Samplings: XXII by M. Finkel & Daughter

VOLUME XXII

A SELECTED OFFERING OF ANTIQUE SAMPLERS AND NEEDLEWORK

est. 1947

M. Finkel ~ Daughter. MIERICA'S LEADING ANTIQUE SAl\IPLER & NEEDLEWORK DEALER

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

Please visit our website: www.samplings.com

Pocket Watch samplers, page 5

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cover illustration: detail of Polly Smith, Balch school sampler, page 1 Copyright ÂŠ 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 22nd 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 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 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 DEALER

M. Finkel~ Daughter.

ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF CONTENTS Jane Anderson, New Hampshire, 1796 ....................... ................................................................... page 26 Basket of Flowers with Butterflies and Sheep, Delaware, circa 1810 .......................................... page 13 Sarah Batt, Ackworth School, Medallion Sampler, Yorkshire, England, 1821 ............................ page 18 Small Beadwork Box, French, late 18th century .......................................................................... page 22 Charlotte Camp, probably Connecticut, 1804 ................................................................................ page 28 Sarah Ann Carter, Washington City, January 2, 1834 .................................................................. page 27 Checkerboard Houses, M.B., E.S., Somerset County, NJ, c. 1825 ................................................ page 24 Chelmsford and Essex Provident Society, England, 1848 ............................................................ page 16 Eliza Clemmons, Marblehead, Massachusetts, c. 1792 .................................................................. page 17 Maria Cloud, probably Delaware, 1823 .......................................................................................... page 31 Elizabeth Cole, Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, 1839 .......................................................... page

Emma Cox, age 7, England, 1850 .................................................................................................. page 25 Mary Daggett, Balch School Silk Embroidery, circa 1800 ............................................................ page 29 Jemima Dunger, England, 1790 .................................................................................................... page 22 Dutch Darning Sampler, ACVH, dated 1811 .................................................................................. page

Margaret Dupervain, Philadelphia, circa 1818 .............................................................................. page 10 Guadalupe Fuentes, Mexico, 1849 .................................................................................................. page 20 German Silkwork Sampler, circa 1810 .......................................................................................... page 15 Agnes Grubb, Mid-Atlantic States, 1825 ........................................................................................ page

Ann Elizabeth Hall, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1830 .......................................................... page 32 Almira Holmes, Campton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, 1821 ............................................ page 19 Justice and Adam & Eve, England, circa 1730 .............................................................................. page 12 Emily Knox, York County, Maine, 1826 ........................................................................................ page 30 Mary N. McCord, American, 1838 .................................................................................................. page 20 Miniature Sampler and Needle Book, England, c. 1820 ................................................................ page 14 Elizabeth Jane Morris, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 1845 .......................................................... page 36 Needlework Picture of a Dog, England, circa 1850 ...................................................................... page 24 Pocket Watch Samplers, England, circa 1800 ................................................................................ page

Caroline Poland, Hamilton, Essex County, Massachusetts, 1817 ................................................ page

Sara Schrack, Amish, Cambria or Somerset County, Pennsylvania, 1820 .................................. page

Silk Embroidery of Zebras, France, circa 1820 .............................................................................. page 16 Silk Purse owned by Sally Adams, student at Mary Balch's school, 1813 .................................... page 23 Polly Smith, Balch School, Providence, Rhode Island, 1785 ........................................................ page

Mary Stinehower, Pennsylvania, 1837 ............................................................................................ page 21 Ann Stucley, Depiction of Clotho, England, 1723 ........................................................................ page

Margret Eliza Sturrup, probably New Jersey, 1811 ...................................................................... page 33 Sarah Taylor, Philadelphia, 1807 .................................................................................................... page

Elizabeth Walkden, England, 1826 ................................................................................................ page 26 Jean Warnock, "On Her Passage to America," 1793 ................................................ ...................... page 14 Whitework Sampler, England, circa 1660 ...................................................................................... page

Elizabeth Willits, Maiden Creek Quaker school, Pennsylvania, 1804 .......................................... page

M.Finkel

es Daughter.

AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

1 Polly Smith, Mary Balch School, Providence, Rhode Island, 1785

Samplers worked at the highly regarded school of Miss Mary Balch (1762-1831) in Providence, Rhode Island comprise what many scholars and collectors consider the single more impressive and desirable group of all American samplers. Miss Balch was clearly an extraordinarily talented and creative needleworker and the designs and techniques employed by her students resulted in a highly recognizable body of samplers and silk embroideries. We are most pleased to be able to offer this sampler, one of the earliest known and finest of the Balch school samplers. Polly Smith's sampler was worked in 1785 and includes all of the important Balch "hallmarks" which are discussed by Betty Ring in Let Virtue Be A Guide to Thee and Girlhood Embroidery, Vol. I. Polly's sampler is a fully worked design which features a house, four couples, many animals, birds, trees and flowers within a pair of columns topped by an arch. Another convention of the school was the graceful side borders formed by large queen's stitched blossoms on vines growing from blue and white two-handled vases. A classic Balch aphorism, ''Virtue outshines the stars," was included as the stated message on her work and Polly placed her initials at the base of the columns. It is one of the most desirable Balch school samplers to have come onto the market in many years. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a period black reeded frame with a gold liner and conservation glass. Sampler size: 14" x 11"

Price upon request

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

Anne Stucley, Depiction of Clotho, England, 1723 This fully worked early English sampler is a highly unusual example by virtue of its depiction of the Greek goddess Clotho, the youngest of the Three Fates. She was a daughter of Zeus and Themis and is shown here with her characteristic distaff and yarn, spinning the thread that determines the length of each life. Wearing a classical gown and seated on a wooden bench, Clotho includes two alphabets and numerical progressions and the inscription "Anne Stucley Her Work Anno Domin 1723." Tightly worked pale beige stitches cover the ground of the sampler and tiny tent stitches form the figure and her gown. Six beige crowns appear in the background arranged in a balanced format throughout the background. Extensive family notations accompany this fascinating piece and identify the samplermaker as the daughter of Captain Charles and Anne (Fownes) Stucley, born in 1710 in Devon, England. The history of this family can be traced back to Richard Stewkley, born about 1367 in Somersetshire. She worked this sampler in 1723 at age 13 and married Francis Lutrell on January 13, 1730. A handwritten note from her groom dated on their wedding day states that he "was made happy by my Dearest Nanny Stucley." Sadly, Anne died twelve months later giving birth to her daughter who, again according to family notes, inherited this sampler. Specific classical figures were rarely depicted on samplers made by young schoolgirls and the appeal of this example is further enhanced by the attached family notes. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition, with some very minor areas of loss, conservation mounted into an 18th-century frame. Sampler size: 8W' x 8lfz''

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

Price: $8200.

AMERICA ' s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Agnes Grubb, Mid-Atlantic States, 1825 Worked within the tradition of the early 19th century theorem or still life painting, this praiseworthy sampler serves as a fine testimony to the talents of its maker, Agnes Grubb. The depiction is that of a handsome yellow and white latticework basket and the arrangement of flowers that springs from it. Sprigs and blossoms grow from the lawn below and still others from the upper comers of the fine naturalistic border. Shimmering crinkled silk floss was used to fine advantage and the sampler enjoys an unusually lustrous quality. The needleworker was a young girl with the less than euphonious name of Agnes Grubb. Agnes implies on her sampler that she was born in 1817 when, in fact, upon close examination one concludes that Agnes engaged in the relatively common practice of samplermakers: revising history a bit. As a sampler was displayed for all to admire for many years, it also revealed the maker's age. Many samplermakers later restitched a numeral or two and it looks as if the "9" was more likely "13" originally. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition with one tiny area of weakness, conservation mounted into a cherry and maple comer block frame with conservation glass. Sampler size: 17" x 17"

Price: $11,000.

AMERICA ' s LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel eg Daughter.

Elizabeth Willits, Maiden Creek Quaker school, Berks County, Pennsylvania, 1804 There still stands today a small stone Quaker Meetinghouse near Leesport, Pennsylvania, which was built in 1759 by a group of settlers who established farms along the fertile banks of Maiden Creek. The Quaker tradition of providing a sound education for their community must have lead to the establishment of a small school for this rural contingent and records at Ah.hothe~tb we--have to the Friends Historical Laalur ~ ' \Q -!and Library at Swarth'rM La:rd ~lui -will -lead more College confirm that from 1795 forth AsÂŤLLJ.'rt\ ,.. Âˇ~ "a School had been in progress ... making E.fi:za.bet-1 \A_JI'.~IJ.i.t..earnest efforts to meet the standards set by the General Meeting." This school opened and closed repeatedly and it is likely that its existence depended on the availability of a teacher. It is also likely that graduates of the highly regarded Westtown School, a large Quaker school founded in 1799 in Chester County, Pennsylvania would have provided a likely source of teachers. This sampler, worked at the Maiden Creek school in 1804 resembles the wonderfully refined samplers worked at Westtown and features the same restrained leaf and vine border with a bellflower center drop and the precise lettering which forms the inscription and verse. Elizabeth's sampler is the first known example from Maiden Creek and is a strong indication that the school was indeed tiny and short-lived.

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Elizabeth Willits was born in the village of Maiden Creek on March 21, 1791, the daughter of Jesse and Phebe (Hutton) Willits. Interestingly, her older brother John attended Westtown School beginning in 1805. On May 17, 1817, Elizabeth married Jacob Lightfoot also of Maiden Creek and a photocopy of their marriage certificate is included in the file of genealogical research that accompanies this sampler. The Willits and Lightfoot families were amongst the early Quaker group that settled this area in the 1730's. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition with one minor area of loss, conservation mounted into a black molded and painted frame with conservation glass. Sampler size: 13W' x 123/4''

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

Price: $10,500.

AM E RICA'S LEADING SAMPL E R AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Elizabeth Cole, Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa, 1839 The city of Freetown, a thriving seaport in Sierra Leone, was an important Protestant missionary station in the early 19th century and home to a small community of transplanted English and American families. A handful of samplers are known to exist that indicate that young girls, most likely the daughters of local missionaries, made samplers in the English tradition while living in this area. This is a fine example of this genre, worked by Elizabeth Cole and dated March 20, 1839 in Sirra (sic) Leone. A sampler made by Lucy Grant dated 1840 in Regent Town, Sierra Leone, is shown as plate 88 in Samplers

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and is quite similar in format and style to our example. They share verses that are predictably moral and religious in nature and resemble English samplers in their symmetrical nature. Worked in silk on wool, the sampler is in very good condition with some small areas of loss to the wool and it has been conservation mounted into a bird's-eye maple frame with a cherry bead and conservation glass. Sampler size: 12W' x 9W' Price: $4200.

Pocket Watch Samplers, England, circa 1800 There existed in England, in the early years of the 19th century, a charming tradition: needleworkers fashioned tiny circular samplers to fit inside the covers of gentlemen's pocketwatches. With brief aphorisms, initials, pots of flowers and borders, these miniatures survive as one of the most endearing types of samplers. "A token of respect" and "May your days be Long and Happy" are the sayings stitched in these two samplers and are representative of the genre. They were both worked in silk on linen and are in excellent condition. Each measures 2" in diameter and the framed size is 6" x 4 114''. Price for the two: $3400.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel

es Daughter.

Caroline Poland, Hamilton, Essex County, Massachusetts, 1817 In the first quarter of the 19th century a great number of fine samplers were made in Essex County, Massachusetts, where dozens of teachers instructed the students. Consequently some of these teachers came up with innovative designs and unusual treatments, in part so that they might attract a greater share of students. It's likely that this was the impetus for the striking border and whimsical scene that decorate this splendid sampler, which was worked by Caroline Poland in 1817. The geometric border that surrounds her work on three sides is formed of precisely placed satin stitches with the two corner diamonds worked to include little compass stars. Additionally, the hanging tassels that complete the upper border add a very appealing and stylish note. The sampler depicts a charming landscape with folky trees and little plants under a sky with a moon and stars as well as a sun. Caroline lived in the town of Hamilton, which is 8 miles northeast of Salem. She was born on June 4, 1805 to Andrew Poland, a surveyor of lumber and most likely a ship builder, and his wife, Bethiah, the second of their five children. Records from the Hamlet Parish Church indicate that she was christened in 1805 and married James G. Francis of Boston in 1826. It is likely that further research conducted locally will provide more information. The sampler is in excellent on condition, worked in silk linen and conservation mounted into a beveled and figured maple frame with conservation glass.

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Sampler size: 16" x 15 114'' Price: $7200.

