all three areas. The recumbent deer with red antlers, caged parrot, sword-wielding lion, peacock, potted flowers, spies of Canaan, and redbrick stepped-roof Dutch house are amongst the more appealing sampler images that we have seen in our several buying trips to the Netherlands. This sampler is initialed by its maker along the bottom, and dated 1778. It was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a gold frame. Sampler size: 18 3/4'' x 14" Price: $3,200.
M.Finkel es Daughter.
AM E RICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
21
Sarah Ann Hallowell, Westtown School, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1818 We are always delighted to offer a sampler worked at the Westtown School, an important Quaker institution in Chester County, Pennsylvania, with an impeccable reputation for excellence in needlework (see Betty Ring, Girlhood Embroidery, Volume II, pages 388-395). The school, founded in 1799 and still thriving today, required its young female students to spend two weeks out of every six at the "sewing school" during the first quarter of the 19th century. Sarah Ann Hallowell's praiseworthy sampler exhibits many classic characteristics of Westtown School samplers, as well as those of some other early Quaker schools: the graphic block lettering, center cartouche, pairs of doves, lilies, roses, carnations, hom of plenty, and urns of flowers. The twelve pine trees lined up along the bottom of the sampler would also indicate a Chester County origin. The maker of this large and beautifully laid-out sampler was from a Quaker family in Abington, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. According to the records from the Abington Monthly Meeting, Sarah Ann was born July 6, 1803, the eldest daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth Hallowell; all three of their daughters (Hannah and Elizabeth, as well as Sarah Ann) attended the Westtown School, probably as boarding students, and they are all listed in the school's early records. The sampler was worked in silk on linen, and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into cherry comer-block frame. Sampler size: 21 'N' x 20 Price: $3,800.
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A ME RICA's LEAD lNG sAMPLER AN o
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M. Finkel(;) Daughter.
22 Lydia James, Scituate, Massachusetts, 1791 This interesting, well-provenanced sampler descended in an important and distinguished family. The samplermaker was a seventh-generation direct descendant of Elder William Brewster, who crossed on the Mayflower in 1620 and was a leader of the colony of Plymouth, along with Miles Standish and William Bradford. Elder Brewster was the religious leader of Plymouth, and a copy of his biography, Pilgrim, A Biography of William Brewster, by Mary B. Sherwood, accompanies the sampler. Lydia was the daughter of William James and Molly Randall of Scituate, a small town founded in 1633 and the home of this branch of the Brewster family since the 1670's. The lineage can be traced through Lydia's father and the early family history is documented in the Brewster Genealogy, 1566-1907, by E. Brewster Jones. Lydia was born on June 27, 1779 and worked this sampler "in the year of our Lord 1791" in her twelfth year, as she states on her sampler. Also inscribed are the three classic sampler verses typically found on 18th and early 19th century schoolgirl needlework. Lydia later married Captain Bass of Quincy, a town just south of Boston. The sampler is worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a particularly deep 19th century tiger maple frame, which accounts for the shadow that appears across the very bottom of this reproduction. Sampler size: 16" x 13 Price: $2,400.
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M.Finkel ~Daughter.
AMERICA'S LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
23 Maria Schanck, Monmouth County, N.J., 1827 We present an important and beautifully wrought needlework depiction of the coat-of-arms of the French family, worked in 1827 by Maria Schanck. Heraldic needlework has its roots in the second quarter of the 18th century Boston and remained fashionable until the 1790's; very few examples would have been worked as late as the 1820's. Maria Schanck solidly stitched the coat-of-arms and the entire beige background in silk threads on linen canvas in the cross stitch with a lovely queen's stitch zig zag border. This coat-of-arms descended in Monmouth County, N.J. and our efforts to identify Maria Schanck were rewarded with the following: on January 30, 1815 Maria Schanck was born to Lafayette and Eleanor (Couwenhoven) Schanck of Freehold, Monmouth County, their oldest daughter and one of twelve children. The Schancks were a prominent family of Dutch descent in this small town, a county seat, which even today values its early history. Maria worked her very refined coat-of-arms at the age of twelve in 1827 "Under The Tuition Of Mrs. A. Morris", a skilled teacher who was carrying on an American tradition already almost one century old. Maria married William Pigot on December 6, 1838 and died March 16, 1871 in Mt. Olivet, N.Y. Worked in silk into linen canvas, this piece is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a beveled cherry frame with an ebony bead. Size of needlework: 15 1h'' X 15" Price: $3,400.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel (S Daughter.
