Samplings: XIX

VOLUME X/X

A SELECTED OFFERING OF ANTIQ U E SAMPLERS AND NEEDLEWORK

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M. Finkel ~ Daughter.

AMERICA'S LEADING ANTIQUE SAMPLER & NEEDLEWORK DEALER

936 Pine Street . Philadelphia . Pennsylvania. 19107-6128 215-627-7797. 800-598-7432 . fax 215-627-8199

Please visit us at our website: www.samplings.com

Midweek in New Hampshire Manchester, N.H. August 8 & 9, 2001

Cover Illustration: detail of sampler by Elizabeth Cooke Crittenton, page 1 Copyright Š 2001 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.

Thank you for your interest in our catalogue of antique samplers.

The field of schoolgirl samplers and needlework provides fascinating opportunities to collectors. A sampler acts as a window into the specific history of a young girl, her family, a teacher, a town, a region and a tradition, and as such provide us with unusual insight. It goes without saying that samplers, from a simple marking piece to an elaborate scene, are also extremely visually appealing. They provide graphic needleworked pictures, each with a remarkable texture and individuality.

Each of our samplers has been fully researched and documented; it is well-known that we both conduct ourselves and have others engage in intensive genealogical research and often achieve important results.

When we describe a sampler or silk embroidery, we frequently refer to a number of fine books that have been written in this field. A selected bibliography is included at the end of the catalogue and is updated regularly. If any of these books prove difficult to procure, let us know and perhaps we can assist in locating them. We also include a description page about our conservation method and encourage you to call us with any questions in this area.

The yea r 2001 marks the 54th year anniversary of the founding of our firm, a fact of which we are quite proud . We like to think that our positive relationship with clients, many of whom are now second generation, is because of our commitment to customer service. Buying antiques should be based in large meas ure 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.

We urge you to contact us if one or more of our samplers is of interest to you. Should your choice be unavailable, we suggest that you discuss your collecting objectives with any one of us. Our inventory is extensive, and we have many items not included in our catalogue. Moreover, through our sources, we may be able to locate the sampler that you are looking for; you will find us knowledgable and helpful.

Payment may be made by check, VISA, Mastercard, or American Express, and we ask for payment with your order. Pennsylvania residents shQuld add 6% sales tax. All items are sold with a five day return privilege. Expert packing is included: shipping and insurance cost are extra. We prefer to ship via UPS second day air or Federal Express, insured.

We look forward to your phone calls and your interest.

Amy Finkel Morris Finkel Mary Mills mailbox@samplings.com 800-598-7432 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 for more information.

AI\! ERI C A ' s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel eJ Daughter.

ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF CONTENTS Anti-Slavery needlework, American, circa 1850 .................................................................... page Frances Atkinson, Louth, England, 1841 .............................................................................. page Kezia Baseley, England, 1734 ................................................................................................ page Beadwork picture, probably English, circa 1820 .................................................................. page Elizabeth Bellamy, Map of England, B. Moore's School, Exeter, England, 1789 ................ page Mary Bihl, New York State, 1826 .......................................................................................... page Eliza Blair, Philadelphia, 1831 ..............................................................................................page Sarah Bowman, Ephrata, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1816 ........................................ page Fanny Brooksbank, England, 1826 ........................................................................................ page Mary Brown, Providence, Rhode Island, 1812 ...................................................................... page Mary Bullard, Sherburne, Massachusetts, 1834 .................................................................... page Lydia Clark, Mendon, Massachusetts, 1832 ............ ............ ..................................................page Eunice Conant, Ipswich, Massachusetts, dated August 1838 .............................................. page Jane Jubilee Cox, American, 1820 .......................................................................................... page Jane Crisp, England, 1785 ...................................................................................................... page Elizabeth Cooke Crittenton, Wethersfield, Connecticut,1818 ............ .................................. page Elizabeth Day, England, 1840 .............................................................................................. ..page Charlotte Deming, New Haven and Wethersfield, Conn., January 1st, 1818 ...................... page Folwell school, silk embroidery, Philadelphia, circa 1805 .................................................... page Mary Gardner, North Kingston, Rhode Island, 1763 ............................................................ page Martha F. Geddes, Newville, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 1825 .............................. page Hagar and Ishmael, canvaswork picture, England, circa 1680 ............................................ page Mary Ann Harvey, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1810 ...................................................... page Mary D. Herring, Malden, Massachusetts, 1803 .................................................................... page Eleanor Jones, England, 1843 ................................................................................................ page Josephine Lippincott, Burlington County, New Jersey, 1830 .............................................. page Penelope Ann Calpine Martin, Portland, Maine, 1830 .......................................................... page Sarah A. McKeen, Deering, New Hampshire, 1834 .............................................................. page Roxalana Metcalf, Brattleboro, Vermont, circa 1815-1820 .................................................. page Miniature sampler, England, 1798 ........................................................................................ page Miss C. Moleux, Ursuline Academy, Brown County, Ohio, July 1850 .................................. page Judith Morse, Boscawen, New Hampshire, 1819 .................................................................. page Lucy Nichols, New England, 1800 ....................................................................................... .page Pair of child's shoes, American or English, circa 1840 ........................................................ page Betsy Parkhurst, Chelmsford, Massachusetts, 1819 .............................................................. page Maria Magdalene Pearson, Pennsylvania, circa 1823 ............................................................ page Elizabeth Pratt, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1823 .......................................................... page Mary Cook Saltonstall, Haverhill, Massachusetts, 1790 ...................................................... page Elizabeth W. Stearn, New England, 1838 .............................................................................. page Susanna B. Tillson, Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1817 ............................................................ page Elizabeth Tracy, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1824 .......................................................... page Betsy Troutner, American, 1814 ............................................................................................ page Louisa Martha Vanlaw, Belmont County, Ohio, 1834 ................................. ......................... page

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

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AI\IERJcA¡s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Elizabeth Cooke Crittenton, Wethersfield, Connecticut, 1818

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A sampler of ambitious design and perfect execution served as an advertisement of a young lady's education and skill. We are extremely pleased to offer this important piece, the tangible evidence of the values and talents of the samplermaker, Elizabeth Cooke Crittenton, who was 12 years old in 1818. This sampler belongs to one of the most highly sought after groupings of all samplers, well documented by Betty IQng in Vol. I of Girlhood Embroidery beginning on page 224, "a group of exceptional samplers were erea ed in the village of Wethersfield .... It consists of extraordinary appealing pieces portraying scenes and ownscapes that are occasionally embellished with paint and applied paper. Known examples date from 1 04 until about 1821." Elizabeth Cooke Crittenton's sampler is illustrated as figure 262 in Girlhood Embroidery and is a fine and classic example of its type.

The samplermaker was the daughter of Icabod and Betsey (Loring) Crittenton of Wethersfield, who were married in July of 1801. Betsey Loring's father was Nathaniel Loring, a soldier and a patriot in the Revolutionary War and in 1787 was "very active in putting down Shay's Rebellion" according to the Loring Genealogy published in 1917. Elizabeth was born October 27, 1806, the third of seven children. In 26. she married Chauncy Wright of Hartford.

e sampler is a particularly graceful composition from the swagged garland of flowers, fruit and bows, _'J)ica1 of this Wethersfield group, to the townscape, lake and trees. The large building, with its fine clock tower, was the First Church of Christ in Wethersfield (constructed in 1761-64) and appears on other of these samplers. Small sailing ships and rowboats float on the satin stitched rendition of the Connecticut River.

The sampler was worked in silk and watercolor on linen gauze and is in very good condition with some minor areas of loss to the ground. It has been conservation mounted into a beveled cherry frame with a beaded edge.

Sight size: 16" x 22W'

Price upon request.

AME RICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Fiokel S J)aaaglder.

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Mary Brown, Providence, Rhode Island, 1812 A group of absolutely outstanding Providence, Rhode Island samplers were made in the first two decades of the 19th century. These samplers share strong regional characteristics and display needlework at the peak of its craft. All of the known samplers display the same exquisite strawberry plants, the ovoid enclosure of vines and buds with its unusual textured surround and an inscription in which the year is fully spelled-out. The samplermakers were clearly taught by a highly skilled instructress and it is very possible that she was the renown Providence teacher, Mary Balch, whose teaching career in Providence spanned the years from about 1782 to 1830.

Mary Brown was born on November 12, 1802, the second of nine children of Thomas and Mary (Waterman) Brown. Both the Waterman and Brown families were early prominent Providence families, indeed the Brown family founded the university bearing their name. Mary married Josiah Clifford Gladding in 1822 and she died in 1882.

The sampler is worked in silk on linen and is in very good condition with some very slight loss, conservation mounted into a beveled, birds' -eye maple frame with a black bead, using Tru-vue glass.

Sampler size: 15W'x 10 112" Price: $5800.

M.Finkel e:J Daughter.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

3

Lucy Nichols, New England, 1800 ~arnplers worked onto deep green Iinsey-woolsey are highly sought after by collectors of American schoolgirl needlework. According to Betty Ring in Girlhood Embroidery, Vol. I, page 112, 11A growing preference for samplers worked on a green ground (usually Iinsey-woolsey) became noticeable at the tu m of the century. They appeared in Boston as early as 1788, and later throughout New England .. . they were especially popular in coastal regions from the northern shore of Massachusetts to southern . aine."

I 1 00 eleven-year-old Lucy Nichols worked this sampler, one of the most handsome Iinsey-woolsey examples that we have ever known. Blue, pink and white flowers spring from a latticework basket and a eandering vine of the same forms the border. A satin stitched inner sawtooth border contains the alphabets, verse and inscription. The verse, reads as follows: 11 How Blest The Maid Whom Circling Years Improve Her God The Object Of Her Warmest Love Whose Useful Hours Successive As They Glide The Book The Needle And The Pen Divide Who Sees Her Parents Hear Exult With Joy And The Fond Tear Stands Sparkling In Their Eye 11 • This same sentiment is frequently found on samplers worked in • ewbury and Newburyport, Massachusetts at the end of the 18th and the very beginning of the 19th centuries. For obvious reasons it is one of the most appealing of all classic sampler verses.

Lucy Nichols' sampler combines a stunning visual strength with schoolgirl spontaneity. Worked in silk on Iinsey-woolsey, it is in very good condition with some minor areas of weakness to the ground. It has been conservation mounted and is in a fine figured maple frame. ight size: 16 11 x 16lfz''

Price: $22,000.

..L tE Ri cA · s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel eg Daughter.

4

Lydia Clark, Mendon, Massachusetts, 1832 There is a charming and unusual naivete to this sampler, which was worked by Lydia Clark completed on March 3, 1832 and inscribed "Mendon Mass" (using the traditional, long form of letter "s"). She was from the Worcester County town of Mendon, located 32 miles southwest of Boston, and described in an 1839 geographic gazetteer as a "very pleasant and flourishing town" with a population in 1830 of 3,153. Additionally, the place name of Waterford appears on the sampler; this may have been the name of the village in which she attended school.

Lydia's sampler makes use of strong color against an unusual amount of "white space" and her pictorial images share a more abstracted quality.

Some samplers succeed because of excellence of techniques; this one does so because of its unusual and appealing simplicity.

Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a molded cherry frame.

Sampler size: 16 112'' x 8"

M.Finkel

es Daughter.

Price: $7200.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Hagar and Ishmael, Canvaswork picture, England, circa 1680 Through the 17th and 18th centuries, English needleworkers created an outstanding body of canvas,¡ork pictures and many of the more important examples depicted scenes from the Old Testament. This stunning picture, small and tightly-worked, illustrates the story of Hagar and her son Ishmael and the Angel who pointed the way towards a spring of water thereby saving their lives (Gen. 21).

This is an excellent example of the stylized, angular design of the period, as evidenced by the clouds and costumes as they contrast with the naturalistic foliage. Additionally and of particular note are the handorne 17th century structure with smoke curling out of its chimney, its brick outbuilding as well as the uirky red hose and black shoes sported by the angel. Many canvaswork pictures share very similar .. esigns which were derived from published print sources however this particular example rarely found.

It was worked in the tent stitch throughout, in crewel wool and silk on linen canvas. It is in excellent condition with a few minor lost stitches, conservation mounted into a period style frame.

Price: $14,000.

!ERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel eg Daughter.

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Mary M. Bullard, Sherburne, Massachusetts, 1834 The town of Sherburne, Massachusetts is southwest of Boston by approximately 18 miles and was considered a particularly pleasing village throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. This was the home of Otis and Mary (Pierce) Bullard and their daughter Mary Maria Bullard. Mary's maternal grandfather, Capt. Jonas Pierce of the nearby towns of Weston and East Sudbury was a Revolutionary War soldier who enlisted at age 16 and served throughout the war. Mary Maria Bullard was born on April 23, 1822 and married James A. Loker on November 27, 1839. They had one child, a daughter, Halina Terrissa who was born in 1841 and they resided in the nearby town of Cochituate.

In 1834 at the age of 12, Mary worked this richly colored and carefully designed sampler, featuring a brilliant blue in a precisely rendered long satin stitch for the border. Beautifully worked floral sprays flank the inscription further attesting to the level of skill of the samplermaker. It is a sampler that exhibits the competence of a practised needleworker.

The sampler is in excellent condition, worked in silk on linen and conservation mounted into a black painted frame.

Sampler size: 16" x 17 114''

Price: $7800.

M.Finkel t;:j Daughter.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

7

Penelope Ann Galpine Martin, Portland, Maine, 1830 _""\.: academy for young ladies, run by the Misses Martin, flourished in Portland, Maine between 1804 and and is considered to have been the most prestigious in the state (see Betty Ring, Vol. I, Girlhood Embroidery, pp. 251 -254). Miss Eliza, Miss Catherine and Miss Penelope Martin were the daughters of 111iam and Elizabeth (Calpine) Martin who immigrated to Boston from London in 1783. William Mar-·n. a gentleman from a prominent naval family, was a founder and charter trustee of Bowdoin College - _taine in 1788, among many other achievements. It must have been a natural progression for his :2u<S ters to have founded a female academy.

_c maker of this sampler was William Martin's granddaughter, Penelope Ann Calpine Martin, the CJ.ughter of his son Samuel and his wife Hannah Morrill. Penelope was born June 3, 1820 and it must assumed that when she worked her sampler in 1830 at age 10 she was attending her aunts' renowned --hool. The structured, almost formal nature of this sampler indicates that it was produced under the - elage of a highly skilled teacher of needlework. The borders, alphabets, and verse were accomplished ·ith great control and the pair of horns-of-plenty indicate an obvious aptitude with the needle. This is a nandsome sampler which serves to document the education offered to the young ladies of Maine in the early 19th century.

In 1848, Penelope married Edward Payson of Portland, a graduate of Bowdoin College and a lawyer, 'armer and author who served in the Maine legislature. Her sampler is in excellent condition, worked in -ilk on linen and has been conservation mounted into a figured maple frame.

Sampler size: 17" x 16"

Price: $9800.

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.L\iE RICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel

es Daughter.

8

Elizabeth Tracy, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1824 Samplers made in Chester County, Pennsylvania generally exhibit a level of proficiency that was beyond that of most samplers of the period. The collection of samplers and needlework at the Chester County Historical Society attests to this and documents many regional characteristics including the unusual willow trees and geometric stars that appear on this sampler.

Elizabeth Tracy made this endearing sampler in 1824 when she was only 6 years old ("in the 7th year of her age" generally means that she was in fact only 6 at the time) and included 2 alphabets and a handsome pair of birds flanking a basket of fruit. The needlework is precise and it is in excellent condition, worked in silk on linen, conservation mounted into a cherry frame.

Sampler size: 12" square Price: $3850.

Mary Bihl, New York State, 1826 Mary Bihl finished this delightful sampler at the age of ten on August 8 in 1826, in New York State.

Handwritten family information on the back of the sampler identifies her as Mary Bihl who was born August 6, 1816 and died as Mary Bihl Craig on July 10, 1890. This is a wonderfully worked piece of needlework, resplendent with patterns that include Adam, Eve and the serpent, the moon surrounded by stars, many baskets, flower pots, birds and ladies, all executed in shimmering teal, blue and tan silks on linen. In fine condition, conservation mounted into a maple frame.

Sampler size: 15" x 1T' Price: $2450.

M. Finkel~ Daughter.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

_lary Cook Saltonstall, Haverhill, Massachusetts, 1790 e roots of the Saltonstall fami 1. tap deeply into the history of - ~e town of Haverhill, Massachu·etts. Nathaniel Saltonstall 1639-1694) served as Town Clerk of Haverhill from 1679 to ~ 6. His great-grandson, Dr. . ·athaniel Saltonstall, a promi~.:nt physician, married Anna •bite, also of Haverhill, and -~eir daughter, Mary Cook altonstall, worked this wonder; Jly appealing little sampler in dle town when she was nine :ears old, in the year 1790. Mary . ·as born September 20, 1781, and married John Varnum in October 1806. The Hon. John ·amum, a distinguished Haverhill lawyer and senator and his \'ife Mary were the parents of three sons: John, Nathaniel, and Richard.

Haverhill is a town at the northem edge of Massachusetts that enjoys a reputation for having roduced 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 fru it tree, grassy hills and saw·oothed 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 \'al nut frame with inlay and a gilt liner.

Sampler size: 13"x 10" Price: $6800.

(detail) .\:O.IE RicA·s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

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Eliza Blair, Philadelphia, 1831 This delightful sampler was worked

by Eliza Blair in 1831 and includes neatly ordered alphabets and a very charming scene of houses, trees and animals. The samplermaker initialed her work in the two-handled pot of flowers. Family information which descended with the sampler indicates that Eliza was born on June 28, 1815 to James Blair and Jean (Vicar) of Philadelphia. Her sampler was made when she was 16 years old and four years later she married Colonel John Henry Bringhurst, also of Philadelphia.

The following year their daughter Jean Vicar Bringhurst was born and a photograph of her taken as a young lady accompanies the sampler. Eliza died in 1855 and her sampler descended in the family for many years.

A pleasing combination of strong graphics, varied stitches and appealing colors render this sampler very desirable. It was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition in a black and gold frame.

Sight size: 13" x 14" Price: $4850.

Eleanor Jones, England, 1843 Eleanor Jones offers a plethora of assorted sampler motifs on this large and handsome example with its stunning original architectural frame. The motifs range from the familiar pots, birds and dogs to a fully rigged sailing ship, a depiction rarely found on schoolgirl samplers. It is likely that this piece was worked in a coastal region and that shipbuilding was important to the family of this samplermaker. It was worked in silk on linen and is in very good condition with minor losses to the threads. It has been conservation mounted.

Overall size: 29W' x 25 112'' Sampler size: 18" x 17" Price: $3650.

M. Finkel~ Daughter.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

_lacy Ann Harvey, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1810

Samplers worked in Chester County, Pennsylvania are considered among the finest in the middle Atlantic states and have been well documented in an article by Betty Ring entitled "Samplers and Pictoral. eedlework at the Chester County Historical Society," The Magazine Antiques, Dec., 1984. The sam,.. ers from this area were frequently worked with extremely delicacy and were frequently accomplished to almost impossibly fine linen . .:: ch was the case with the large outstanding sampler, worked by Mary Ann Harvey when she was only 8 . cars old at the Center School of Chester County in 1810. This sampler successfully combines verse and ascription with pictorial elements and a lovely center cartouche (the leafy surround to the center .erse), all encased within a handsome 3-sided border. Many design characteristics distinctive to Chester County appear on this sampler, one of the most interesting being the listing of names of grandparents, arents and siblings directly on the sampler. This regional tradition evolved a step further when black :hread was used to work the names of relatives who were deceased at that time. Mary Ann Harvey's -:1randfather, William Harvey and her father Thomas Harvey had, in fact, died by 1810 . . .,

Ann's family, on both sides had lived in Chester County, Pennsylvania and nearby Delaware for generations and belonged to Quaker Monthly Meetings. The Hollingsworth side of the family :1 luded prominent early Quakers in the area and Valentine Hollingsworth, their immigrant ancestor . as a member of the first Assembly of the Province of Pennsylvania in 1682-83 and a signer of Penn's Great Charter. Rachel Hollingsworth and Thomas Harvey married at the Kennett Meeting in 1802 and .1ary Ann was born nearby in 1802. She later married Robert Poole and her sampler descended in the fami ly for many years. ~Y

This is a piece that is impressive in many regards: aesthetics, scale, technique, and provenance. It was ¡orked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition with one minor area of loss (along the uppermost edge) and has been conservation mounted into a fine wide figured cherry frame with a black bead.

Sampler size: 17" x 18"

Price: $16,500.

\.!ERICA' S LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel e:g Daughter.

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Miss C. Moleux, Ursuline Academy, Brown County, Ohio, July 1850 Ohio samplers exist in far fewer numbers than those from its neighboring state of Pennsylvania. Fortunately, however, intensive research has documented many fascinating Ohio examples as evidenced by Sue Studebaker in Ohio Samplers: School Embroideries 1803-1850. This is a wonderfully stylish sampler from the end of this period, worked at the Ursuline Academy of Brown County, Ohio, a school which was previously unknown within the field of sampler research. Brown County is along the southern border of the state and it was near the remote village of St. Martin, east of Cincinnati, that the Ursuline Academy, a Catholic girls' school, opened in 1845. A 1930 book entitled The Cross in the Wilderness A Biography of Pioneer Ohio by Sister Monica Maginnis provides a picturesque account of the early days of this school which seems to have been an integral part of the culture of the Catholic community of the area. The school's archives provided the 1850 school enrollment records which identified Celia Moleux as the maker of this sampler. She was one of the 49 students who attended the Academy that year.

The design for this sampler was one of the Berlinwork patterns, which were very much in vogue in the 1850's. The many small budding flower branches provide a border-like arrangement and further interest. It was worked in wool on linen and is in excellent condition with some very minor holes to the linen, conservation mounted, and its original beveled mahogany veneer frame.

Sight size: 17" x 13 1h'' Price: $11,000.

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

AMERICA ' s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Pair of Child's Shoes, American or English, circa 1840 We were extremely pleased to have had the opportunity to purchase these rare little needleworked treasures, a pair of tiny Irish-stitched children's shoes. They measure only 5" from toe to heel and have fine leather soles, silk edging and laces. They were fashioned from merino yarn, the soft angora-like wool that became popular in the 1830's through 1850's. These may have been worked as a type of presentation baby gift as their exquisite nature precluded practicality.

Price: $2200 for the pair.

Anti-Slavery Needlework, American, circa 1850 We are quite pleased to offer this exceptional needlework picture which is typical of the needlework that was produced by the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society between 1836 and 1861. This society, of predominantly Quaker origin, held anti-slavery fairs every December for 26 years to raise money and conciousness for their humanitarian cause. At these fairs various handmade objects were sold, many of them sewn or needleworked.

This outstanding piece was made as a decorative pot holder with the clever inscription "Any Holder but a Slaveholder." The dancing figures were worked in' thick polychromed woolen yarns and have a wonderfully illustrative quality.

The rarity of this needlework pic~ure combined with its visual appeal produce a particularly desirable piece of mid19th century needlework.

Merino wool worked onto linen canvas in a penelope weave, conservation mounted into a late 19th century frame.

Size of the piece: 6" x 6W' Price: $3200.

AM ERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel es Daughter.

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Headwork Picture, probably English, circa 1820 Beginning in the 17th century needleworkers have incorporated minute beads into their samplers and embroidered pictures, however it is far more common to find beads used to highlight an area than to create the entire image. Thousands of tiny richly-colored beads were sewn to the background fabric to form a stylish ribbed vase exploding with blossoms, greens, and fruit. The subtle shading of the beads provides a wonderfully rich quality and the effect is quite charming.

Size of the needlework: 11 W' x 8W' Price: $2200.

Roxalana Metcalf, Brattleboro, Vermont, c. 1815-1820 Marking samplers, frequently consisting of little more than alphabets and an occasional verse, were generally a young girl's first lesson in samplermaking. This charming little example was worked in southern Vermont by Roxalana Metcalf of the town of Brattleboro. She was born on October 22, 1809 to Silas and Deidamia (Blanding) Metcalf and would have worked this sampler between 1815 and 1820. Roxalana later married Croyden Ware and their children, Loammi, Jonas and Horatio were born in Brattleboro between 1838 and 1842.

The verse along the bottom remains unfinished (perhaps Roxalana was unwilling to "quit childish play"?) and the sampler is in very good condition with some minor holes.

Worked in silk on linen, it has been conservation mounted into a burl frame.

Sampler size: 7W' x 9"

Price: $975.

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

A HRicA ¡ s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

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Sarah A. McKeen, Deering, New Hampshire, 1834 This is a fine sampler with great pictorial interest along with a family record and verse. The piece docu:nents the births of the McKeen family members from 1781 to 1821; at the time of the 1820 census, the _k Keen's were living in Deering, New Hampshire, a small town in Hillsborough County, 23 miles southwest of Concord. The highly desirable house and garden scene, worked in olive green, cream, ooids and teal, includes a lawn with a house flanked by trees and flowers on either side with a wonderful ¡ order with fat strawberries and leaves with tendrils. The inscription reads, "Wrought by Sarah A. McKeen 1834" and the verse, which is found traditionally on early 19th century samplers, reads: "Jesus Permit thy gracious name to stand I As the first effort of a female's hand And while her fingers o'er this canvass mov I Engage her tender heart to seek thy love."

This sampler is worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a figured cherry beveled frame with a black bead. ampler size: 161/z" square

Price: $14,500.

.\ 1 ERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER A ND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

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Elizabeth W. Steam, New England, 1838 This sampler records an unusual and wonderfully appealing verse: "In books or work or work or healthful play I May my first years be past I That I may give for every day /some good account at last." The pair of willow trees flank a charming potted flowering bush with blue birds and the Queen's stitch strawberry border is caught with a tiny bowknot at the center of the bottom.

It is signed "wrought by Elizabeth W. Stearn Aged 11 the 8 of december 1838" and was worked in silk on linen. The sampler is in overall excellent condition, with some slight running to the color along the upper border.

It has been conservation mounted into a beveled cherry veneer frame with a maple bead.

Sight size: 16W' square Price: $2450.

Elizabeth Day, England, 1840 Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden have been an important subject for needleworkers and embroiderers for many centuries and a favorite of English schoolgirl samplermakers for almost as long. This sampler, worked by 12-year old Elizabeth Day includes a charming scene of Adam and Eve with a long, striped serpent and a lengthy verse from Genesis III. Gt~

The needlework indicates considerable aptitude on the part of young Elizabeth, and the flawlessly rendered verse combines well with Adam and Eve, as well as the assorted birds and potted plants.

The sampler was worked in silk on wool and is in very good condition with some very minor areas of loss. It has been conservation mounted into its original beveled black painted frame with a gilt liner.

Sampler size: 14112'' x 12" Price: $2450.

M. Finkel~ Daughter.

111

And tht woman ~aid unto tht >trptnt, Wt may tu of tht fruit of tht trtt~ of tht gardtn• "" • •• • .. • Bus. of tht fr~it of tht trtt which i$ in tht mtdGt of 1-ht gordtn,God huh ~atd.

Y t &ht.U not tM of it nrithtrlha.ll yt tou. ch,t..lrtt ytdlt. ~ And tht Grrpru Sa.td unto thr woman.

Yr Sha.!l not surtlyd.lr,for God doth kn. ow in tnt day yr ru thtrror. thtn yoiU' tyos Ghlll.bt o-prntd.a ncl yt Ghall.bt

•ha•

H god;.l<nowing good and rvil

*'>'~·. ,.El"',~·

D•Y"'.,"'"""I-"'t.""

Work Agtd 12 YtarS IB+.D

AMERICA ' s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Sarah Bowman, Ephrata, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania, 1816 The Pennsylvania Germans of southeastern Pennsylvania, particularly Lancaster County, generally retained the use of their German language and culture for many generations. It is likely that our samlerrnaker, Sarah Bowman, was from such a family, as her sampler reveals a striking lack of familiarity ,¡ith the English language. The inscription reads as follows: arah Bowman is my name ephrata is my station, amarica is my dwelling placn, Christ shall be my sal¡ation, the rosees are rad the !eves are green, the days are past which i haw seen, and when i am dead and in my grave and all my bones are rotten the lord remember my dear soul at least i be for gotten, arah Bauman" arah bauman was dorn in the year 1812 of aur lord Ganweary the 18, this sampler she seaet in the yer l 16, Susannah Bauman, Lebeth Bauman, Guly Anah Bauman, Mary Bauman" arah was born January 18, 1801 in the Lancaster County town of Ephrata to Jacob and Elizabeth (Baer) Bauman. As of 1816, her sisters were Susannah, Elizabeth, Juliana and Mary. She was a descendent of John Bauman (1703-1771) and the Bauman!Bowman family were highly successful printers, papermakers and tavernkeepers in this prosperous Pennsylvania town. Sarah married John Bollinger and died December 9, 1878 and is buried in Bowman's Cemetery in Ephrata. ~arah 's sampler is very appealing; a lovely wide border of open-blossomed flowers surrounds the inscriptions. Red and tan silk cording was carefully couched down to the linen and provides compartment and orders for the inscription. This is a striking example which combines the Anglo-American tradition of samplermaking with the Pennsylvania German culture of Lancaster County.

The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted with its original curly maple and cherry cornerblock frame. ampler size: 14W1 x 17W1

!E RICA ' s LEADING sAMPLER A

Price: $12,500.

D

E E DLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel e:9 Daughter.

17

18

Fanny Brooksbank, England, 1826 English schoolgirls worked many samplers in the first decades of the 19th century but few with as many appealing pictorial images as we find in this example. Worked by Fanny Brooksbank and completed on June 16, 1826, the sampler features Adam and Eve (Gen 3, 6), a castle tower with many birds upon it, and various birds, plants, and baskets of fruit. The verse was worked without spaces between the words, which most likely indicated that the samplemaker was, in fact, not able to read but was merely copying her assigned inscription. She may have been the Fanny Brooksbank whose christening was recorded on March 15, 1812 in the village of Newburn, Northumberland, England, the daughter of Abraham and Ann (Higgenbottom) Brooksbank.

The sampler is worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition with some very minor areas of loss, conservation mounted into a later paint decorated frame.

Sampler size: 20 1411 x 15W' Price: $2300.

Frances Atkinson, Louth, England, 1841 This is a handsome and carefully wrought English sampler worked by Frances Atkinson in the small town of Louth, in Lincolnshire in the Lud Valley. We rarely find samplers worked with as much precision as was evidenced by this samplermaker; the four alphabets and three-couplet verse were accomplished with letter-perfect stitches. The choice of verse is also quite fortunate and the narrow green silk ribbon edges the sampler beautifully.

It was worked in silk on wool and is in excel-

lent condition, conservation mounted into a later 19th century paint decorated frame .

Sampler size: 9" x 8" Price: $1200.

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

A . HRICA ' s LEA D I

G sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

19

Elizabeth Pratt, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1823 In the 1820's and 30's a proclivity for working large, handsome pictorial samplers, with flowers, birds, baskets and stars, developed in Chester County. Many of these samplers feature lustrous lawns with grazing sheep, listings of the needleworker's family members and an elaborate cartouche encircling the verse which typically begins "This work perhaps my friend may have." Elizabeth Pratt's sampler fits squarely into this Chester County tradition and is an interesting comparison to another of this group, worked by Ann Vodges also in 1823. Ann's sampler was part of the Kapnek collection, published in both A Callery of American Samplers by Glee Krueger and Arts and Crafts of Chester County by Margaret Schiffer. These two samplers appear to have been worked side-by-side, quite obviously under the instruction of the arne teacher as they share all salient features.

The samplermaker was born July 31, 1807, to Joseph and Sarah (Hoopes) Pratt of East Bradford Township; the names of her parents, grandparents and siblings are listed on her sampler. Elizabeth married Eusebius Townsend (1780-1863), a farmer and prominent citizen of East Bradford, on March 19, 1829 and they became parents of nine children. Elizabeth Pratt Townsend died November 18, 1894, in West Chester. A substantial file of family information accompanies this sampler.

The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in very good condition with some slight loss to the lawn area, conservation mounted into a mahogany corner-block frame. ampler size: 20 1/4" x 21" Price: $6800.

AMERICA'S LEA D ING SAMPLER A

D

EEDLEWORK DEALER

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

20

Eunice C. Conant, Ipswich, Massachusetts, dated August 1838 This sampler is one of the most visually appealing and beautifully made examples that we have been fortunate enough to find in quite some time. It features outstanding needlework throughout indicating the advanced level of ability of the samplermaker. The tight control of the border formed of satin-stitched hearts, the naturalistic flowering branches and the precise alphabets are particularly notable. The sampler is signed "Eunice C. Conant Aged 13 yrs Ipswich Mass August 1838."

According to A History and Genealogy of the Conant Family in England and America 1520 -1887, Eunice Conant's family was in America as early as 1520. She was born in Ipswich, which was a fine small town 26 miles northeast of Boston, on May 10, 1825, the youngest child of William and Elizabeth (Foster) Conant. In 1847 Eunice married Daniel H. Jackson a cordwainer (shoemaker, or one who works with leather) from the nearby town of Rowley.

This example has all the features of a highly desirable sampler: good color and design, excellent workmanship and sound provenance. It is in excellent condition, was worked in silk on linen, and has been conservation mounted into a beveled cherry frame with a maple bead.

Sight size: 16" x 17"

Price: $11,000.

M.Finkel e:J Daughter.

A . fERio. s L E A DI

G s A MPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

During the 18th century, English schoolteachers occasionally combined their lessons in Biblical verse with those of needlework and their efforts produced some wonderfully refined moralistic samplers.

These two small pieces are excellent examples of this genre.

Miniature sampler, England, 1798 This is an unusual little sampler which was designed and executed in an oval format, with meticulous stitching to the lettering as well as to the narrow bands and borders.

It was worked in silk on wool and is in excellent, in a 19th century gold frame with a reverse painted glass mat.

Size of the oval: 4"x 5" Framed size: 7W' x 8114'' Price: $2450.

Kezia Baseley, England, 1734 The maker of this early little sampler inscribed her work "Kezia Baseley 1734" and was most likely the girl of the same name born on March 29, 1722 to Thomas and Jane Baseley of the village of Priors Marston in Warwickshire, England. Her sampler features Psalm 100 as follows: "0 Be Joyful In the Lord/ all ye lands serve the/ Lord with Gladness/ and c orne before his Presence with a song." tylized hearts and crowns provide further decoration and it was all worked with characteristic precision. Silk on linen, excellent condition, conservation mounted into a black painted frame. ampler size: 81h'' x 6W'

Price: $ 2600.

:\M ERICA's LEADING s AM P LE R A:-ID :-lEEDLEWO RK DEALER

M. Finkel & Daughter.

21

22

Mary Gardner, North Kingston, Rhode Island, 1763 Colonial American samplers are quite scarce; this example was worked by Mary Gardner of North Kingston, whose ancestor George Gardner is considered to be amongst the first settlers of Rhode Island, having come from England as early as 1638. Mary was born on January 11, 1753, the last of six children born to Caleb and Isabella (Sherman) who were married in 1734. Mary's second husband, Hon. Elisha Reynolds Potter of Kingston, was elected in 1796 as representative to the Fourth Congress of the U.S. and was also elected to Congress in 1808, 1810 and 1812 and served as a longtime member of the Rhode Island General Assembly.

This charming little sampler was worked when Mary was 10 years old and exhibits the traditional inscriptions as follows,"Mary Gardner Is My Name And England Is My Nation Northkingstown Is My Dwelling Place and Christ Is My Salvation/When This You Se Remember Me." The needlework is tight and fine and the flower and vine motif is crisply defined.

Worked in silk onto linen, the sampler is in good condition with some loss. It has been conservation mounted into an early frame.

Sight size: 10" x 8"

Price: $3900.

Mary D. Herring, Malden, Massachusetts, 1803 Many samplers feature verse or poems that are religious or morbid in nature, but this delightful example features one of the more appealing of all documented inscriptions: "This Needle Work of Mine doth Tell I When I was Young I learned well I And by my Parents I was taught I Not to Spend my Time for naught." The sampler was made by Mary D. Herring in the town of Malden in Middlesex County, Massachusetts about 5 miles north of Boston. Dated 1803, the sampler includes a wonderful little scene with evergreen trees, oversized tulips and miniature dogs and birds.

Worked in silk on linen it has been conservation mounted and is in excellent condition. It is in a black painted and molded frame. ampler size: 16" x 12"

M. Finkel ~ Daughter.

Price: $3800.

Louisa Martha Vanlaw, Belmont County, Ohio, 1834 Ohio samplers exist in far fewer numbers than those from its neighboring state of Pennsylvania, and documented examples will be the subject of a forthcoming book by Ohio sampler scholar, Sue tudebaker, entitled Ohio is My Dwelling Place. This will accompany an exhibition of Ohio samplers at Ohio Decorative Arts Center in Lancaster, Ohio in 2003.

We are extremely pleased to be able to offer this important Ohio sampler, which is actually the only documented example fro m Belmont County and which will be il lustrated in Ohio is My Dwelling Place.

Louisa Martha Vanlaw was the fourth of nine children born to John and Sarah (Sharp) Vanlaw, and her birth on April 22, 1818 was recorded in Belmont County. The family belonged to the Stillwater Quaker Meeting and Louisa's sampler exhibits many classic Quaker needlework motifs including the octagonal enclosure of two birds with the epigram, "An Emblem of Love." The two-line inscription, "Count that day lost whose low descending sun! Views from thy hand no worthy actions done" epitomizes the philosophy of Quaker teachings. The handsome two-chimney brick house is flanked by roses and evergreen trees, and the tightly worked fence ends with arched gates at the far left and right.

Louisa married James Doudna of Chesterfield, Ohio on February 23, 1843 and her sampler descended in the family until at least 1949. It was worked in linen on linen and is in very good condition with some minor areas of loss, one of which has been stabilized by an old needlework darn. Conservation mounted with Tru-Vue glass and in a black painted frame.

Sight size: 17'h" x 16 'h"

Price: $18,500.

.H I ERICA 's LEADING sAI\IP LER .\ .\0 '\EEDLE IVORK DEALER

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

23

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Josephine Lippincott, Burlington Co., New Jersey, 1830 Burlington County, New Jersey has long been revered for the excellent schools of sarnplermakering that flourished there throughout the early 19th century. Indeed the finest samplers in the Theodore Kapnek Collection and the John Stephens Collection were early 19th century Burlington County examples. In Volume II of Girlhood Embroidery, Betty Ring covers this group fully in her section entitled "Quaker Samplers of Burlington County," pages 476 - 485. This also includes a discussion of the relationship between the Burlington County samplers and the Westtown Quaker School in Pennsylvania where so many of these teachers were themselves schooled.

We are pleased to offer this praiseworthy example worked by Josephine Lippincott who was the daughter of Caleb and Elizabeth (Scobey) Lippincott and the sister of Stacey and Morgan Lippincott. (The initials of her parents and siblings, "CL, EL, SL, ML" appear above the second verse.)

Josephine's ancestors were members of the Lippincott, Scobey and Shinn families of Burlington County with members settling the area in the mid to late 17th century.

Because of the prominence of the families our research efforts were quite fruitful and the sampler is accompanied by a thick file which includes copies of the wills of Josephine's parents, a household inventory and copies of family trees and published genealogies.

The sampler features many notable Quaker designs and motifs such as the pairs of birds, baskets of apples and sprays of flowers . The depiction of the building is most unusual: it is a rarely seen side view of the Westtown Quaker School, which was built in 1799 and was considered the most important Quaker institution in the area. In addition to these attributes, this samplermaker worked some wonderful little details such as the black dogs and fat birds perched on the building and the tiny potted trees in the lower corners.

The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition with one very minor area of loss to the linen. It has been conservation mounted into a fine beveled cherry veneer frame with a black bead.

Sampler size: 19" x 18" Price: $14,500.