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M. Finkel~ Daughter. AMERICA's

LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

7 Whitework Sampler, England, circa 1660 Seventeenth century English samplermakers perfected the whitework sampler and created a form that holds universal appeal. This sampler is an excellent example of its genre with some very impressive wide bands demonstrating the proficiency of its of unknown needleworker. A better understanding of any technique contributes to the appreciation of a sampler and so we quote from Samplers From the Victoria and Albert Museum by Clare Browne and Jennifer Wearden who include a fine explanation of whitework on pages 133 and 134: Tiny repeating patterns have been formed by manipulating the ground fabric, by pulling threads together and securing them in new alignments, and by darning-in supplementary threads ... dramatic effects were created by withdrawing threads from the ground, removing them from either the warp or the weft, orfrom both. Those threads that remained were stitched together in varying combinations to form decorative patterns ... Breath-taking audacity must have been required to take the next step, to move from pulled thread and drawn thread work to cutwork. To remove entire blocks of fabric, sometimes on a relatively large scale, leaving behind only a few vertical and horizontal threads on which to construct an entirely new structure. New threads, which traveled diagonally, were inserted and strengthened and then augmented with various types of buttonhole stitches to create additional loops and circles until cobweb-like patterns were formed and snowflakes hung in mid-air.

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We are privileged to offer this sampler which was worked in linen on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted into a later frame with conservation glass. Sampler size: 17" x 61h''

Price: $6200.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel

es Daughter.

Sara Schrack, Amish, Cambria or Somerset County, Pennsylvania, 1820 This is an impressive example of Pennsylvania German needlework, made by Sara Schrack and dated 1820. The style of lettering as well as dozens of specific motifs well represent the expression of this culture as documented in Samplers of the Pennsylvania Germans by Tandy and Charles Hersh. In the opinion of Mrs. Hersh our sampler should be attributed to the Amish community in Somerset and Cambria counties of southwest Pennsylvania where the Schrack/Schrock/Schrag family settled in 1766. The wide variety of carefully worked potted flowers and plants, hearts, crowns, birds and geometric designs provide a veritable catalogue of the patterns practiced by the young ladies of this tightly knit Pennsylvania German community. The sampler was worked in silk and linen on linen and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a bird's-eye maple frame with a cherry bead with conservation glass. (detail) Sampler size: 14W' x 14W' Price: $4800.

Dutch Darning Sampler, ACVH, dated 1811 In Samplers from A to Z, Pamela A. Parma!, textile curator at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston writes the following regarding darning samplers: "Darning, which involved interweaving new threads into the warp and weft of 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." We have been great enthusiasts of this genre for many years and it is our pleasure to offer this excellent Dutch darning sampler which is dated 1811 and initialed by its maker ACVH, who was 12 years old at the time. Eight large darned squares were created forming lustrous patterns in rich colors and the edge of the sampler features drawn work. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a beveled bird's-eye maple frame. Sampler size: 17" x 16W'

M. Finkel

Price: $3800.

es Daughter.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Sarah Taylor, Philadelphia, 1807 Philadelphia schoolgirls produced a group of important samplers at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries; these samplers frequently feature magnificent house and garden settings with elaborate figures, animals and plants. We are pleased to offer this large format sampler by Sarah Taylor, worked in 1807, a splendid example of this genre. This sampler is rendered all the more impressive because the samplermaker was only eight years old when she made this; since one's first year is from 0 to 12 months of age, one is 8 years old in one's t:!lillililllldidiiiJ~M:II.I ninth year. The fine Georgian house featured on this sampler is nicely detailed with its fanlight and mullions, its checkerboard base echoing the same feature found on other Philadelphia samplers (see figures 390, 392 and 393 in Betty Ring's Girlhood Embroidery, Vol. II). The lady and the two gentlemen are fashionably attired, the one fellow in a blue jacket leaning on his musket, a prop and posture found on a number of these Philadelphia samplers. The animals are especially well developed, with a pond of ducks to the left and a splendid peacock at the right with a cow, many sheep, rabbits, birds, a dog and an owl completing the picture. The needlework was executed with great skill, typical of the quality produced by this group of schoolgirls. Included in young Sarah's vocabulary of stitches were the satin stitch, queen's-stitch, flat stitch, seed stitch and tent stitch. Note the way the stitches used to form the pond were worked horizontally so as to better imply and define the water; also of interest is the strawberry vine formed from queen'sstitched berries. This sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a beveled maple frame with conservation glass. Sampler size: 20" x 24 1/4'' Price: $38,000.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

Margaret Dupervain, Philadelphia, circa 1818

In 1799 a distinctive and imposing building was completed in Westtown, Chester County, Pennsylvania to house an important Quaker boarding school, the Westtown School. From its inception, this school gained a fine reputation for the quality of the samplers and needlework produced by its students; indeed, association with the Westtown School became synonymous with excellence in needlework. Young women who had been schooled there became teachers throughout the Philadelphia region and assigned their students the task of replicating this revered building on samplers. Such is the case with these two splendid samplers which were worked by a Philadelphia girl, Margaret Dupervain, featuring the highly distinctive Westtown School building. The smaller sampler may have served as a practice piece, proving her ability to complete this depiction. They exhibit the visual strength and graphic qualities of this genre and are rendered all the more appealing by virtue of the fact that they remain together.

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

11 Margaret Dupervain, Philadelphia, circa 1818 (cont.) Both pieces are similar to other known samplers featuring this building, some of which have been published in Betty Ring's Girlhood Embroidery, Vol. II (see figures 531, 532 and 533). Also notable is the strong resemblance that these samplers bear to the sampler worked by Sarah N. Barton which is in the collection of the Westtown School and was published in Historical Needlework of Pennsylvania by Margaret B. Schiffer, on page 52. Margaret Dupervain was born in 1806 in Philadelphia to Peter and Catherine Dupervain, never married and lived with her brother, Henry Dupervain and his large family in a mansion at the corner of Callowhill and Garden Streets. An enormous amount of invaluable family information accompanies these samplers including a family bible, many marriage certificates, original letters dating from the mid 19th century forth, temperance certificates, obituaries and needleworked bookmarks. Margaret died in 1896 and is buried in Mount Peace Cemetery in the extensive Dupervain plot. These two samplers descended, unframed, in the family of the maker until 1993. They are mounted and as yet unframed, worked in silk on linen and in excellent condition. Sampler sizes: 123/ / ' x 10" and 8" x 8"

Price for the two: $28,000.

AMERICA ' s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel ~Daughter.

Justice and Adam & Eve, England, circa 1730 This handsome little sampler dating from the early 18th century combines a classic scene of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden with the depiction of Justice with her scales and sword. The allegorical figure of Justice is frequently found in decorative and fine arts, specifically sculpture, but is very rarely found on schoolgirl samplers. Justice was derived from Themis, the Greek Goddess of Justice, who symbolized the fair administration of the law and delivered oracles at Delphi. This rendition of Eden is especially lush with its verdant fields, deer, swans and birds; the sky is geometric in nature in the style of the clouds and sky that appear on 17th century English canvaswork landscape pictures. It was in the early 18th century that schoolgirls began working samplers in a square format with the intent that they would decorate their parents' walls and this is obviously a successful example of this type. Initialed "E.D.," it's a wonderfully charming sampler with appeal on many levels. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a good reproduction frame. Sampler size: 8lfz'' x 8114''

Price: $8200.