ANTIQUE TEXTILE RESTORATION SERVICE Our Textile Restoration Department is well qualified to handle your needs for proper conservation and restoration of your valuable antique textiles. We use only the best archival and acid-free materials, and employ museum-approved techniques. Our goal is to safely conserve your antique pieces, keeping in mind the needs of both the collector and the collection .
SAMPLERS AND NEEDLEWORK fn the past six years we have handled approximately 800 samplers and silk embroideries in our restoration department. Below is a description of the step-by-step process that we employ in our "Conservation mounting":
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Carefully clean the piece using our special vacuum process.
0 Mount it by means of hand-sewing onto acid-free museum board that has been slip-cased with fabric appropriate to the piece itself, and at the same time stabilize any holes or weak areas .
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Refit the item back into its original frame , or custom-make a reproduction of an 18th or early 19th century frame using one of our exclusive patterns.
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Supply a reverse painted black glass mat, if appropriate, done in the correct antique manner.
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When necessary, we can install True VueÂŽ Conservation Clear glass which blocks 97% of the harmful Ultra-violet light.
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fn the framing process, the needlework is properly spaced away from the glass, the wooden frame is sealed, and the dust cover is attached with special archival tape.
QUILTS, COVERLETS, HOOKED RUGS AND TABLE RUGS While we do not provide cleaning services for these large textiles, we are expert in the area of mounting for hanging, and if need be, preparation for framing. This may be as simple as applying velcro and supplying hanging strips, or it may necessitate an appropriate stretcher arrangement. Minor repairs can skillfully be made using our supply of period fabrics. Hooked rugs which can no longer withstand abuse underfoot can be successfully mounted as wall hangings. We are adept at minor repairs to hooked and table rugs, including backing and binding when necessary.
All repair and refitting is done by trained experts, and each job receives prompt attention and our personal supervision. Work is accepted from collectors as well as from dealers and institutions, and items may be brought in or shipped to us. Upon receipt, we will examine your items and phone you to discuss your needs, make our recommendations, and give you an estimate of the cost. We make every effort to complete jobs entrusted to us in a timely fashion, and we know you will be pleased with the quality of our work References from our clients can be furnished upon request.
AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel (S Daughter.
SELECTED NEEDLEWORK BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, Gloria Seaman. Family Record Genealogical Watercolors and Needlework. Washington, DC: DAR Museum, 1989. Benes, Peter. Old-Town and The Waterside. The Historical Society of Old Newbury, Newburyport, 1986. Bolton, Ethel Stanwood, and Coe, Eva Johnston. American Samplers. Boston: The Massachusetts Society of the Colonial Dames of America, 1921. Edmonds, Mary Jaene. Samplers and Samplermakers, An American Schoolgirl Art 1700-1850. New York: Rizzoli, 1991. Epstein, Kathy. An Anonymous Woman Her Work Wrought In The 17th Century. Curious Works Press, 1992 Hersh, Tandy and Charles. Samplers of the Pennsylvania Germans. Birdsboro, Pa: Pennsylvania Gennan Society, 1991. Krueger, Glee F. A Gallery of American Samplers: The Theodore H Kapnek Collection. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1978. New England Samplers to 1840. Sturbridge, Mass.: Old Sturbridge Village, 1978. Ring, Betty. American Needlework Treasures. New York: E.P.Dutton, 1987. Girlhood Embroidery: American Samplers & Pictorial Needlework, 1650 - 1850. Knopf, 1993. Let Virtue Be a Guide to Thee: Needlework in the Education of Rhode Island Women, 1730-1820. Providence: The Rhode Island Historical Society, 1983. Schiffer, Margaret B. Arts and Crafts of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Exton, Pa., 1980 Historical Needlework of Pennsylvania. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1968. Schorsch, Anita. Mourning Becomes America: Mourning Art in the New Nation. Clinton, New Jersey: The Main Street Press, 1976. Studebaker, Sue. Ohio Samplers, School Girl Embroideries 1803-1850. Warren County Historical Society,l988. Swan, Susan B. A Winterthur Guide to American Needlework. New York: Crown Publishers, 1976. Plain and Fancy: American Women and Their Needlework, 1700-1850. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1977.
M.Finkel ~Daughter.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER