VOLUME XX/
Sam~lin
s:
A SELECTED OFFERING OF ANTIQUE SAMPLERS AND NEEDLEWORK
est. 1947
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
We apologize for the uneven quality of the images of the samplers and silk embroideries in this catalogue. We will be upgrading to better technology for our fall catalogue and promise great improvement. Please do not hesitate to call and request better photos of any of these pieces.
Please visit our website: www.samplings.com
Cover Illustration: detail of Philadelphia Presentation Sampler by Susan Cornelius, page 1 CopyrightŠ 2002 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
We hope that you ejoy this catalogue, which is our 21st issue; we thank all of you for your continued and growing interest in this field. 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 provides 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 methods and encourage you to call us with any questions in this area. This year marks the 55th year anniversary of the founding of our firm. We continue to value our positive relationship with clients, many of whom are now second generation, and strive to maintain our commitment to customer service. 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. We suggest that you to contact us in a timely fashion 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 fi nd 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 should 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.
www.samplings.com
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.
AMERICA'S LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DE A LER
M.Finkel & Daughter.
ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF CONTENTS A Gentleman and his Falcon, Europe, mid 18th century .............................................. page 19 Apple Tree Family Record, Whitney/Whitcomb family, Massachusetts, circa 1825 ...... page 11 Bead Chain, Sally Avery, West Taghkanic, Columbia County, NY, circa 1828 .............. page 22 Beadwork Barnyard Scene, probably French, circa 1825 .............................................. page 17 Elizabeth Binkly, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1834 .............................................. page 16 The Bland Family Samplers, Westmoreland, England, 1808-1833 ................................ page 24 Helen Campbell, New York, 1800 .................................................................................... page
4
"Charity", Silk Embroidery, New England, circa 1790 .................................................. page 33 Susan Cornelius, Philadelphia Presentation Sampler, 1824 .......................................... page
1
The Crystal Palace, England, dated 1851 ........................................................................ page 28 Margaret Dunn, Houghton le Spring, England, 1835 .................................................... page 20 Cornelia Ensor, Baltimore, Maryland, circa 1849 .......................................................... page 15 Ann Carwell, Pinchbeck Free School, English, dated 1839 ............................................ page 28 Maryann Musk, England, 1827 ........................................................................................ page
6
Sarah Elizabeth Hills, East Hartford, Connecticut, 1836 .............................................. page
2
Sarah Elvira Huntley, Ogden, Monroe Co., New York, 1830 .......................................... page
3
Knitted Drawstring Purse, English, circa 1650-1680 .................................................... page 27 Eliza C. LaHatt, Hagar and Ishmael, probably Vermont, 1817 ...................................... page 18 Elizabeth N. Lamson, Salem, Massachusetts, 1829 ........................................................ page 32 Abigail Lawrence and Anna Lawrence, Leominster, Massachusetts, 1799 .................... page 12 Beulah Lawrie, Burlington County, New Jersey, 1804 .................................................... page
7
Hannah C. Lock, Gloucester, New Jersey, 1830 .............................................................. page 31 Esther Miller, school of Ruth H. Redman, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1824 ...... page 29 Mary Jane Miller, Mary Tidball School, Washington County, Pennsylvania, 1838 ........ page
5
Laura Ann Munroe, Portsmouth, RI or NH, 1833 ........................................................ page 22 Reed/Read Family Record, Townsend, Massachusetts, circa 1828 .................................. page 23 Caroline Scarborough, Buckingham, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1847 .................... page 17 Delilah Sherman, Centerville, Wayne County, Indiana, 1834 ........................................ page 14 MAM to AM, Kidderminster, England, 1839 ............................ .... .................................... page 31 Matilda Snyder, Bloomsburg, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 1836 .......................... page 21 Sarah W. Upton, Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, circa 1828 ................................................ page
9
Maria VanWyk, Dutch Darning Sampler, Holland, 1762 .............................................. page
8
Soledad Villalobos, Mexico, circa 1840 ...................... ................................... ................... page 26 Orissa Willard, Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, 1 15 ..................... ................. page 10 Nancy Williams, Charlton, Massachusetts, 1803 .... ........................................ ................ page 30
Susan Cornelius, Philadelphia Presentation Sampler, 1824
An important group of samplers was worked in Philadelphia between at least 1816 and 1840 and these
pieces remain amongst the most sought after by needlework collectors. Technically, the work accomplished by these schoolgirls is absolutely outstanding and aesthetically their samplers present enormous appeal. Susan Cornelius inscribed her work using the same phrasing found on the other samplers of this group and from which it takes its name: "Respectfully presented to William and Margaret Cornelius by their affectionate daughter Susan Cornelius done in the 12th year of her age 1824." Other Philadelphia presentation samplers are in the collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Cooper-Hewitt Museum; for more information on this group please refer to Betty Ring, Girlhood Embroidery, Vol II, pages 374-377. Susan Cornelius' needlework would have to be considered of the highest quality, even by the standards set by this obviously demanding instructress. Her low basket filled with strawberries, grapes and cherries was beautifully realized and the flowers, borders and verse were rendered with equal care. Additionally, the sampler was laid out in an unusually handsome and balanced composition, allowing all of its elements sufficient space. Research into the genealogy of Susan Cornelius confirmed the marriage of her parents, William Cornelius and Margaret Diess on January 31, 1793 at the German Reformed Church in Philadelphia, which was in the Kensington section of the city. In fact, other Presentation Samplers include the place name of Kensington and it is obvious that this group had a connection to this area. The sampler is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted. It was worked in silk on linen and is now in a 19th century gold leaf frame with Tru-Vue conservation glass. Sampler size: 14W' x 17W'
Price upon request
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M. Finkel es Daughter.
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Sarah Elizabeth Hills, East Hartford, Connecticut, 1836 William Hills, the father of the Hills family in America, emigrated from England in 1632 and settled in New England. Eight generations later Sarah Elizabeth Hills was born in East Hartford, Connecticut on August 20, 1826 to Anson and Pamelia (Andrews) Hills, the third of their seven children. Pamelia was from Glastonbury, where her family had flourished since 1640. Inscribed, "Sarah Elizabeth Hills Aged Ten Years East Hartford Con. 1836," Sarah's sampler includes alphabets, various motifs, wonderful little townscape scenes and three classic sampler verses: In the soft scenes of life When cares are small and few I'll show to others of my age What busy hands can do
As changing seasons bid adieu To childhood ceaseless bliss Lo think how time has chang'd When'er you look on this
These many colored silks their aid impart To improve the child and please Since God has taught my hands this pleasing skill My hands shall be employed to do his will.
This ten year old samplermaker must have taken pride in her accomplishment and we are pleased to offer it. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted in a black molded and painted frame. Sampler size: 17" x 16W'
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
Price: $4800.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Sarah Elvira Huntley, Ogden, Monroe Co., New York, 1830
Ogden, New York is in Monroe County, 13 miles west of Rochester. The town was established in 1802 in this area that had been home to the Seneca Indians and must have remained quite rustic throughout the early decades of the 19th century. It was the Erie Canal, which opened in 1825, that brought progress and prosperity to Ogden and many other small towns of western New York State in the ensuing decades. Erastus George Huntley was one of the founding members of this town, when he, his wife, Betsey Church Huntley, and their four children left the comfort of Colchester, Connecticut for Ogden in 18021803. Six more children were born to them, the last being Sarah Elvira on May 9, 1820. In 1840 the family moved on again and settled in Hartland, Michigan where Sarah married Stanford Murray in 1842; sadly, she died in childbirth one year later. Sarah's sampler reflects the longstanding tradition of American samplermaking from the states along the eastern seaboard as well as the provincial influence of rural New York. The layout of the top half with its centered inscription, classic alphabets and verse gives way to a far less regimented scene which dominates the bottom half. A blue-windowed house sits amidst a profusion of plants, trees, vines and baskets of flowers, with birds and dogs providing a sense of animation. Part of an alphabet combines with the samplermaker's initials in one compartment while "Ogden, Mo Co New York" and a numerical progression appear within the outline of a heart. It is an outstanding display of needlework surrounded by an unusual and graphic three-sided border. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a beveled cherry frame with a black bead and Tru-Vue conservation glass. Sampler size: 16" x 18"
Price: $6800.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel es Daughter.
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4 Hellen Campbell, New York, 1800 One of the most interesting groups of American schoolgirl samplers is referred to as the "Biblical Samplers of Colonial and Federal New York" and a section regarding these samplers can be found in Betty Ring's Girlhood Embroidery, Vol. II. This distinctive and cohesive group ranges in date from the 1740's to the 1830's with motifs that are consistent throughout the years. The most enduring design, as described by Mrs. Ring, is the "Adam and Eve in tutus with Eve's hair swinging below her uplifted arm." Our sampler, worked by ten-year-old Hellen Campbell in 1800, is a fine example of this type with the classic Adam and Eve as well as various other animals, people, birds and baskets. A shepherd with his dog and flock appear on a little lawn at the left and a verse entitled "Human Frailty" further decorate Hellen's work. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in very good condition with some minor loss to the silk. It has been conservation mounted with Tru-Vue conservation into a later paint decorated frame. Sampler size: lSW' x 20%''
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
Price: $6400.
AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Mary Jane Miller, Mary Tidball School, Washington Co., Pa, 1838 This outstanding sampler was worked by Mary Jane Miller in 1838 and is an excellent example from a striking group produced under the instruction of Mary McCosh Tidball of Washington County in western Pennsylvania. These pieces range in date from 1838 to 1852 and all share strong regional characteristics such as the bold floral border with its veined leaves, fat hummingbirds, big birds and butterflies and the specific inscription which names the parents of the samplermakers. Betty Ring discusses this group in Volume II of Girlhood Embroidery on page 464, Western Pennsylvania Samplers and publishes two examples which further illustrate the folky charm of these samplers. Mary Jane Miller was, as stated on her sampler, the daughter of Alexander and Esther Miller. The history of the Miller family is intermingled with that of the Tidball family and so it is likely that Mary Jane was related to her teachers; in fact, Mary Jane had descended from Oliver Miller, who emigrated from Ireland and married Mary Tidball in 1744 in eastern Pennsylvania. This Mary Tidball died in 1813 and is buried in Washington County. Much of this family history is discussed in the summer 1994 volume of the Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Quarterly. Samplers from this group surface infrequently, and we are pleased to offer this very appealing example. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a figured cherry frame with Tru-Vue conservation glass Sampler size: 18" x 16"
(detail) AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel
Price upon request
es Daughter.
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Maryann Musk, The Temple of Solomon, May 12, 1827, England
The end of the 18th century and the first decades of the 19th century saw a strong interest in the architecture of Solomon's Temple from the Old Testament story, and this subject appears on English schoolgirl samplers of the period. Maryann Musk worked this particularly fine example with its wonderful version of the Temple under a needleworked sky complete with clouds and a whimsical sun in the upper right corner. A biblical quotation from the Book of Kings, chapter VI, verse IX is another appealing feature of this sampler and the lettering was worked in a meticulous manner. Details and pictorial elements crowd the sampler: flocks of birds, little dogs, potted plants, meandering vines and flowering trees are amongst the many interesting motifs. The needlework was accomplished with great precision and control so that all of these elements can be individually appreciated while adding enormous appeal to the sampler. Worked in silk on wool, it is very good condition with scattered loss to the wool. The sampler has been conservation mounted and is in it's original bird's-eye maple frame with a gilt liner. Sampler size: 15W' x 12"
M. Finkel
es Daughter.
Price: $4200
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
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Beulah Lawrie, Burlington County, New Jersey, 1804 Some of the finest and best regarded of all American Samplers were made in Burlington County, New Jersey, where instructesses passed on the traditions of excellence in the needle arts. This praiseworthy example signed "Beulah Lawrie's sampler worked in the year 1804 in the twelfth of her age" is a particularly large and handsome piece which combines letter-perfect verse and a listing of family names with a delightful lawn and garden scene along the bottom. Beulah Lawrie was born on August 22, 1792, the eldest child of Joseph Murfie Lawrie and Edith Newbold Lawrie whose marriage in 1789 was recorded at the Upper Springfield Quaker Monthly Meeting. The roots of the family on both sides extend back for many generations, with the names Lawrie and Newbold amongst the most prominent in the area. Joseph Lawrie was a director of the Trenton Banking Company and a large landowner in the area. Beulah married Clayton Newbold in 1813 and they raised five daughters who were born between 1814 and 1833. A large file of family information and documentation accompanies this sampler. The needlework was meticulously rendered throughout and the sampler remains in excellent con- ;;; dition with minor weakness. It ~ has been conservation mounted l1' into a fine mahogany veneer frame with Tru-Vue conservtionglass.
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Sampler size: 193/4'' x 171Jz'' Price: $6800.
(detail)
AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
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Maria Van Wyk, Dutch Darning Sampler, Holland, 1762 In Samplers from A to Z, Pamela A Parma!, textile curator of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston writes the following regarding darning samplers: Darning, which involved interweaving new threads into the warp and weft of a cloth to patch holes and tears, was an important skill for a household embroiderer to acquire. This was especially true prior to the mid-nineteenth century, when advancements in spinning and weaving technology made textiles more affordable. Darning samplers first became popular in Northern Europe during the early eighteenth century, then spread to Great Britain and the United States. Darning samplers usually included several repairs. Squares were cut out of the ground material and each darned in a different weave structure. One of the signs of a good darn was maintaining a similar tension between inserted yarns and the original warp and weft so as not to create buckling or pulling. (detail)
We have been great enthusiasts of this genre for many years and now offer one of the finest Dutch darning samplers to come available in quite some time. Not only is this an outstanding visual and technical achievement but it is unusual in that it is accompanied by interesting family information. The sampler descended in its original family until quite recently and therefore, we know much about its creator. Maria Van Wyk was born in 1746 and was raised in a nunnery as an orphan in Nijkerk, Utretch province. She worked this sampler at age 16 ("oudt 16 iaar") and by age 22 was working with the family of Cornelis Niewendijk whom she later married. They had two children and the sampler descended in the family for five generations. Featuring eight large darned squares and one large cut center square, the sampler also has a double edging of drawn work. A pair of heralding angels and a finely worked crown decorate the center. It was F-~!!!!!!!1!!!!!!!5!2!!!!!!!!!!:[;5;:;:;;:'l~~;:::;::;;;;:~;;:;:;:::;;;~5;;;;r!e!5:;;;;:;!!!'!5!!!~ worked in silk onto very tight linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a gold leaf frame. Sampler size: 183/4'' square Price: $6400.
M. Finkel rs Daughter.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Sarah W. Upton, Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, circa 1828
It's a pleasure to offer this wonderfully appealing sampler with its folky house and garden scene and charming side borders. Its maker, Sarah W. Upton, included four carefully worked lines of one of the most desirable of all sampler verse: ''When youths soft season shall be o'er And scenes of childhood charm no more My riper years with joy shall see The proof of youthful industry" Sarah states on her sampler that she was born March 16, 1814 and genealogical research reveals a great deal of further information. Sarah Whittemore Upton was the 6th of the 12 children born to Jonathan and Nancy (Whittemore) Upton of the town of Tyngsboro, a small village in Middlesex County, quite close to the New Hampshire border. Sarah's ancestor on her father's side was John Upton, who emigrated from Scotland in 1652, settling in Danvers, Massachusetts. Jonathan Upton was a farmer who lived his life in and around Tyngsboro. On December 31, 1835 Sarah married Abiel Hosmer of the same town and their 8 children were born between 1837 and 1854; Sarah died in 1890. Crinkled silk floss threads were used to fine advantage as their highly reflective nature created the trees, pond, flowers and leaves. Tiny stitches formed the fully worked lawn, house and sky and the potted flowering vines were worked with delicate satin stitches. Certainly Sarah Upton's sampler qualifies as "proof of youthful industry." Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted. It is in a bird's-eye maple frame with Tru-Vue conservation glass. Sampler size: 15" x 13 114''
Price: $13,000.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
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Orissa Willard, Sterling, Worcester Co., Massachusetts, 1815
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This outstanding sampler boasts lustrous needlework accomplished onto extremely fine linen gauze. This cloth, which was called "tiffany" in the period, was used in the early 19th century to create the diaphanous dresses that were very much in fashion for young women; the · fabric also was used as the ground for their high style embroidery. Crinkled silk threads form delicate tendrils, blossoms and buds with three finely worked baskets and, of course, many meticulous letters forming the
I,ll!llliill:iiiiii:i:::;;::~~ alphabets, inscription.verse and The samplermaker was a young lady from an illustrious New England family that began with Simon Willard who came to America in 1634 and was granted land in Massachusetts. Four generations later another Simon Willard, along with his brothers, became Massachusetts clockmakers of the highest reputation. Orissa Willard was born Aprill8, 1793 to Ephraim and Lois (Geary) Willard of the town of the Sterling, located 44 miles west of Boston. Ephraim served in the Revolutionary War, marching to Cambridge on the Lexington alarm in April 1775. Orissa was twelfth of their thirteen children and married Albert Robinson in 1821; she died in 1871. Orissa included three alphabets and a cautionary verse worked with great precision resulting from unusually crisp lettering. An elaborate, naturalistic border finishes the composition. The instructress must have been quite talented and the sampler is a highly successful collaborative effort. Worked in silk on tiffany linen, the sampler is in very good condition with two minor areas of loss and one area darkening. It has been conservation mounted and is in a gold leaf frame with Tru-Vue conservation glass.
Sampler size: 17" X 193/4'' Price: $7800.
(detail)
M. Finkel
es Daughter.