M.Finkel eg Daughter. AMERICA's

LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Basket of Flowers with Butterflies and Sheep, Delaware, circa 1810 American schoolgirls in the Federal period worked stunning silk embroidered pictures that would hang in the stylishly decorated parlors of their parents' homes. Often large in scale and always indicating the advanced talents of their makers, these pictures occasionally capture the essence of American folk art with their sense of whimsy and free-form design. Such is the case with this exuberant silk embroidered picture with its latticework basket of flowers sitting on a hill of plants, berries and miniature sheep. The three-sided border is formed of a tendrilled grapevine with bunches of fat grapes and spectacular leaves. This silk embroidery descended in a prominent Delaware family and was quite clearly worked at the same school as the fine example published as plate XII in A Winterthur Guide to American Needlework written by Susan Burrows Swan and published in 1976. The Winterthur piece is attributed to either Odessa, Delaware or Philadelphia, circa 1800-1820. Worked in silk on silk, it is in excellent condition and is in its outstanding original gold leaf frame with carved rope and balls. The reverse painted glass mat is an excellent quality replacement.

Framed size: 23 114'' x 25 114'' Sight size: 173!4'' x 20" Price: $14,500.

(detail) AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M. Finkel(:} Daughter.

Jean Warnock, "On Her Passage to America," 1793 This unusual and interesting sampler is unique in our twenty years of experience tracking antique samplers. The inscription reads "Jean Warnock wrought her sampler in the year AD 1793 being on her passage to America in the ship Wilmington James Jeffries Master John Magee First Mate" and the sampler quite obviously is unfinished. Confirmed by our research, this sampler depicts the saga of so many American immigrants, but it is unique to find that a young lady chose to document her journey and experience in this fashion. Jean Warnock, along with her parents and family, sailed on the ship Wilmington from Ireland in 1793; another passenger on board was 27 year old John W. Ferguson and during this journey Jean became betrothed to John Ferguson. The ship landed at Philadelphia, and John, according to a later biographical sketch, "invested his small savings in a peddler's pack" setting out to parlay this into sufficient success that he could return and claim his bride. After three years he returned to Philadelphia and married Jean Warnock; they then left for Washington Co., Pennsylvania where they began life on the frontier. A detailed description of this family (including this information about the 1793 passage) appears in the Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania of 1893 and portrays John as a fine citizen and successful farmer and Jean as a highly respected nurse. Their four children were born between 1798 and 1807 and Jean died there in 1850. The small areas at the bottom of the sampler are various openwork patterns and darning techniques, and the two side edges of the sampler are finished with drawn work. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a black painted and molded frame. Sampler size: 25lfz'' x 10 112''

Miniature Sampler and Needle Book, England, circa 1820 Needleworkers created lovely little pincushions, needle books and related objects to use and to give away as tokens of affection. This little gem is a tiny alphabet sampler which functions as the cover of a needle book while scores of steel pins inserted into the edges form a graphic border. Worked in silk, linen, wool and silk edging, it is in excellent condition. Size of the piece: 2" x 2lfz'' Price: $625.

M. Finkel~ Daughter.

AMERI C A ' s LEADING sAMPLER AN D N EEDLEWORK DEALER

German Silkwork Sampler, circa 1810

This is a large handsome sampler, a fascinating example of the extremely fine and very charming work accomplished in Germany in the early years of the 19th century. Comparable examples of this type of needlework are in the collections of several American museums; one of which is illustrated in Pamela A. Parmal's Samplers From A to Z, from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (pages 60-61). Ms. Parma! notes that these samplers take advantage of the lustrous and highly reflective nature of the long silk threads worked in the satin stitch which shows well against the plain weave silk of the ground. They often feature many varied pictorial designs and motifs as well as some delicate narrow horizontal bands and borders.

Our sampler presents an excellent assortment of animals, birds and flowers with an extraordinary woven basket of flowers as its centerpiece. Other detailed vignettes include a goat cart at upper right, a squirrel, a bird and striped animal at the left, and a fine little house on a hill next to the large yellow bird with blue markings perched on a leafy branch. This sampler is a winning combination of outstanding needlework and animation in flora and fauna. It is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a 19th-century maple frame. Sampler size: 20 1/2" x 23W'

Price: $5200.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

Chelmsford and Essex Provident Society, England, 1848 This highly unusual sampler was made to document the certification of William Shelly, as a member of the Chelmsford and Essex Provident Society, which was established in 1818. Provident societies were formed in large part to provide financial insurance to members and their families. Regular dues were received from members and paid out in the event of an illness or death and members clearly formed a brotherhood that lasted throughout adulthood. The motto of this society, "Brave One Anothers Burdens," was worked as a banner across the top of the sampler. The center square includes symbolic and the legend, which appears as a four-sided border of this square, reads: "The visiting bounds extend four miles round the shire hall and the collectors offices." This is a fascinating sampler which was likely worked by a female family member as a commemoration of this important event. The layout and needlework almost give the effect of a printed certificate. Worked in silk and linen on linen, it is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into its original black painted frame. Sampler size: 12" x 13"

Price: $2850.

Silk Embroidery of Zebras, France, circa 1820 The subject matter of this nicely worked silk embroidered picture is most appealing: two zebras recline next to a thatched roof structure amidst trees and flowering plants. The exotic nature of the little building with its gothic windows and doorway affirms the unusual character of the piece. The embroidery and paint were carefully worked with pleasing effect. Silk and chenille on silk, the piece is in excellent condition in a gold frame. Sight size: 10" x 13W' Price: $1850.

M.Finkel e':) Daughter. AMERICA ' s

LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Eliza Clemmons, Marblehead, Massachusetts, circa 1792

An outstanding group of pictorial samplers and needlework pictures was worked in the splendid little

coastal town of Marblehead, Massachusetts in the years between the 1780s and 1812. Betty Ring in Girlhood Embroidery, Volume I, discusses these pieces in a section entitled Marblehead: Its Magnificent Samplers and Eminent Schoolmistress (pages 130-143) and states, "The incomparable samplers of Marblehead have no foreign counterparts and represent American girlhood embroidery at its best [and these samplers] compose one of the most spectacular recognizable groups of New England needlework." Distinguishing characteristics include very specific patterns, which were drawn onto the samplermakers' linen: the shepherd and seated shepherdess with her striped dress, the three sheep in overlapping formation and the reclining goats. See American Samplers by Bolton and Coe plate XLIV for Mary Traill's 1791 Marblehead sampler which features these precise patterns. Needless to say, samplers and pictorial embroideries from Marblehead become available infrequently. This fascinating sampler is signed "Work'd by Eliza/Clemmons in the Fourteenth Year." Genealogical research reveals that Eliza was the daughter of Samuel and Alice (Hooper) Clemmons of Marblehead, born in 1779. She married Captain Ambrose Martin of Marblehead in 1795 and died there in 1857, buried in the Elm Street cemetery. The sampler is in very good condition with much of the white floss showing deterioration. It has been stabilized through conservation mounting and is in its fine original black molded frame, with conservation glass. Sampler size: 17" x 16 114''

Price: $12,500.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

Sarah Batt, Ackworth School, Medallion Sampler, Yorkshire, England, 1821 Ackworth School samplers are amongst the most sought after of all English schoolgirl needlework, and medallion samplers, such as this one, are considered the most desirable of this genre. The school was founded in 1779 and later served as the template for American Quaker schools, most notably the Westtown School in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Male and female students were separated and both received a structured and disciplined yearround education with no holidays or summer breaks. Female students learned samplermaking and needleworking skills in addition to their academic curriculum, and according to Elfrida Vipont in Ackworth School, worked their samplers in one color of silk for the sake of economy. The aphorisms, "tho absent yet beloved" and ';4 token of love" are well documented on Ackworth samplers. One motif that appears on this sampler is, however, not generally found - that of an anchor with letters spelling "HOPE," which was worked to the far left of Sarah's name and date. Sarah Batt was born on June 3, 1809 to William and Mary Batt of Reading. The Ackworth archives confirm that she entered the school in 1819 and remained until June 17, 1823; her older brother Richard was a student there from 1819 to 1821. This sampler, worked in 1821, may have been sent home with Richard as a testimonial to Sarah's accomplishments. Worked in silk on wool, the sampler is in excellent condition with a few minor areas of loss and has been conservation mounted into a black painted and molded frame with conservation glass. Sampler size: 12 1h" x 12W'

Price: $9200.

(detail)

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

AMERICA 'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Almira Holmes, Campton, Grafton County, New Hampshire, 1821 Since schoolgirl samplers can be appreciated on many different levels today, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that they were highly personal objects to their makers and their families. Almira Holmes worked this large and very impressive sampler in 1821 and since then it has remained with a book that Almira owned and inscribed (see below) and which will accompany the sampler. The two objects portray Miss Holmes as a young lady who valued her education and who seemed to have enjoyed both her needlework and her reading. Almira was 18 years old in 1821 when she worked this sampler. She was born May 19, 1803 to Samuel and Martha (Palmer) Holmes of Campton, in central New Hampshire, and did not marry until she was 34 years old. Her husband, Tilliston Pierce, was from the nearby town of Thornton and their five children were born in the area between 1838 and 1846. The sampler and book descended until very recently in the Pierce family. Almira's sampler would seem, at first glance, to be quite simple: straightforward alphabets are arranged in neat rows followed by her inscription, but it is the creative pictorial borders that demonstrate superior skill. A deep green lawn provides a format for animals, flowers, baskets and trees with garlands of luscious blossoms trailing down as side borders. It is a praiseworthy sampler rendered more appealing because of our knowledge of its maker. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a fine mid 19th-century gold leaf frame. Sampler size: 17" x 21114''

Price: $16,500.

EXGLISH READER :

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(detail) AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DE A LER

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

Guadalupe Fuentes, Mexico, 1849 In 1993, 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. In an article in The Textile Museum Bulletin which accompanied the exhibition, needlework scholar and guest curator Ms. Kathleen Staples wrote that these samplers expressed "the transformation of indigenous, European and Oriental designs and stitch techniques into an embroidery tradition that is uniquely Mexican." Many of the exhibited samplers displayed patterns identical to the elaborate horizontal blocks of stitches and designs on our large Mexican sampler, worked in 1849 by Guadalupe Fuentes. This is a handsome and well-balanced example, with openwork -~~..........,-~ ,.~.. ·~-·-.....,...~~~.........., ~""lL.,~ panels of both white and colored threads. These and -~~;;;~;;:;;;;;;;;;;~;:;;:;;=;;;;;;;;,;;;;~~~j other designs exhibit characteristics first found in early 16th century pattern books published in Germany and Italy and documented by Ms. Staples. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a bird's eye maple with black bead frame. Sampler size: 23" x 15"

Price: $3200.

Mary N. McCord, American, 1838 Mary McCord created a very appealing sampler in 1838 with an interesting verse and many tightly worked miniaturized motifs. The various little birds, pots of flowers, trees, baskets and tiny houses and dogs add enormous charm to this piece and make it clear that Mary's teacher was highly skilled in the needle arts. The sampler displays proficiency, from the letter-perfect verse to the tightly controlled borders and the assorted pictorial designs.

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The town name of La Grange appears on this sampler; towns of that name existed in many different states but it is likely that this sampler was worked in LaGrange, Dutchess County, N.Y. as it shares regional characteristics with documented samplers from that region. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition and conservation mounted into its original beveled mahogany veneer frame. Sampler size: 15W' x 163!4''

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Price: $3800.

es Daughter.

AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Mary Stinehower, Pennsylvania, 1837

Mary Stinehower's sampler belongs to a fascinating group of five known samplers worked in the mid 1830s in Pennsylvania. Each of these pieces features the same interesting, wide three-sided border which was designed in an unusually sophisticated pattern and executed using an impressive array of complicated stitches. Most samplers of this period present borders of typical repeat patterns, decidedly unlike this design. Mary worked a splendid building, again characteristic of this group. This structure was likely to have been an important institution in the town and there is the possibility that this is a depiction of the school building itself. Deep blue satin stitches form the first floor windows with delicate white mullions. The building sits in a patterned lawn and the pathway leading to the front is angled to imply depth. Also notable is the pair of sturdy trees. The inscription includes a listing of the vowels and the following verse, a classic early 19th-century entreaty: Lord this I ask in faith Thy wisdom from above To touch my heart with fear And pure ingenious love Mary Stinehower's sampler offers pleasing visual appeal and skillfully executed needlework. Worked in silk on line, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a cherry and maple corner block frame with conservation glass. Sampler size: 17114'' x 18"

Price: $8800.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M. Finkel

es Daughter.

Small Headwork Box, French, late 18th century top

Small headwork-covered objects became quite fashionable during the second half of the 18th century in France and England and ladies decorated needlecases and small boxes with this technique. Tiny glass beads were sewn to a linen foundation formed of loose buttonhole stitches and this foundation was then fastened tightly around the wooden box or object. This small oval box features stunning headwork on its domed top, bottom and sides. The box itself was carved in an exotic wood and the box and headwork are in outstanding condition. Size of the box: 2W' x 3W'

Price: $1800.

Jemima Dunger, England, 1790 In 1790, a thirteen-yearold schoolgirl named Jemima Dunger worked this lovely sampler depicting a central bouquet of flowers surrounded by a series of borders and corner elements. This delicate subject matter was executed with subtle variation in colors and skillful manipulation of the reflective threads. Details such as the veined leaves, thorny stems and twisting ribbon add to the appealing nature of this piece and it is a fine example of the accomplishments of late 18th-century English samplermakers. Worked in silk on linen the sampler is in excellent condition with some very slight foxing, conservation mounted into a carved black frame with a gilt liner. Sampler size: 16W' x 13'14''

Price: $5200.

M. Finkel e:J Daughter. AMERICA's

LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Silk Pocketbook owned by Sally Adams, with papers regarding her tenure as a student at Mary Balch's school, 1813 While not an impressive needleworked item in itself, this fine silk pocketbook and its contents descended in the family of its maker and owner, Sarah Adams, who had been a boarding student at Mary Balch's school in Providence, Rhode Island. The papers include many fascinating letters, invitations, and notations of merit, all of which date from the period in 1813 during which Sally attended the Balch school. The two most interesting papers are a personal note signed by Miss Balch, which states, "Miss Adams has distinguished herself during the past week for regularity of conduct and assiduous application to study, which are attended with manifest progression in learning. Young Ladies Academy - Providence 16th June 1813 Miss Balch" and a card printed with the "Terms of Miss Balch's Academy, George Street, Providence" which lists the various options offered at the school including "Arithmetic, English Grammar, Geography with Maps and Globes, History" and "Embroidery .... all kinds of Needlework" for a fee beyond that of the basic education. Additionally, washing was offered to the students at 25 cents weekly and Music and Dancing at $10 and $6 per quarter respectively. The information included in this purse provides a fascinating glimpse into the 1813 school year at this illustrious Academy. Sarah Adams was born circa 1795 in Wilbraham, Hampden County, Massachusetts and in 1816 married Rev. Eliakim Phelps of Belchertown, Mass. They lived in various towns and cities as the Reverend received increasingly more important positions. In 1835 he was elected Secretary of the American Educational Society of Philadelphia. The Phelps had five children and Sarah died in Philadelphia in 1845. The purse descended to her son Austin Phelps who was a prominent clergyman, author and theologian and the subject of a memoir entitled, Austin Phelps, by his daughter, E.S. :****~**~*****~~~*x*x******: Phelps. An original copy of this 1892 « TERMS » book accompanies the pocketbook. ~ o'F M1ss BALCH's ACADEMY, ~ ~ GEOIIGE-S'l'!IEE'1' 1 PROVIDENCE, ~ The pocketbook measures roughly 3W' 3 ~ Elemmt ary Rranchrs, 'L•h. ; I. 1 K £ w 1 s E, ~ x 5 14'' closed and is made of silk over ~ Plain Work, Re;~Jmg and . Embroidery, l'nnt Wnrk, ~ cardboard, in the style of small purses .g 01!hography, 2 Duls. MuOio Worl<, Tamh~ur. ~ ~ P~nmanlhip, Arithmetic, , ing, a!ld all Kind• of :-lee- it' and pocketbooks of the period. The <Y, Eng lith Grammor, Geogra- · dlc Work, alfo, l>rawing Xo price includes the pocketbook and all « phv, with M'psand Globes, , and C·>lnurinr, 3 Do!s. 1(o of its contents. JK Hillary, B.:lles Lettres and I Work independent of Study, ~

Price: $8400.

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AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel

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Checkerboard Houses, E.S., M.B., Somerset County, N.J., c. 1815 There exists a small group of samplers worked in Somerset Co., New Jersey under the instruction of Mary Bellamy and they share as their salient characteristics these three graphic checkerboard houses, flower pots, trees, birds and hearts. The samplermaker's initials, "E.S." and those her teacher appear on this piece along with the inscription, "This I have done to let you see wh/at care my parents took of me." It is a recent discovery of the work from this school. These samplers were worked by young ladies from the many prominent Dutch American families in this area and one of these examples, worked by Sarah Van Cleef in 1811, names Mary Bellamy as their teacher . (See our catalogue Vol. 5, page 5, for another example by Cornelia Stryker.) The stitches indicate a high level of sophistication: along with cross-stitch these samplermakers used chain stitch, satin stitch, eyelet stitch and, to accomplish the texture of the roofs and many chimneys, a cross stitch variation. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in very good condition with some slight loss and fade, conservation mounted into a beveled cherry frame with an outer bead. Sampler size: 17W' x 16314''

Price: $4200.

Needlework Picture of a Dog, England, circa 1850 . . . . . . English needleworkers in the 1840s through 1860s favored a style of picture that features a portrait of a dog, frequently a spaniel, often fully worked in rich shades of wool. We offer this delightful example with a charming depiction of a curly haired spaniel against a blue background. This cheerful dog with its soulful eyes and large pink bow holds a card or letter in his mouth that reads, in Spanish, "Para mo Duena," which loosely translates as "For my Mistress." The picture is beautifully bordered with a carefully designed framework of deep rose and red colored blossoms and buds with tendrils and leaves of olive green. Each corner features a large flower with deep blue petals serving to anchor the design, and the border is finished with narrow edges of deep red. Solidly stitched in wool and silk on linen, it is in excellent condition in a faux painted frame. Sampler size: 14 1h" x 19" Price: $3850.

M.Finkel e':) Daughter.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Emma Cox, age 7, England, 1850 One very rarely encounters a sampler with as much visual appeal as this stunning piece worked in 1850 by Emma Cox; the large-scale, ambitious nature of the overall design and the extreme attention to detail combine for outstanding results. Emma was only seven years old when she worked this most impressive example, which features as its central element a young lady gardener with a basket of flowers in one hand and a cut blossom in the other. Her checkerboard skirt, brimmed hat and striped hose set an amusing tone furthered by the enormous assortment of pictorial motifs. Amongst the more unusual are the pair of caged blackbirds, a small vignette of two girls at play, birdbaths and a large rooster. Dozens of miniature elements appear throughout the sampler, decorating almost the entire surface. There seems to be a botanical theme to this piece with a plethora of plants and flowers which appear in pots and baskets. Two commanding arrangements are in the low urns with branches of acorns, both upright and pendulous. The border is of a particularly handsome design with repeats of several unusual flower blossoms worked into the geometric arcades. It is a privilege to be able to offer this sampler which represents the absolute peak of its period. Worked

in silk on wool, it remains in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a period bird's-eye maple frame with a gold liner and conservation glass.

Sampler size: 22 1/z" x 173!4''

Price: $8400.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel

es Daughter.

Jane Anderson, probably southern New Hampshire, 1796 Eighteenth century American samplers are becoming increasingly scarce and we are pleased to offer this praiseworthy little example. Worked by Jane Anderson, this piece shares characteristics with a body of samplers worked in southern New Hampshire in the late 18th and early 19th century and we can assume that it was worked in that region. 1\vo hillocks appear along the bottom of the sampler, surmounted by an oversized bird with a topknot of feathers and a spotted tail and a flowering plant, with a tiny evergreen tree between them. The three-sided border of strawberries and leaves includes little flowers in the corners and provides a good framework for the design. The inscription, worked in pale blue, reads, "Jane Anderson S/ampler Wrought in/the 9th Year of her age/1796" and from this we know that Jane was in fact just 8 years old when she worked her sampler; one is in one's first year the first 12 months of one's life, hence one is 8 years old in one's "9th year." The verse is one which has been recorded on samplers from the year 1700 forth and Jane used the long version of the letter "s", which prevailed through the end of the 18th century in samplermaking and printed material. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into an early frame with a gilt liner. Sampler size: 12lf2'' x 8"

Price: $4800

Elizabeth Walkden, England, 1826 This endearing little sampler is signed "Elizabeth Walkden Work 1826" and offers a pleasing arrangement of symmetrical motifs accomplished with precision and control. A central vase of flowers is flanked by potted plants, miniature birds and other tiny patterns as well. It is surrounded at the top and bottom by lovely sawtooth borders of deep teal green. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted into a handsome mahogany veneer frame. Sampler size: 8 114'' x 8"

Price: $1100.

M.Finkel e:J Daughter.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Sarah Ann Carter, Washington City, January 2, 1834 Pictorial samplers documented to have been made in Washington City (later known as Washington, D.C.) are extremely rare. In Girlhood Embroidery, Betty Ring discusses these pieces in a section entitled Samplers of Washington City (Vol. II, pages 528- 531). This sampler, worked by Sarah Ann Carter in 1834, is an outstanding example which features a fine brick house, four stylized evergreen trees and a wonderful lawn with people, a deer, a dog and many sheep. Included are interesting details such as the front steps, front door and the varied and fashionable clothing of the ladies and gentlemen. Of particular note is the African American boy or young man with a basket on his head, at far left. Above the scene appear birds in wreaths and a pair of fruit baskets with a verse as follows:

Teach me to feel another's wo To hide the fault I see That mercy I to others show That mercy show to me. It is all surrounded by a vine and bud border and the needlework is tight and fine throughout. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a maple and cherry corner block frame with conservation glass.

Sampler size: 17" square Price upon request

(detail)

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel eJ Daughter.

Charlotte Camp, probably Connecticut, 1804 The first decade of the 19th century witnessed a flowering of samplermaking in America with the most sophisticated generally including a well-developed scene of a Federal house flanked by trees with ladies and gentlemen standing on the lawn. This sampler worked by Charlotte Camp, aged 11 years in 1804, is an outstanding example, with one of the loveliest scenes we have encountered. The house was crisply depicted with extremely fine stitches of pale green, bright raspberry and white and the trees with their broad leaves of deep teal offer an unusual graphic. The costumes of the six figures are quite fashionable, lending a further stylish note to the sampler. In addition, handsome borders of meandering chainstitched vines with buds and flowers provide a framework and further appeal. The verse is typical of the cautionary poetry of the period: Youth you must not on numerous years depend For unknown accidents your steps attend Some sudden illness soon may stop thy breath And prove an inlet to Eternal Death These lines were worked on the sampler in such a manner that suggests that Charlotte misjudged the allotted space. Alphabets and narrow decorative bands fill the top half of the sampler and drawn work edges finish it on three sides. Genealogical research indicates that Charlotte Camp was living in Connecticut where her birth circa 1795 was recorded in Hartford and her marriage to John Rea was recorded in Litchfield County on December 12, 1816.

The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition with a few lost stitches. It has been conservation mounted into a figured maple frame with conservation glass.

Sampler size: l7 1h" x 12" Price: $8600.

M.Finkel

es Daughter.

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Mary Daggett, Balch School Silk Embroidery, circa 1800 Some of the loveliest of all American silk embroideries were produced at the school of Mary Balch in Providence, Rhode Island between 1800 and 1812. Historians and scholars have long recognized Mrs. Balch's talents and ability to inspire her students to handle their embroidery threads with remarkable skill, as was the case with this delicate piece worked under her tutelage by Mary Daggett. The subject, a cornucopia of flowers surrounded by a fine oval border formed of vines, leaves and flowers, is a documented Balch school pattern and we are very pleased to offer this example. Extensive family notations that accompany this silk embroidery document that it was worked by Mary Daggett circa 1800. Mary was from an illustrious family that settled in southern Massachusetts and removed to Providence, Rhode Island by about 1797. Her father, Abner Daggett served in the Revolutionary War at the siege of Boston and the Battle of Long Island and in 1779 married Mary Holmes of Attleboro, Massachusetts. Their five children were born between 1780 and 1797; Mary was born on March 23, 1786 in Attleboro, Massachusetts. She would have worked this silk embroidery as an adolescent and then, at age 18, on September 21, 1804 married George Munson of Providence. Their three children were born in New Haven between 1806 and 1811 and their middle child, Harriett Munson inherited this embroidery and a watercolor portrait of Mary Daggett (also shown), which she passed on to her son, George Bullard of Boston. The portrait will accompany the silk embroidery along with the family notes and genealogical research. Mary's silk embroidery is in its fine gold leaf frame, which retains its original framer's label from Joseph Stokes, of Boston. Worked in silk on silk, it is in excellent condition. Size of embroidery: 13" x 11"

Price: $7800.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M. Finkel~ Daughter.

