VOLUME XXXV
Sam~lings: A SELECTED OFFERING OF ANTIQUE SAMPLERS AND NEEDLEWORK
est. 1947
M. Finkel e:J 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 www.samplings.com
Please visit our website: www.samplings.com
detail of "Washington's Urn" silk embroidery, page 25
detail of the sampler by Martha Rudderow, page 5
Copyright Š 2009 by M. Finkel & Daughter, Inc. All rights reserved. o 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.
Welcome to our Samplings catalogue, Volume XXXV ...
We hope that you enjoy this catalogue, our 35th issue, and we thank all of you for your continued and growing interest in this field. Schoolgirl samplers and needlework provide 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. 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 62nd anniversary of the founding of our firm. We continue to value our positive relationships 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 Monday through Friday, and are available on weekends except when we are exhibiting at antiques shows. Please let us know of your plans to visit us. \ e suggest that you contact us in a timely fashion if one or more of our samplers is of interest to you. Please let us know if you would like us to email you additional or larger photos than appear in this catalogue. The majority of the pieces in the catalogue have not yet appeared on our website so as to give our catalogue subscribers the advantage of having a first look. Should your choice be unavailable, we would be happy to discuss your collecting objectives with you. Our inventory is extensive, and we have many other amplers that are not included in our catalogue but which are on our website. Moreover, through our ources, we may be able to locate what you are looking for; you will find us knowledgeable and helpful. Payment may be made by check, VISA, Mastercard, or American Express. Pennsylvania residents should add 6% sales tax. All items are sold with a five day return privilege. Expert packing is included: shipping and insurance costs are extra. We prefer to ship via UPS ground or Federal Express air, insured. \ e look forward to your phone calls and your interest. Amy Finkel Morris Finkel Jamie Banks www.samplings.com
mailbox@samplings.com 800-598-7432
Please check our website for a more expanded inventory of our samplers
Are you interested in selling? We are 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. Please call us for more information.
AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel e!S Daughter.
ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF CONTENTS Susanna Barnitz, York, Pennsylvania, 1786 .................................................. 9 Elizabeth S. Billings, R.T. Merrill, Instructress, Sidney, Ontario, Canada, 1835 ................... 30 Syrena Blanchard, Wilton, New Hampshire, 1826 ............................................ 6 Margaret W. Brown, Woodbury, Gloucester County, New Jersey, 1838 .......................... 11 Heloise Bruhiere, Rauen, France, 1822 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Lydia Burrough, Burlington County, New Jersey, 1792 ....................................... 22 Polly Campbell, Putney, Vermont, 1800 ......................................... . ........... 4 Sarah Ann Campbell, American, 1818 ..................................................... 16 Phebe E. Canfield, Caldwell, Essex County, New Jersey, 1833 .................................. 31 Mary Ann Crown, Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 1836 . . ......................... 15 Darning Sampler, northern Europe, 1788 .................................................. 28 Mary Anne Dundas, England, 1797 ........................................................ 23 Anna Fletcher, Silk Embroidered Memorial, Dunstable, Massachusetts, 1803 .................... 33 Stephen Gusterson, London, England, 1837 ................................................ 24 Maria Hains, New Jersey, 1803 ............................................................ 26 Holliepoint and Buttonhole Sampler, Germany, 1819 .............. .. ........................ 32 Betsy Johnson, West Mrican missionary sampler, Waterloo, Sierra Leone, 1841 .................. 12 Sarah Ralston Jones, Wilmington, Delaware, 1822 ........................................... 16 Hannah Merrell, Barkhamsted, Litchfield County, Connecticut, 1829 ........................... 29 Hannah C. Parker, Falmouth, Massachusetts, 1835 .......................................... 18 "A Pic-Nic on the Wissahickon", Philadelphia, circa 1850 ............... . ....................... 8 Pictorial Sampler, Scotland, 1809 ......................................................... 36 Plushwork Dog in Cattails, probably Moravian, mid 19th century .............................. 20 Quaker Knitted Pin Cushion, England, 1820 ........... . . . . . . . .............................. 11 Mary Raymond, Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, 1821 ......................................... 3 Ann Reed, England, 1802 ................................................................ 14 Postrema Ridgway, Burlington County, New Jersey, circa 1805 ....... ... . .. ................... 29 Ann Louisa Robbinson, Falmouth, Massachusetts, 1838 ...................................... 13 Martha Rudderow, Burlington County, New Jersey, 1830 .... . .. .... ........................... 5 Elizabeth Slough, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1825 ........... . . .. ................... 10 Margaret Stonesipher, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, 1849 .......... . . . .................... 35 Margaret Swayer, Ohio Shaker Sampler, North Union Community, 1844 ......................... 7 Abby Treadway, Middletown, Connecticut, 1797 ............................................. 27 Mary Uhler, Uhlerstown, Mary Isabella Hall's School, Pennsylvania, 1832 ....................... 19 Beadwork Picture, A. Ville, France, 1838 .................... ..... .......................... 20 ''Washington's Urn", silk embroidery, American, circa 1810 .......... ......... ... ... .......... 25 Ann Davey Wells, England, 1785 . ..................... . .. ... . . ............................ 32 Muller Orphanage Sampler by Bessie White, Bristol, England, 1879 ..... .. ... ... . . ............. 21 Isabella White, Scotland, 1830 ............................. . . . . . ....... ... ................ 26 Mary Benezet Wood, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1817 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
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lary Benezet Wood, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1817
~
i our privilege to offer this enormously appealing sampler, which was made by Mary Benezet Wood, a mber of one of Philadelphia's most interesting and accomplished families . A sampler this successful uld be considered impressive for a needleworker of any age and it is rendered that much more ~eresti ng as Mary was only seven years old.
m in ovember 26, 10, ~ary Benezet was the daughter : Jo eph and Margaret Ri er) Wood. Her emal grandmother, n namesake, Mary Benezet (1755-1808), the niece of Anthony Benezet 1713-1784), the renowned Quaker convert who was the lea er in the litiorust movement in England and America. A lifelong ucator and author, Benezet was the first to li h books and er that called a ntion to the slavera e and the living on itions of enslaved Africans. as well as the i<1 of_ ·ative erican. The ~ ezet enealogy, i-he in 1905, -that ·'he i .... -triou ly labored -nr out a long and :~ -eful life, to ... an -e the best · - r - of mankind, · ::. humble and private ere:· Also credited ·• furthering the - - of the education of slaves and women, Benezet established an evening school in his home to teach • - -can Americans, and in 1754 opened the first public school for girls in Philadelphia. The Benezet family .....: a rominent French Huguenot one, which emigrated first to Holland in 1715 and ultimately settled in P · elphia in 1731. Anthony's younger brother, Daniel, our samplermaker's great-grandfather, was a ·er as well, and a distinguished merchant and supporter of many civic causes. Daniel' daughter, Mary Benezet, was born in 1755 and would have been amongst Philadelphia's most rured young ladies. In 1772 when she was seventeen years old, Mary's portrait was painted by Charles lllson Peale who was considered the finest portrait painter of the revolutionary era in America. This rtrait is in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It shows Mary to be a refined beauty whose entire manner suggests intelligence and grace; the painting is currently on public view in the museum's 1~th century American galleries. The following year Mary was married to Joseph Wood, an attorney from (continued on the next page) .\..\1ERICA' LEAmNcsAMPLERANDNEEoLEwoRKDEALER
M.Finkel & Daughter.
2
Mary Benezet Wood, Philadelphia, PA, 1817 (continued) Georgia, and they became the parents of one son and three daughters. After the early death of Joseph Wood, Mary married Rev. Joseph Pilmore (1739-1825), the highly respected Protestant minister, who played an important role as stepfather to the children, including Joseph, father of our samplermaker. Mary Benezet Wood married a merchant, John Ross, who was born in Delaware. They had three daughters, Mary Benezet, Josephine and Margaret Augusta, and remained in Philadelphia throughout their lives. Mary's sampler honors her family well. The splendid and detailed scene of houses, outbuildings, trees and ducks on the lawn anchors the composition and contributes a whimsical animation. It is a large sampler with a great assortment of interesting motifs: vases of flowers, a low basket filled with fruit, a pair of peacocks and one of small parrots, as well as many little trees, flowers and other elements. The inscription is enclosed within a classic cartouche that is held aloft by angels, and the horizontal band echoes the early sampler design of 18th century Philadelphia. Mary used a variety of stitches and the workmanship is excellent throughout. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a figured maple frame with an outer bead. Sampler size: 21 W' x 16W'
Framed size: 25W' x 20"
Price: $34,000.