AMERICA ' S LEADI N G S A MPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Apple Tree Family Record Sampler, Oliver Whitney, Mercy Whitcomb family of Lunenberg, Massachusetts, circa 1825
A fascinating and important group of Family Record samplers, often called the "Apple Tree Family Records," has been the subject of study and research by scholars and museum curators for years. These samplers feature a needleworked family tree, almost always an apple tree, with fruit bearing the names and birth inscriptions of the family members. This sampler is an excellent example of this type, worked by a daughter of Oliver Whitney and Mercy Whitcomb, who were married in the town of Lunenberg, Massachusetts in 1809. The needlework is extremely fine in nature and the linen is equally delicate. The design, however, is quite robust with fat apples and leaves on the tree and a handsome border of blossoms and serrated leaves. A finely worked heart forms the base of the tree and the outline of this heart is worked in tiny buds and leaves with a delicate pair of doves (one with a leafy sprig in its beak) at the top. The skill of the needleworker is obvious, as this is one of the most finely wrought samplers that we have known. The Whitney family descended from John Whitney, who settled in Watertown, Mass. in 1635 (Whitney: The Descendants of John Whitney, Who came from London, England, to Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1635 by Frederick Clifton Pierce, 1895). Oliver and Mercy's children were born in Marlboro and Lunenberg between 1811 and 1820, but it must be assumed that the daughter who worked this sampler (most likely Susan, Hannah or Mercy) attended a school in Middlesex County, which is the origin of the other known Apple Tree Family Record Samplers. It is certainly possible that she was living with relatives in Watertown, which is located in the middle of this precise area of Middlesex County. This sampler had been in the personal collection of Susan B. Swan, the former longtime curator of textiles and needlework at Winterthur Museum. It has been published in an excellent new publication, The Art of Family, by D. Brenton Simons and Peter Benes, as figure 24 in "Family Representations and Rememberences, Decorated New England Family Registers 1770 to 1850." A copy of this publication as well as a file of family documentation accompanies this sampler. The sampler is in very good condition with some very minor foxing to the linen and is conservation mounted into a black painted and molded frame with Tru-Vue conservation glass. Sampler size: 16W' x 163!/'
Price: $9200.
AMERICA ' s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
See back cover for detail image
M.Finkel & Daughter.
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Abigail Lawrence and Anna Lawrence, twins from Leominster, Massachusetts, 1799 We are extremely pleased to offer this pair of very lovely samplers, worked by 10 year old twins in the year 1799 in the town of Leominster, Massachusetts. It is fortunate that they remain together as they were so clearly worked with the intent that they would hang side by side. Interestingly, the twins each used the familiar form of their name when inscribing their samplers. Abigail's sampler is signed "Nabby Lawrence Sampler work'd in I the lOth year of her age 1799" and Anna's is identical, but for the familiar form of her name, Nancy. Born on Aprill9, 1790, they were the daughters of Bazelill and Abigail (Simonds) Lawrence of Leominster, Worcester County. Abigail died in 1803. Anna married Walter Johnson of Leominster in 1813, and they had three daughters. Anna was recorded as a widow living in Worcester by 1869.
M.Finkel ~Daughter.
AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
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The samplers are beautifully colored and delicately worked. The outer sawtooth borders, typical of Massachusetts samplers, provide the edging for the fine chain-stitched meandering vines with flowers and buds. The bottom scenes feature pots of flowers flanking a blue tent-stitched peacock perched upon a small hill. Nancy's bird is looking right while Nabby's looks left, hence the conclusion that they were worked to hang next to one another. While the samplers are extremely similar, naturally there are slight variations, and one might even venture the opinion that Nabby appears to have been the slightly more talented needleworker. Worked in silk on linen, these samplers are in excellent condition with monir loss to the linen in two small areas, conservation mounted into cherry frames with crackle finish and ebony bead. The samplers are each approximately 12" x 13"
AMERICA'S LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Price for the pair: $14,000.
M. Finkel e'S Daughter.
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Delilah Sherman, Centerville, Wayne County, Indiana, 1834 As American families headed west in the first decades of the 19th century, the practice of young girls working samplers must have traveled as well; however, documented examples from further west than Ohio are quite rare. This example was made in Centerville, Wayne County, Indiana in 1834. In our many years of studying samplers we have not previously come across any other documented Indiana samplers worked prior to 1845. Of additional interest is the fact that Delilah included the name, "N. Smith," who must have been her teacher.
Delilah Sherman's history can be pieced together, using various sources, as follows. She seems to have been born in Kentucky on May 2, 1820 but, according to the information on her sampler, was living in Centerville, Indiana by 1834. Her parents are listed on the sampler as A. M. Sherman and Ann Sherman. She married Newton Treadway, who had been born in 1814, also in Kentucky. The Treadway family has been documented in a 1930 book entitled History of the Treadway Family, which states that Newton's family had also moved to Indiana by 1835. Further records are spotty but for Delilah's death in 1852 and Newton's in 1868. Delilah's sampler is traditional in format and execution with its central scene surrounded by various motifs, verse, inscription and borders. Clearly the samplermaking designs from the east prevailed. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in very good condition with slight wear. It has been conservation mounted into a cherry frame with curly maple beads using Tru-Vue conservation glass. Sampler size: 19" x 17lfz''
M. Finkel eJ Daughter.
AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Cornelia Ensor, in memory of Greenbury Duhurst, Baltimore, Maryland, circa 1849
The death of George Washington in 1799 sparked a national vogue for memorializing the deceased within one's family or a larger circle of friends and public figures. Silk embroideries were one of the many mediums used and young ladies in schools and academies along the eastern seaboard created these fashionable pictures using needlework and watercolor. Indeed, Betty Ring (Girlhood Embroidery, Vol I, page 21) indicates that the majority of mourning pieces "appear to have been made as a record and a decoration, rather than an expression of current grief, and they were the result of fashion rather than melancholy." Large numbers of these types of silk embroideries were worked from New England to Philadelphia. Few examples are known to have been worked in Baltimore and we are pleased to have discovered this striking large silk embroidery which was worked "To the Memory of Greenbury L. Duhurst Died May 17th 1849". Research continues to uncover more information about this gentleman but it is known that he married Mary Weaver in 1812 in Baltimore and then Ann Billson there in 1835. His business and estate transactions as well as census entries were also recorded in that city and he died there as stated, May 17, 1849. It's likely that a family member or a family friend, Cornelia Ensor, made this shortly afterwards and she signed her work with gold leaf lettering on the reverse of the glass; her name appears as such at the center of the lawn along the bottom edge. The depiction of the grieving young lady, in her fashionable mourning attire, holding a handkerchief, may be that of Miss Ensor herself. The use of chenille and flat silk threads creates a wonderfully textured setting with foliage and shrubbery in many shades of greens and gold. Watercolor was used for the head and hands of the figure as well as the sky and epitaph. The piece remains in excellent condition with one very minor hole in the sky area. The glass is original to the piece and it is in a wonderful early 19th century gold leaf frame. Size of the needlework: 19W' x 26W'
Price: $9400.
AMERICA ' s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M. Finkel & Daughter.
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Elizabeth Binkly, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1834 Pennsylvania German samplers frequently feature a lively naivete and handsome mirror-image composition. This engaging example by Elizabeth Binkly is an excellent expression of these two attributes. The house with its red window frames and tall chimneys is at the center of an assortment of motifs including the traditional Pennsylvania German trees, birds, stars and flowers. Alphabets, including a large eyeletstitched version, command the upper portion, and the sampler is surrounded by a stylized border incorporating flowers, leaves and hearts. Elizabeth's sampler descended in the area of Lancaster County along the Susquehanna River and she was likely the girl of the same name born on February 21, 1821 in the town of Columbia to Christian and Elizabeth (Miller) Binkly. The sampler was worked in wool on linen with some slight loss to the wool. It has been conservation mounted into a maple and cherry comer block frame. Sampler size: 16" square
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
Price: $5800.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Headwork Barnyard Scene, probably French, circa 1825 Beadwork has been an interesting and important category of needlework from the 17th century forth, with minute beads used either to highlight certain areas or to form an entire picture, as an alternative to silk and wool threads. We have known of more than one headwork picture which remains unfinished because, it must be assumed, of the difficult and time-consuming nature of the project! This endearing barnyard scene includes little brick buildings (including a smokehouse and a beeskeep), chickens, birds, a rabbit and a watchful dog. Purchased in France, it is reminiscent of other headwork pictures of French origin.
l~::::~i~~~~~~~~==;i~iJ it
is condition; in a gilt frame and in is ainvivid excellent worked palette of colors.
Price: $3200.
Size of the picture: 7" x 10 114''
Caroline Scarborough, Buckingham, Bucks County, Pa., 184 7 The village of Buckingham, south of the town of New Hope in Bucks County, was founded in 1702-03 by several men, amongst them was John Scarborough (1667-1727), who had emigrated from England to America in the 1680's. The Scarborough family, members of the Quaker Buckingham Monthly Meeting, remained in the area and Caroline Scarborough was born there many generations later. Her parents were Henry Scarborough and Elizabeth Skelton, whose marriage is recorded in the meeting's 1823 records. Caroline was born on February 28, 1828 and died unmarried in 1853. Her praiseworthy sampler was worked in 1847 and descended in the family until just recently. Caroline's sampler evidences a strong influence of documented Quaker design. These specific motifs - stylized sprays of roses, a pair of birds enclosed in a wreath, baskets of fruit, carnations in a cornucopia - have been found on many samplers worked at Quaker schools during the first half of the 19th century in Pennsylvania and nearby New Jersey. The format of Caroline's sampler is also classically Quaker, with its balanced layout centered around two blue lovebirds encased in a wreath of leaves and berries. The workmanship is excellent, which is not surprising when one realizes that she was approaching twenty years of age in 1847. The sampler is in excellent condition worked in wool on linen and conservation mounted with a fine mahogany veneer frame with bull's-eye corner blocks. Sampler size: 18W' x 16lfz''
Price: $4800.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel es Daughter.
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18 Eliza C. LaHatt, Hagar and Ishmael, probably Vermont, 1817
Schoolgirls frequently chose Old Testament stories as subjects for their embroidered pictures and this is a particularly appealing little example with an unusually naive character. It is titled "Hagar and Ishmael in the Wilderness" in pen and ink on the silk and illustrates the story written in the book of Genesis (verse 21). Hagar and her infant son seek water and an angel indicates the way towards a spring. The angel appears in silvery robes; Hagar reclines in a dress in tones of deep blue and Ishmael is swaddled in shades of gold. This picture is further inscribed "Eliza C. LaHatt 1817" and was worked by Eliza Catherine LaHatt who was born circa 1800 to the Reverend Charles and Sarah (Burdge) LaHatt of New York City. Rev. LaHatt, a Baptist minister, served in Newark, New Jersey from 1802 to 1806 and later in Shaftsbury, Vermont. In 1817 he is recorded as serving as the Baptist missionary to Upper Canada. It is likely that his daughter remained in Vermont and attended a school where she worked this wonderfully provincial piece. Her work remains in excellent condition with some minor foxing to the silk and is in a black painted frame with a gold leaf liner. Size of the needlework: 9" x 7W'
M. Finkel
es Daughter.
Price: $4250.
AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
A Gentleman and his Falcon, Europe, mid 18th century Falconry, the sport of using trained hawks and falcons for hunting prey, was the sport of the gentry from the earliest times forth. Royalty, notably Charles I, occasionally appears with falcon on hand as a subject on 17th century needlework, but fully developed needlework depictions such as this example are rare. The falconer sits on his magnificent horse with its splendid saddle and ornaments while his loyal dog follows behind. Details abound such as the metallic decorations to the gentleman's costume and boots, the horse's saddle and elaborate harness, even the dog's collar, which sports the embroidered initials "CW." A magnificent manor house with a domed roof, fountain and garden is equally specific in character lending to the presumption that this was a specific depiction rather than a copy from a known print source. The silk stitches cover the entire piece providing a lustrous texture and wonderfully subtle shadings. It is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a black painted frame with a gilt liner. Size of needlework: 11" x 16W'
Price: $6800. (detail)
AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel & Daughter.
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Margaret Dunn, Houghton le Spring, Durham, England, 1835 This very pleasing sampler was worked inl835 by Margaret Dunn of the town of Houghton le Spring in Durham, England. She was likely the young lady of the same name whose christening was recorded in that town in 1825, the daughter of Joseph and Isabella Dunn. It is also likely that the school that she attended and at which she learned her needleworking skills was associated with the local church under the direction of The Reverend W. H. Bulmer, as named on this sampler. Houghton le Spring took its name from Houghton Manor, the estate held in ancient times by the le Spring family but predictably it was the church that provided the greater activity for the families of the town. Margaret's sampler is a fine and neatly worked example of early 19th century English needlework. It features alphabets, horizontal bands and a variety of motifs (windmills, peacocks, evergreen trees and birds) arranged in mirror-image fashion around the Coat of Arms of Great Britain. The sampler was worked in 1835, which was during the reign of King William IV, hence the initials "WR" which appear flanking the lion and unicorn. Interestingly, the Coat of Arms retains specific details of an earlier reign, that of George II (1727-1760). Perhaps Margaret Dunn, or her teacher, used an earlier source for their depiction. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a birds-eye maple frame with Tru Vue conservation glass. Sampler size: 17W' x 17"
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
Price: $2350.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Matilda Snyder, Bloomsburg, Columbia County, Pennsylvania, 1836 Rarely does one come across a sampler which displays the strong folk characteristics found in this one, worked by an eightyear-old in Columbia County, Pennsylvania in 1836. The large central scene of a house set between trees and a couple with their dog appears below an extraordinary canopy of a sky with a sun, worked in metallic threads, with birds soaring below. The trees contribute a graphic note with their two-toned fronds and the man and woman appear dressed and hatted in wonderfully detailed high fashion. The inscription provides the information that Matilda made her sampler in "Bloomsburg Columbia County State of Pennsylvania" on June 30th 1836 and the sampler descended with a plethora of family documentation. Matilda was the daughter of Daniel and Mary Magdelena (Mickley) Snyder, born January 18, 1827 in Bloomsburg. This small town is about 75 miles northwest of Harrisburg and, in 1832, contained about 100 dwellings. The Snyders were prominent citizens of the town for many generations having settled in Pennsylvania in 1760. In 1850 Matilda married Rev. Henry Funk (1816-1855), whose life was chronicled in a book entitled A Brief History of Bishop Henry Funk and Other Funk Pioneers, published in 1899. Matilda and Henry had Nevin Ursinus Funk in 1852 and Matilda died in 1853. Her sampler, while unusual in many regards, is typical of early 19th century schoolgirl work which frequently focused on the idealization of home and marriage. Worked in silk and metallic thread on linen, the sampler is in good condition with loss to the edges of the linen and some loss to the silk. It has been conservation mounted and remains in its spectacular 2W' original mahogany frame with corner blocks. Sampler size: 16W' x 17lf/'
Price: $12,500. detail)
A MERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
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Laura Ann Munroe, Portsmouth, R.I. or N.H, 1833 Laura Ann was just seven when she completed this endearing sampler on December 4, 1833. It features the verse that sampler scholars consider the one assigned most frequently by teachers in the early 19th century; it combines a lesson in religious obedience with a charming reference to the making of a sampler, "And while her fingers o'er this canvass move." The sprigs of buds and leaves and the two-handled baskets filled with fruit further decorate her work. Drawn worked edges indicate another technique mastered by Laura Ann Munroe. Her teacher and her family must have been delighted with this sampler, accomplished when she was so very young. It is most likely that this Munroe fami-
ly lived in either Rhode Island or New Hampshire where towns of this name flourished in the early 19th century. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a reeded walnut frame. Sampler size: 16W' x 153!/'
Price: $2850.
Bead Chain, Sally Avery, West Taghkanic, Columbia Co., New York, circa 1828 An interesting form related to early 19th century samplermaking is that of the bead chain, represented here by an excellent example signed by its maker, Sally Avery. Bead chains were woven on narrow looms with tiny glass beads and they appear as part of the costume of young ladies in portraits from the late 1820's and 1830's. They were worn looped around the neck or shoulders, occasionally incorporating a hanging watch as well. Examples surface only rarely and are frequently mistaken for work of Native Americans. Our example comes with family history indicating that Sally was born August 15, 1805, the daughter of Henry and Hannah (Rockefeller) Avery. In 1828, Sally married Monmouth Hart Buckbee and the chain descended in the family. It is in exceptionally fine condition with unusual looped beaded ends, a particularly well designed finish. Chain size: 50" x W'
M. Finkel e;, Daughter.
Price: $850.
AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Reed/Read Family Record, Townsend, Massachusetts, circa 1828 Townsend, Massachesetts in northern Middlesex County is near the New Hampshire border and it was in this town that the family of Oliver Reed and Lety Wilson resided. It is likely that this is also where their daughter, Catherine F. Reed, attended school and learned her needleworking skills. She created a large and unusual sampler which records family births, marriages and deaths and incorporated into this a poignant and highly developed mourning scene. Catherine's sampler fits squarely into a national vogue for mourning that was evident for decades in the early 19th century. Indeed, the popularity of this practice reached such a pitch that Anita Schorsch, writing about this period in her book, Mourning Becomes America, states that "Mourning art ... was a way of showing that one had good taste and proper manners." In this particular case, the mourning scene was accomplished with a highly effective combination of long crinkled-silk stitches, pen and ink onto the linen and silk and a calligraphed epitaph drawn on paper. A melancholic young lady, likely intended as a self-portrait, inclines towards a large neo-classical tomb; her facial expression and posture, down to her delicately pointed toes, enhance the mood of the piece. It is likely that the schoolteacher would have inscribed the personalized epitaph onto the oval and it reads as follows: "Sacred to the memory of James W. Reed who died September 19th, 1815." The wide naturalistic border is outstanding with splendid clusters of flowers in the upper corners. A narrow garland of blossoms on a leafy vine forms the inner corner and delineates the family record information. Interestingly an unusual use of shaded lettering appears at the headings so that, for example, the word "Family Record" with its black and pale teal threads takes on a deeper dimension. Overall this is a highly sophisticated sampler and an excellent example of this early 19th century American genre. Worked in silk, ink and paper onto linen, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a beveled cherry frame with a black bead and Tru-Vue conservation glass. Sampler size: 25"x 17W'
Price: $8800.
AMERICA'S LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M. Finkel & Daughter.