M. Finkel ~ Daughter.

Susanna B. Tillson, Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1817

There is much to recommend in regard to this sampler which belongs to a grouping worked in Plymouth, Massachusetts between 1813 and 1845. Mary Jaene Edmonds in Samplers and Samplermakers: An American Schoolgirl Art 1700 - 1850 discusses these samplers on pages 60 to 64 and calls attention to some of the regional characteristics of this group which are evident on our Tillson sampler.

Most notable are the large graphic Quaker alphabet and the row of ligatures which Mrs. Edmonds describes as "characters consisting of two or more letters united in the manner of printing type ... appear on at least five of the known existing needlework samplers completed in Plymouth between 1813 and 1825." Susanna's sampler also features a wonderfully delicate border of blossoms and buds and vines.

The inscription reads "Let virtue be a guide to thee. Performed! by Susanna B.Tillson Aged 10 1817," however the needlework which forms the year was rendered less legible sometime after the sampler was made. This was not an uncommon occurrence which is widely assumed to have been the result of the samplermaker's wish to conceal her age later in life.

Genealogical research has confirmed that Susanna Bradford Tillson was born January 20, 1807 to Hamblin and Susanna (Bradford) Tillson, who had been married in the nearby town of Plympton in 1803, according to The Tilson Genealogy 1683 to 1911 by Mercer V. Tilson. The emmigrant ancester of this branch of the family was Edmund Tilson, who arrived at Plymouth in 1683 and was involved in the affairs of the Colony. Susanna married Corban Barnes, also of Plymouth and their only child, a daughter Susan Barnes, was born in 1834.

The sampler is in excellent condition, worked in silk on linen, mounted into a black painted and molded frame.

Sampler size: 14W' x 12"

Price: $7200.

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Map of England, Elizabeth Bellamy at B. Moore's School, Exeter, England, 1789 Map samplers were worked by English schoolgirls in the last two decades of the 18th century, and functioned both as a tool for learning geography and as a format for exhibiting one's skills in the needle arts.

This sampler by Elizabeth Bellamy, dated 1789, is a fine example with the names of geographic locations, oceans and seas meticulously worked in black and red cross-stitch. It has the further advantage that the name and location of the school are named on the sampler; Exeter is in southwest England.

Worked in silk on wool, it is in very good condition with some minor areas of loss and some slight discoloration to the wool. It has been conservation mounted into a figured maple frame .

Sampler size: 15 112" x 12W' Price: $2850.

Betsey Troutner, American, 1814 There is a very appealing nature to this piece, a sill).ply designed and carefully executed sampler signed "Betsey Troutner's sampler wrought AD 1814." Striped birds and baskets of potted flowers decorate the bottom, and the overall palette, predominately blues and teal, adds to its charm.

Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a beveled maple frame with gilt liner.

Sampler size: 17" x 13" Price: $1850.

Folwell School Silk Embroidery, Philadelphia, circa 1805 From the last years of the 18th century through the first years of the 19th century a lar~c- :..:- _ ..--.---.-""' group of neoclassical silk embroideries was produced in Philadelphia under the auspices : regarded schoolteacher, Elizabeth Folwell. These needleworked and watercolored pictures s takable characteristics that have been documented by scholars and researchers within the fie ;:, _ privilege to be able to offer this splendid example, a small silk embroidered picture which fea-urc.5 of the classic Folwell school hallmarks, while offering a more appealing, less formulaic design - many.

Elizabeth Folwell's husband, Samuel Folwell (1764-1813) was a professional artist and miniature pain er who provided the drawn patterns and painted elements for the silk embroideries produced at the school.

It is clearly his hand that was responsible for the painted face, hair, head and arms of the young shepherdess of this silk embroidered picture. An anonymous pupil worked the cottage, sheep, trees, bird and landscape with obvious skill. Details such as the brickwork and mullions of the of the cottage, the french-knotted coat of the sheep and the assorted flowers strewn across the lawn provide further appeal to the foreground, while a colored lake with tiny rowboat appears in the background. It is an unusually charming subject.

Worked in silk and watercolor in silk, it is in excellent condition with a later black eglomise glass mat and 19th century gold leaf frame.

Sight size: 8" x 10" Framed size: 13" x 15" Price: $9800.

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Jane Crisp, Yorkshire, England, 1785 In 1785 and at the very young age of 9, Jane Crisp worked this intricate sampler crowded with alphabets, religious verse and inscription. She states on it, "Jane Crisp Daughter of John and Eunice I Crisp sister to Ann Crisp Worked trhis in the 9 year of her Age at Ann I Newham School 1785." We were fortunate through genealogical sleuthing to confirm that Jane was christened on December 27, 1776 in Great Ayton, Yorkshire and that her sister had been christened there in May of 1774.

Jane's teacher, Ann Newham, was likely to have learned her own samplermaking many years earlier as this sampler resembles examples from the middle of the 18th century. The work is quite tight and fine with motifs such as hearts, crowns, and birds filling in as line-end designs and a fine, intricate horizontal band decorating the top of the sampler. The alphabets begin on a small scale and a cautionary epigram, "All Honour is Vain And Pride brings Shame" appears between the first and second lines. Overall it is an impressive example of English schoolgirl needlework. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition with some very minor areas of loss, and has been conservation mounted. It is in its fine original burl veneer frame.

Price: $3900.

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

A . IERicA¡s LEA DI

G sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

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Martha F. Geddes, Newville, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 1825 Cumberland County is in southern central Pennsylvania and it was in the small village of Newville that this samplermaker, Martha Finley Geddes, worked her sampler and lived her life. Martha was born on March 27, 1808 to Dr. John and Elizabeth (Pebbles) Geddes of Newville. The Geddes family had immigrated in the middle of the 18th century from Antrim, Ireland and settled in Newville where Martha and her seven siblings were born. Martha did not marry and resided with her niece Elizabeth Geddes Diller near Newville. She died on her 89th birthday and was buried in the Presbyterian graveyard along with many family members. An extensive file of genealogical research and family papers accompanies this sampler.

A fine example of Pennsylvania design and workmanship, this sampler presents a most interesting technique: the rich green lawn was formed from chenille threads which were couched down to the linen. They provide the base for many little flowers as well as the baskets and the graceful willow tree. The alphabets and verse are of an unusually tight scale and the rose and strawberry borders form an excellent framework.

Worked in silk and chenille on linen, the sampler is in very good condition and has been conservation mounted into a birds' -eye maple frame.

Sampler size: l6 1N'x 17"

Price: 8200.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER A;'\' D . EEDLEWO RK DEALER

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

30

Judith Morse, Boscawen, New Hampshire, 1819 This is an endearing sampler, worked in a vertical format, featuring a delightful little flower basket and the following very appealing verse: "Be You to others I kind and true I As you would I have others be to I you But neither I do nor say to men I What you woul I d not take again" Judith Morse was aged 9 when she worked this sampler in the Canterbury region of southern New Hampshire. She was born May 28, 1810 to Joshua and Phebe (Farnum) Morse of the town of Boscawen, whose families went back for many generations in the an~a. Judith did not marry and died there in 1894. This sampler descended for many years in the family and is accompanied by a file of family information.