(detail)
(detail)
M. Finkel ~ Daughter. AME RICA's LEADL'\G
A.\1PLER A.- -:o :\EEDLEwoRK o EALER
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lary Raymond, Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, 1821
: Raymond's fine Iinsey-woolsey sampler informs us that she was born on January 5, 1811 and that she _ pleted her needlework in 1821. She was the eldest daughter of George Raymond (1783-1853), a farmer, - cctman and town representative, and his wife, Mary (Wallace) Raymond. The family lived in Mont Vernon, -mall town in southern New Hampshire which was originally part of Amherst and was separated in 1803. ~:ormati on regarding the Raymond family is published in the History of the Thwn of Mont Vernon New Ha mpshire (1907) and interestingly, it indicates that, precedent to her marriage in 1839 Mary was a teacher, ::..:: ¡ell as the principal at the nearby Female Seminary of Hancock. Her husband was Rev. D.D. Pratt, a Bapti t clergyman from Vermont. They remained in New Hampshire for many years, settling in Nashua,
,¡here they became the parents of five children. After Rev. Pratt died, Mary Pratt removed with some of their children to the Midwest. Mary died in 1902 at Evanston, Illinois. Genealogies of the Raymond Families of New England 1630 to 1886 includes specifics about the early history of Mary Raymond's family, \'hich began with John Raymond who settled near Salem, Massachusetts about the year 1652. Linsey-woolsey is a fabric of linen warp and wool weft which was occasionally used for the ground of samplers in the coastal areas of New England. Generally deep olive green in color, it provided samplermakers with the opportunity to create a sampler with an unusual aesthetic. In this case, the silk needlework was executed in white, robin's-egg blue, pink and tan, all of which show up wonderfully against the green Iinsey-woolsey. It is in excellent condition with very slight weakness to the Iinsey-woolsey and it has been conservation mounted into a cherry frame. See detail on page 37. ampler size: 17" x 17W'
Frame size: 19" x 19W'
Price: $5200.
AMERicA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel & Daughter.
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Polly Campbell, Putney, Vermont, 1800
Vermont samplers are decidedly difficult to come across and we are very pleased to offer this wonderfully documented, endearing little example. The maker of this outstanding sampler was Polly Campbell of Putney, Vermont and a wealth of information about Polly and her family accompanies her work. The inscription, stitched in pink silk along the bottom of the sampler reads, "Polly Campbell born February 3rd 1790 Aged ten years" with "Putney Vermont 1800" appearing along with her scripted initials, PC. A remarkably similar sampler made by Becca Read of Putney, age 10, 1800, obviously at the same school, is published as figure 83 in New England Samplers to 1840 by Glee Krueger, as the only illustrated Vermont sampler. Polly was the daughter of Dr. John Campbell, a renowned doctor from Massachusetts who removed to Putney, a small town in southeastern Vermont, in 1786 and practiced there for over 30 years; thus beginning a continuous tradition of Campbell family doctors in Putney that lasted until l866. Her mother was Martha Stevens and they had married in Oxford, Massachusetts in 1777 just prior to John Campbell's service in the Revolutionary War. An early and extensive article regarding the town of Putney was published in the Vermont Historical Magazine; it is written that Dr. John Campbell ''was a man of intelligence, energy and moral worth and exerted a wide influence in his professional and civil life. The confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens is indicated by the fact that he was chosen to represent the town from 1790 to 1796, inclusive." In 1824 Polly married Tillotson Wheeler of Westmoreland, New Hampshire and they lived in Littleton, New Hampshire where their four children were born between 1824 and 1832. The family later removed to Michigan where Polly died in 1883. Along with alphabets and the sampler motifs of a large basket of fruit and small potted plants Polly worked the aphorism, "Revere Virtue Detest Vice." Overall this is a highly pleasing sampler with much to recommend it. Worked in silk on linen it is in excellent condition with minor loss to the black threads of one word of the date. It has been conservation mounted into an early black reeded frame with a gilt liner and conservation glass. Sampler size: 7%" x 12W'
Frame size: lOW' x 14%"
Price: $8600.
M. Finkel ~ Daughter. AMERICA's LEADING s At\1PLER At'-JD NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
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_ artha Rudderow, Burlington County, New Jersey, 1830
. br".ha Rudderow's excellent sampler is a fine example of this group. The Federal house was worked with _ <:a etail and includes the large family dog by the front door. The Extract verse, in classic Quaker style, is : nounded by a leafy black cartouche, which is most reminiscent of the samplers worked at the Westtown ~ ool in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
Bo
in 1 17 to William and Rachel Rudderow of Burlington County, New Jersey, Martha worked her pier at age 13 in 1830. The Rudderow family descended from John Rudderow, a surveyor and lawyer, arrived in Philadelphia from England circa 1680. Old Moorestown Families: Historical Sketches . George DeCou further indicates that John married Lucy Stiles and they settled on a large plantation on P.: uken Creek in New Jersey by 1684. tha married Daniel Lippincott (1817 -1844) and they had one child, a son, Daniel Lippincott. After her "'- -band death, Martha married Caleb Poinsett (1812-1897) and they lived in Chester Township, B- rlington County. Their children, Anna, George, Henry, William and Emma were born between 1851 and -1. Caleb was the owner of a successful brickyard that was located in Chesterfield. Martha died in 1895 at 15. Copies of the wills or inventories of her parents and her husband are in the file of research that ompanies the sampler. The sampler descended to Martha's eldest son, Daniel Lippincott and it remained e family until just recently.
e sampler was worked in silk on linen and retains its original pale pink silk ribbon. It has been ervation mounted and is in its original mahogany frame. See detail on inside cover. pier size: 19%" x 17%" Frame size: 24W' x 22W'
Price: $28,000.
MERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
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Syrena Blanchard, Wilton, New Hampshire, 1826
Syrena Blanchard's splendid sampler evidences an unusual composition which combines well with her freeform needlework, rendering this one of particular appeal. The circular framework is surrounded with an enthusiastic display of oversized blossoms on leafy stems, and baskets of fruits and flowers worked predominantly in lustrous teal blue, crisp white and golden tan satin stitches. The four line verse, extolling "youth improved" is highly appealing, as well. Syrena lived in Wilton, a small town in southern New Hampshire. The Blanchard family originated with Thomas Blanchard who emigrated from Hampshire, England in 1639 during the Great Migration. He settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts and by the late 18th century, a branch of the family had removed to Wilton. Syrena's parents, Abner and Hannah (Tarbell) Blanchard, married in 1812 and she was born on November 10, 1815, the eldest of their four children. Syrena married Deacon Adams Winn of the nearby town of Mason. They had a daughter, Martha, born in 1838. It seems that by 1850 Deacon Winn had died, as the 1850 census shows mother and daughter living alone, back in Wilton. Syrena died on July 10, 1895. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted into a fine mahogany frame with line inlay. Sampler size: 17" square Frame size: 20W' square Price: $6400.
M. Finkel e:s Daughter. AMERICA's LEAm
' G SA,"\IPLER A.' m NEE DLEwoRK DEALER
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_largaret Swayer, Shaker Sampler, North Union Community, Ohio, 1844 piers made within the Shaker communities are extremely rare; they were made to learn and practice the rtant skill of marking linens. Shaker communities, some of which counted hundreds of inhabitants at - ir height, laundered their linens and clothing communally and would have needed precise and organized .··ngs on every piece of fabric. Their samplers generally remained within their communities, often iTamed, as the stitches served as reference. The condition of Shaker samplers can reflect the fact that they ul have been used and handled for many years . ~
. la.r(iaret Swayer states on her sampler that she was born April 29, 1817 and further that "Margaret Swayer e here May 13th 1831." According to the Union Village Journal, Vol. II, Margaret went to live at the . · rth nion Society when she was 15 years of age and signed the Church Covenant in 1843. A History of Cuyahoga County and the City of Cleveland by Wm. Coates, 1924, discusses the history of this Shaker unity, which was at Warrensville, outside of Cleveland, the area that later became known as Shaker ·(i . 1argaret Swayer is mentioned as an office deaconess, along with Abigail Russell whose unfinished ler, the only other known example from this community, is in the collection of the Western Reserve ·- orical ociety. (iaret lived at North Union until 1889 when she, along with other Shakers, removed to the Watervliet mrnunity near Dayton. They returned to North Union in 1900 and Margaret died there on March 20, 1905 r sampler is made of silk worked onto linen and has been conservation mounted. It is in good condition - . · me loss and weakness to the linen along the fold line, now stabilized, and in a black molded and frame. ~
er ize: l OW' x 12W'
Frame size: 13" x 15"
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Price: $22,000.
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A..\IE RJc A·s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
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"A Pic-Nic on the Wissahickon," Philadelphia, circa 1850 Wissahickon Creek, named by the Lenape Indians, is an historic stream that runs northwest of Philadelphia. Rittenhousetown, America's first paper mill, was established on its banks in 1690, and Edgar Allan Poe wrote an essay in 1844 entitled "Morning on the Wissahiccon." Along with other natural, bucolic settings, the Wissahickon became a favorite with rusticators and romanticists of the 1840s and 50s. Graham's Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine enjoyed popular readership and published a short story, "The Pic Nic: A Story of the Wissahickon" by Charles J. Peterson in its 1844 issue, and this was illustrated with an engraving of the same title by William Croome. Mr. Croome's composition depicted a group of young people socializing on the banks of the creek and in a row, with one of the Fairmount Park mansions high up on the hill in the background.