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The Bland Family Samplers, Westmoreland, England, 1808- 1833
We are very fortunate to acquire an unusual set of samplers: five pieces that were worked by different members of one family dating from 1808 to 1833 and which have remained together all these years. ~ the result of some research, we can piece together information about this family and we now know that they were stitched by four sisters and an aunt. Jane and Elizabeth provided the names of their parents and Sarah, Isabella and Mary included many sets of family initials. They were all born and christened in small villages in Westmoreland, England, towns such as Long Martin, and Brough under Stainmoor.
M. Finkel & Daughter.
AMERICA ' s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
The Bland Family Samplers, Westmoreland, England, 1808- 1833
The similarity in the design and work between these samplers is quite strong and they all share the same carefully worked birds and dogs, potted plants, flowers, alphabets and phrasing. k5 a group they present a wonderfully decorative appearance. They will remain together so that their unity can be further preserved. Overall the condition of the samplers is excellent with very minor loss and they are worked in silk on linen, now conservation mounted. The frames are cherry bevels with maple or black painted beads. The samplers are each approximately 12" x 10"
Price for the group: $11,000.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
25
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Soledad Villalobos, Mexico, circa 1840 Mexican samplers present the collector with an opportunity to acquire a piece of needlework which combines technical expertise with great aesthetic appeal. These have been recognized for their characteristic and recognizable patterns and gained prominence in 1993 when the Textile Museum in Washington D.C. mounted an exhibition entitled "Mexican Samplers: Patterns of Continuity and Change" which included samplers dating from 1784 through the second half of the 19th century. This stunning sampler, signed "LO HIZO SOLEDAD VILLALOBOS" (Soledad Villalobos made this) dates circa 1840, and was published in Sam-
plers in the European Tradition by Kathleen Staples and Margriet Hogue. It was observed that the "bands derive from patterns published in 16th century German and Italian pattern books, notably Peter Quentel, 1527, and Nicolo Zoppino, 1529." Ms. Staples and Mrs. Hogue further noted that this sampler was "worked probably in urban academies or amiga schools rather than in the country.... the range of subjects taught at these institutions varied widely; however, most curricula included religious instruction, reading, sewing and several forms of embroidery, including sampler-making." (detail)
We are pleased to offer this outstanding example which remains in very good condition. It has been conservation mounted into a black painted frame with a gilt liner. Sampler size: 14lfz'' x 15"
M. Finkel
es Daughter.
Price: $4400.
AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
27
Knitted Drawstring Purse, English, circa 1650 - 1680 It is a privilege to offer this spectacular little 17th century treasure, a drawstring purse knitted of silk
and metallic yarns. Kathy Epstein, in her book, British Embroidery: Curious Works from the Seventeenth Century, writes that tiny purses, very like this one, were made by young women in the 17th century and were extremely popular as personal little gifts for friends and family. They appear regularly in lists of New Year gifts presented to Queen Elizabeth, and remained popular until the time of Queen Anne.
While needlworked examples turn up occasionally we have not previously known of a knitted example to come onto the market. The texture and patterning of this piece are very appealing with its rows of strawberries in graduated shades of pink and green. An important feature of these early purses was their elaborate tassels and this purse is exceptional in that regard as well, with heavy metallic threads worked over wooden knobs to finish the drawstrings. It remains in excellent condition with its strong original color. Size of the purse: 4" x 3W'
Price: $5800.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
28
The Crystal Palace, England, dated 1851 Our fully worked sampler was made to commemorate and celebrate the Great Exhibition of 1851 and it depicts the Crystal Palace. This grandiose building was erected to house this Exhibition which had the goal of recognizing and honoring the military and economic superiority of Great Britain. It was designed by architect Sir Joseph Paxton in just ten days and was a spectacular sight, with over a million feet of glass set in iron walls. The 13,000 exhibits from around the world played host to 6,200,000 visitors and certainly accomplished the goals of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Besides international exhibits it sponsored concerts and a circus and appealed to all ages with its cat, dog and pigeon shows, and flower and honey displays. The profits from these events allowed for the foundation and funding of such public works as Albert Hall and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Other needleworkers found the Crystal Palace an ideal subject to feature on their samplers and one such piece is illustrated in Samplers, a book by Susan Mayor and Diana Fowle, as plate 37. Our sampler was worked in wool on linen and is in very good condition with minor stitch loss. It has been conservation mounted into a black molded frame with a gilt liner. Sampler size: 83//' x 8W'
Price: $850.
Ann Garwell, Pinchbeck Free School, England, 1839 A great many small "Free Schools" opened throughout the villages and cities of England in the second quarter of the 19th century and this example was worked at the Pinchbeck Free School. Pinchbeck was a village in Lincolnshire, one mile north of the town of Spalding, with a population, in 1831, of 2391. Ann Carwell worked this endearing sampler in 1839 with carefully stitched alphabets and stylized plants; it is possible that Ann was quite young and obvious from its simplicity that this must have beenher first sampler. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition with one tiny area of loss at the edge. Conservation mounted into a mid 19th century frame with a gilt liner.
Sampler size:: 83//' X 15 1/2" Price: $1100.
M. Finkel e:J Daughter.
AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
29 Esther Miller, school of Ruth H. Redman, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1824 This is an interesting, documented Lancaster County sampler which was worked under the instruction of Ruth H. Redman of the town of Strasburg, 8 miles east of the city of Lancaster. Our sampler is inscribed, "Esther Mille.r her sampler made in the twelfth year of her age in Ruth H. Redman's school in straws burg (sic) July 3oth 1824." The lower third is replete with classic sampler designs known to have been included on other Redman school samplers while the upper portion features classic sampler alphabets. The first record of this teacher appeared in the 1921 publication, American Samplers by Bolton & Coe and two other Redman school samplers, both in private collections, are known to exist. Esther's sampler is a fine example, worked in silk on linen and in excellent condition with some very minor areas of loss to the linen. It has been conservation mounted into a beveled cherry frame with a maple bead. Sampler size: 17" x 16W'
Price: $5200.
AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
30
Nancy Williams, Charlton, Massachusetts, 1803
Samplers worked onto deep green linsey-woolsey are highly sought after by collectors of American schoolgirl needlework. According to Betty Ring in Girlhood Embroidery, Vol. I, page 112, "A growing preference for samplers worked on a green ground (usually linsey-woolsey) became noticeable at the turn of the century. They appeared in Boston as early as 1788, and later throughout New England." In 1803, eleven-year-old, Nancy Williams of the small Worcester County, Massachusetts town of Charlton worked this handsome alphabet and verse sampler, a fine example of a linsey-woolsey sampler. Her needlework was carefully executed with the two largest alphabets worked in the eyelet stitch and the following verse in an unusually fine cross-stitch: "May I most happy be and always blest I Of ev'ry Joy of every wish possess'd /May Plenty dissipate all wordly Cares /And smiling Peace bless my revolving years." Nancy was the daughter of Alpheus and Abigail Williams, born November 28, 1792. She married Edwin Edwards and they had one child in 1826. The family moved to Michigan where Nancy died ten years later. Her sampler is in very good condition with some slight loss to the field, worked in silk onto linseywoolsey; it has been conservation mounted into a figured cherry frame. Sampler size: 14W' x 12W'
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
Price: $4800.
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
Mary Ann Mapp to her sister, Amelia Mapp, Kidderminster, England, 1839 This small sampler is a particularly endearing example of the type of friendship or presentation sampler often made in England in the first decades of the 19th century. The inscription, an especially endearing one, reads, "With my kind love to my dear sister" and the accompanying family history allows us to know more about the maker and her sister. According to family notes, Mary Ann p-~~~i~~~Eยง~ยง~~~~~~~~~=~ Mapp stitched this tiny gift for her sis- 1..: ter, Amelia Mapp in Kidderminster, England. We also learn that Mary Ann died as a child. Her sampler remained in the family until at least 1937. The condition is excellent and the sampler was obviously treasured b~Jhe family as a memory of their little girl. Worked in silk on linen, it is conservation mounted in a 19 century gilt frame. Sampler size: 3W' x 8W'
Price: $1450.
Hannah C. Lock, Gloucester County, New Jersey, 1830 This handsome alphabet and motif sampler was made in Gloucester County, New Jersey by Hannah C. Lock, who was 15 years old at the time. The design of this sampler includes an assortment of classic motifs that represent the best of Quaker teaching which was most prevalent in this area of southern New Jersey. The sprays of flowers, strawberries, baskets, pair of birds and butterflieh appear on other early 19t century needlework produced in many excellent Quaker schools. The very fine little horizontal band of strawberries which underscores her name and the Queen's stitch strawberries in the lower corners are particularly noteworthy. The Lock family resided in Woolwich Township and Hannah C. Lock was born there on April 7, 1815 to Josiah and Hannah (Halton) Lock of Woolwich Township. In 1834 she married George Fisher and further research may reveal greater detail about Hannah. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a beveled cherry frame with a black bead. Sampler size: 16W' x 17" Price: $3400. AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel eJ Daughter.
31
32
Elizabeth N. Lamson, Salem, Massachusetts, 1829 Elizabeth Norton Lamson was born in June 30, 1810 to Samuel and Sarah (Slueman) Lamson of the town of Salem. According to the Descendants of William Lamson of Ipswich, Massachusetts 16341917, Samuel was a "master mariner (who) sailed on many foreign voyages." He was mentioned as the commander of many schooners out of Salem. Elizabeth married John Sawyer, also of Boxford, in 1842 and they resided in nearby Boxford where their five children were born there between 1843 and 1855. The sampler is accompanied by a file of family information. In 1829, Elizabeth worked this handsome large sampler with its wonderful deep arcaded borders and corners formed of bow knotted ribbon. A similar composition has been found on other samplers from this Essex County area and these elements must have been indigenous to this region. Interesting to note is how Elizabeth implied that her leafy vine continues beneath the bowknots, creating one continuous framework. The verse, according to Mary Jaene Edmonds in Samplers and Samplermakers: An American Schoolgirl Art 1700-1850, was the single most popular verse to be found on American samplers. It was likely composed expressly for samplermakers to inscribe on their work. Worked in silk on linen the sampler is in very good condition with slight area darkening and it has been conservation mounted into a gold leaf frame with Tru-Vue conservation glass. Sampler size: 20" x 16314''
Price: $5200.
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AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
33 "Charity" Silk Embroidery, New England, circa 1790
While many a great silk embroidered pictures were created by schoolgirls at the end of the 1sth century, few are as beautifully realized as this outstanding little example. It represents the allegorical figure of Charity who shelters three children in need and was accomplished in highly sophisticated needlework combined with delicate and expressive watercolor. The tree foliage and shrubbery are formed of hundreds of tiny French knots and the lustrous gown, cape and dresses were satin-stitched. Details abound, from the little flower held by the fair-haired girl to the zigzag trim at the bottom of Charity's robes. The origins of this may well be the area of Newburyport, Massachusetts, as stylistic elements resemble regional characteristics found on silk embroideries from this town. Worked in silk and watercolor on silk, it is in excellent condition in its fine original gold leaf frame with a replaced eglomise glass mat. Size of needlework: 7314'' x 7"
Price: $5800.
Overall framed size: llW' x 1Q3/4''
AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel
es Daughter.
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.
0
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.
0
Supply a reverse painted black glass mat, if appropriate, done in correct antique manner.
0
When necessary, install true VueÂŽConservation Clear glass which blocks 97% of the harmful Ultra-violet light.
0
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 eg Daughter.
AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
SELECTED
EEDLEWORK BIBLIOGRAPHY
Allen, Gloria eaman. Family Record Genealogical Watercolors and Needlework. Washington, DC: DAR Museum , 1989. 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. Colonial Williamsburg and Curious Works Press, 1997 Krueger, Glee FA 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. 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. 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. AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER
M.Finkel & Daughter.
detail of Apple Tree Family Record sampler, Whitney/Whitcomb family, page 11
est. 1947
M. Finkel e:s Daughter. AMERICA'S LEADING ANTIQUE SAMPLE R & NEEDLEWORK DEALER
936 Pine Street. Philadelphia. Pennsylvania. 19107-6128 215-627-7797 . 800-598-7432. fax 215-627-8 199