Some of the finest samplers in New England were worked in the towns near Canterbury and it is obvious that young Judith was studying under one of the talented schoolmistresses in the region. It is in excellent condition and was worked in silk on linen; it has been conservation mounted into a fine cherry beveled frame with a black bead.

Sampler size: 171N' x 8" Price: $4200.

M.Finkel eg Daughter. . \~IERJcA ¡ s

LEADIN G sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

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Maria Magdalene Pearson, Pennsylvania, c. 1825 This richly-colored charming little sampler clearly indicates the influence exerted by teachers of the Quaker style of samplermaking. The pictorial motifs and the lettering used for the verse can be traced back to the first years of the 19th century when the Westtown School in Chester County, Pennsylvania educated many girls who then became teachers themselves.

This sampler dates circa 1828 and is signed by its maker, Maria Magdalene Pearson. The palette is very appealing and the needlework beautifully executed. Worked in silk on linen it is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a molded cherry frame.

Sampler size: 9" x 8 1/ / '

Price: $1850.

Jane Jubilee Cox, American, 1820 This simple and endearing sampler was finished on May 30th 1820 and is signed by its maker, Jane Jubilee Cox. The central alphabet was worked in an unusual fashion, with paired upper and lower case letters and, along with the verse and the motifs, provides a charming format. It descended in Troy, New York and is likely to have been worked in that area.

Worked in deep blue silk on beige linen, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a 19th century black painted and beveled frame.

Sampler size: 13W' x 91h'' Price: $1850.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER A

D NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkellf:) Daughter.

32

Charlotte Deming, New Haven and Wethersfield, Connecticut, dated January 1st, 1818 We are pleased to be able to offer this superb sampler, an excellent example which was made, no doubt, at one of the very exacting schools of needlework in the Wethersfield, Connecticut area. Charlotte Deming, the samplermaker, was only ten years old when she worked this sampler, a Family Record, with a stunning satin-stitched display of rose blossoms and branches at the top.

The needlework is of excellent quality throughout with drawn-work around the border and very delicately rendered crowns worked along the bottom. Charlotte Deming was the daughter of Capt. Lemuel and Clarissa (Thompson) Deming. The Deming family was in Wethersfield as early as 1641, when John Deming married Honor Treat and began the Deming family, which contributed many prominent citizens to this area, known as the Connecticut Valley. Charlotte 1S grandfather, also Capt. Lemuel Deming, was the master of the Sloop Ann; he is credited with helping the cause of the Revolutionary War in 1776 when he transported troops from Wethersfield to New York. The family history is documented in The Genealogy of the Descendants of John Deming ofWethersfield, published in 1904. Our samplermaker 1s parents moved from Wethersfield to New Haven where Charlotte was born on October 18, 1808. She married George Gabriel and died in 1889.

This sampler was worked in silk on linen, and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted in a cornerblock cherry frame.

Sampler size: 17114'1 X 141J2'1 Price: $16,500.

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

A !ERICA ' s LEA DING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Betsy Parkhurst, Chelmsford, Massachusetts, 1819

Family register or genealogical samplers served a purpose not unlike the family Bible; they recorded and preserved information regarding the cohesive family unit, which had taken on a heightened importance in the early years of the new Republic. The DAR Museum in Washington, DC held an important exhibition of Family Record samplers in 1989; the accompanying catalogue recognized the importance of these samplers as documents as well as stating that this form of sampler was, most certainly, an "American invention." Betsy Parkhurst worked this excellent example in 1819 in the small town of Chelmsford in Middlesex County on the Merrimack River.

Betsy documented the births and marriage of her parents and the births of her two brothers. Genealogical research contributes further information: Andrew Parkhurst, a farmer, married Betsy Buttrick who was from Pelham, New Hampshire. Their daughter, samplermaker Betsy Parkhurst, married Ephraim Spaulding on March 15, 1837 and they lived in Cavendish, Vermont.

Betsy was 18 years old when she worked this, a large sampler which showcased her talents and revealed her expertise in the needle arts. The vase of flowers, the stunning side borders and the charming !attice-worked basket with its nearby birds were all worked with grace and precision. The effect is quite lovely.

It is in excellent condition with one very minor area of weakness to the linen, silk on linen, conserva-

tion mounted into a beveled curly maple frame.

Sampler size: 21" x 16 1N'

Price: $7600.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER A

D

EEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel e':j Daughter.

33

Conservation Mounting Of Antique Samplers and Needlework Because of the important role that condition plays in the field of antique samplers and needlework, we strive to insure that these pieces undergo proper preservation while in our care. Below is a step-bystep description of the "conservation mounting" process. Our techniques are simple and straightforward; we remove the dust and dirt particles mechanically, never wet-cleaning the textiles. We use only acid-free materials and museum-approved techniques throughout the process. Please call us if you have any questions in this regard.

0

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 correct antique manner.

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When necessary, install true VueÂŽConservation Clear glass which blocks 97% of the harmful Ultra-violet light.

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In 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.

M. Finkel~ Daughter.

.-\.:">!ERICA's LEAD ING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

SELECTED NEEDLEWORK BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen, Gloria Seaman. Family Record Genealogical Watercolors and Needlework.

Washington, DC: DAR Museum, 19 9.

Bolton, Ethel Stanwood and Coe, Eve Johnston. American Samplers.

Boston: The Massachusetts Society of the Colonial Dames of America, 1921.

Brooke, Xanthe. Catalogue of Embroideries.

The Lady Lever Art Gallery. Alan Sutton Publishing Inc., 1992 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 Work Press, 1992.

British Embroidery: Curious Works from the Seventeenth Century.

Colonial Williamsburg and Curious Works Press, 1998.

Herr, Patricia T. The Ornamental Branches, Needlework and Art from the Lititz Moravian Girls' School Between 1800 and 1865.

The Heritage Center Museum of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1996.

Hersh, Tandy and Charles. Samplers of the Pennsylvania Germans.

Birdsboro, PA: Pennsylvania German Society, 1991 Humphrey, Carol. Samplers, Fitzwilliam Museum Handbooks.

Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 1997.

Ivey, Kimberly Smith. In the Neatest Manner: The Making of the Virginia Sampler Tradition.

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New York: E.P. Dutton, 1978.

New England Samplers to 1840 Sturbridge, Mass.: Old Sturbridge Village, 1978.

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New York: E.P. Dutton, 1987.

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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. 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, 1988.

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AMERICA ' s LEADI:\G SA;\IPLER A

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