Emily Knox, York County, Maine, 1826 This is an unusual and aesthetically pleasing Family Record sampler, with the vital statistics worked within the framework of a highly creative flowering plant. The stitching indicates a very high level of expertise and was accomplished onto an almost impossibly fine linen gauze; clearly both the samplermaker and her teacher were practiced needleworkers. Lebanon and Berwick are small towns in southern Maine (York County) and were home to the Knox family for many generations. The American branch of the family began with Thomas Knox who emigrated as a young man by 1652 and settled in Dover, New Hampshire. His great great grandson John Knox served in the Revolutionary War, mustered out of York, Maine and saw active duty at the Battle of Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. John's granddaughter, Emily Knox, born October 31, 1814 to John and Sally (Dore) Knox, was the maker of this sampler. Early town records published by the Lebanon Historical Society indicate that Emily's father was an "old-time singing master" and that her mother was from Lebanon and Berwick. Emily was the youngest of their ten children and she worked this sampler at age 12 in 1826 and died at age 16. While many Family Record samplers were made throughout New England, we have not previously seen one of a similar design and execution. Silk and metallic threads form the vines, leaves, berries and flowers and the needlework was accomplished in an excellent vocabulary of stitches. The overall effect is quite lovely.

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Worked in silk and metallic thread on linen gauze, the sampler is in excellent condition with some very slight loss, conservation mounted into a black molded frame with conservation glass. Sampler size: 19'14'' x 16"

Price: $5800.

M.Finkel eg Daughter.

AMERICA ' S LEADI N G sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEAL E R

Maria Cloud, probably Delaware, 1823 It is our pleasure to offer this wonderfully appealing sampler with its crisp combination of lawn and house scene, floating birds, Quaker flower and basket motifs and letter-perfect verse. Much of the work is unusually • intricate and, in a few cases, the samplermaker used stitches that are considered quite difficult such as the whip and chain stitched birds. The lawn is closely worked in the tent stitch, and the cross-stitches that form the house and baskets of fruit are equally fine .

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Our research to identify the samplermaker, Maria • r Cloud, reveals that members of the Cloud family came to America with William Penn, and descendants ' remained in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware; the family remained predominantly Quaker. The only Maria Cloud who would have been the appropriate age to have worked a sampler in 1823 was the daughter of William and Ann (Davis) Cloud of Delaware and Pennsylvania. They were married in Wilmington on November 2, 1796 and Maria was born on January 31, 1805. She died, unmarried, in May 1867 and is buried in the graveyard of the Chichester Friends Meetinghouse, near Naaman's Corner, New Castle County, Delaware.

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The sampler was worked in silk on linen, and it is excellent condition, conservation mounted into a molded cherry frame. Sampler size: 19 114'' x 20W'

Price: $14,500.

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AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel

es Daughter.

Ann Elizabeth Hall, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 1830

This large and handsome sampler has much to recommend itself: a prominent, architecturally-detailed Federal house flanked by intricate wrought iron fencing and highly unusual trees and several appealing sampler motifs such as lustrous roses, baskets of fruit and a bird perched on a sprig just above the roof. The particularly engaging verse reads as follows: How happy is the youth who hears Instructions warning voice And who celestial wisdom makes Her early only choice According as her labours rise So her rewards increase Her ways are ways of pleasantness And all her paths are peace. The sampler is inscribed "Ann Elizabeth Hall's Performance In the 9th year of her age in the year of our Lord 1830." The use of the word "performance" is interesting as it confirms that a sampler was a demonstration of proficiency in the needle arts in the same manner as a poetry declamation or a musical performance.

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According to family history, Ann Elizabeth Hall was the daughter of Isaac Hall of Chester County and Susanna Smith of Lancaster County. The family resided in Strasburg, which is south of the city of Lancaster. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler retains its original green silk ribbon, which was applied by cross-stitch. The use of ribbons, generally of green silk, is indigenous to parts of southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. The sampler is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into its original frame with rosette corner blocks. Sampler size: 18" X 171h" Price: $12,500.

M. Finkel rs Daughter.

AMERICA ' S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

Margret Eliza Sturrup, probably New Jersey, 1811 It is our pleasure to offer this handsome sampler with its overwhelmingly folky nature and many appealing pictorial images. The inscription reads "Margret Eliza Sturrup Born May the Fourth 1797 Worked this May The 23 1811" and it was arranged within the delightful scene of ladies, birds, animals and stylized trees flanking a handsome two-story house. An enormous butterfly tops the scene and whimsical notes, such as the squirrel, provide great anima-

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used with narrow borders on three tion. A delicate palette of colors was sides contrasting with the handsome deeply arcaded bottom border with its individual large blossoms. The narrow band of design, which appears in lieu of the lawn, adds further interest. The sampler shares many characteristics and motifs with needlework from southern New Jersey and it is likely that further research will reveal information regarding Margaret Eliza Sturrup. Worked in silk on linen, the sampler is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a figured maple corner block frame.

Sampler size: 17114'' X 16W' Price: $8500.

AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M. Finkel~ Daughter.

SELECTED NEEDLEWORK BIBLIOGRAPHY Allen. Gloria Seaman . 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 Colon ial Dames of America, 192 1. Brooke, Xanthe. Catalogue of Embroideries. The Lady Lever Art Gallery. Alan Sutton Publishing Inc., 1992 Edmonds, Mary Jae ne. Samplers and Samplermakers, An American Schoolgirl Art 1700-1850. New York: Ri zzoli, 1991. Epstei n, Kathy. An Anonymous Woman Her Work Wrought In The 17th Century. Curious Work Press, 1992. British Embroidery: Curious Works from the Seventeenth Century. Colonial Willi amsburg 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, 199 1 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 F A Gallery of American Samplers: The Theodore H Kapnek Collection. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1978. New England Samplers to 1840 Sturbridge, Mass.: Old Sturbridge Village, 1978. Ring, Betty. American Needlework Treasures. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1987. Girlhood Embroidery: American Samplers & Pictorial Needlework, 1650-1850. Knopf, 1993. Let Virtue be a Guide to Thee: Needlework in the Education of Rhode Island Women, 1730-1820. Providence: The Rhode Island Historical Society, 1983. Schiffer, Margaret B. Historical Needlework of Pennsylvania. New York. Charles Scribner's Sons, 1968. Schorsch, An ita. 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. Warre n 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 Wi nston, 1977.

M.Finkel

es Daughter.

AME RI CA ' S LE A DI NG SAM P LE R AN D

EE DL EW OR K D EALE R

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.

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.

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.

Supply a reverse painted black glass mat, if appropriate, done in correct antique manner.

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

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.

detail of sampler by Sarah Batt, Ackworth School, 1821, page 18

AMERICA'S LEADING SAMPLER AND NEEDLEWORK DEALER

M.Finkel

es Daughter.

detail of sampler by Sarah Taylor, 1807, page 9

est. 1947

M. Finkel e:s Daughter. AMERICA'S LEADING ANTIQUE SAI\IPLER & NEEDLEWORK DEALER

936 Pine Street. Philadelphia. Pennsylvania. 19107-6128 215-627-7797.800-598-7432. fax 215-627-8199 www.samplings.com