This precise composition served as the source for a fine, anonymous folk painting, circa 1845, published as plate 181 in Folk Painters of America by Robert Bishop and in the collection of the Henry Ford Museum. We are delighted to offer a rare and excellent needleworked rendition of precisely the same subject: A Pic Nic on the Wissahickon. Extremely delicate wool and silk stitches are solidly worked in a varied and handsome palette, forming a splendid overall picture with nuanced detail to the costume and foliage. The needlework was stitched on punched paper, which was newly fashionable in the mid 19th century. It is in excellent condition with very minor loss, in a beveled maple and cherry frame. See detail on page 37. Sight size: 17W' x 21 W'
Frame size: 21 W' x 2514''
Price: $6800.
M. Finkel e:J Daughter. AMERICA's LEADI
c s ru-v!PLE R At'\I D NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
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usanna Bamitz, York, Pennsylvania, 1786 . ·-h use of queen'sdistinguishes this ~ ·- mrthy sampler, · h ' as made by ~~a Barnitz of York, lvania in 1786. a worked a pair of ~e and extraordinary r , perched within the :lind borders that c:-aanate from doubleed urns with heart ~ ~orations, and used een· - titch for the ,reat majority of her e le\\'ork. A - hi ticated technique requires great skill more si lk floss than .·other stitch, this was r.:.rely used in profusion any choolgirl sampler . .::· ,·as employed by ~usa.nna fo r every element decorates the border · ·th the exception of the : .n e bird in the top rder), as well as the ·ers that appear in the :o large bands in the I ,·er half of the sampler. The composition is that of - e fine bordered band samplers that were ular in England and in Philadelphia in the 18th -cntury. The sampler remained unframed throughout its life and the olors are as strong as ey \ ere in 1786. Overall · ~h
-hi is quite an e.\.traordinary piece.
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The last of the nine children of John George Charles Barnitz (1722-1797) and his wife Anna Barbara ~pengl er, Susanna was likely born on November 17, 1774 and christened on February 18, 1775. Members of e Barnitz family were prominent brewers in York, Pennsylvania, their ancestors having emigrated from the Palatine in Germany in the late 1740's and settled initially in Baltimore, Maryland. usanna's sampler was worked in 1786 and she indicated on it that she was "Born the 17th day of _·ovember 177_." Susanna married Daniel Eichelberger, and notice of this was published in the York Di patch. They had one child, a daughter, Eva Catherine Eichelberger who was born in 1798; and Daniel died in 1811. Susanna died in 1850. We have previously owned a sampler worked in 1803 by Susanna's (continued on the next page)
AMERicA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
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Susanna Bamitz, York, Pennsylvania, 1786 (continued) niece, Mary Barnitz (daughter of Susanna's brother, George Barnitz) and offered it in our Samplings catalogue XXIX. The two samplers share salient characteristics and Mary used queen's-stitch impressively, as well; we must assume that Mary was aware of her aunt's accomplishment and was assigned a similar project. It is also possible that Susanna and Mary were both taught by the same schoolmistress who worked in York for many years. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, with two very minor areas of loss and stabilization to the linen. It has been conservation mounted and is in an early 19th century gold leaf frame. Sampler size: 19" x 121;.:1'' Price: $18,000.
Frame size: 22" x 151;.:1''
(detail)
Elizabeth Slough, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1825 1\vo Federal houses linked by a delicate fence are set upon a rich green lawn with large trees, a gazebo, an enormous and detailed butterfly and a little dog. This handsome sampler was worked by Elizabeth Slough in 1825 and presents many of the characteristics that are particularly associated with the house and lawn samplers of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This area, just north and west of Philadelphia, produced splendid samplers in keeping with the instruction at their fine Quaker schools. This infl uence is found in the many motifs and elements that Elizabeth used above her scene, as well as the delicate cartouche surrounding her inscription. See detail on back cover for detail. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in its original molded frame. Sampler size: 15Yz'' x 201;.:1'' Frame size: 17Yz'' x 221;.:1'' Price: $5400.
M. Finkel ~ Daughter. AMERicA's LEAm ¡c sM-tPLER A.'\D NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
~aret W.
Brown, Woodbury, Gloucester County, NJ, 1838
A large and nicely composed flower arrangement in a patterned, double-handled urn dominates this charming little sampler, which exhibits characteristics of the praiseworthy Quaker needlework of southern New Jersey. It was made by Margaret Wells Brown who was born in 1803 and lived in Woodbury, southwest of Camden. Interestingly, Margaret was in her mid 30's at the time. Her niece, Elizabeth C. Warrington, the daughter of her sister Priscilla Brown and Nathan Warrington, made a strikingly similar sampler in 1837, and we owned the Warrington sampler many years ago. Margaret, a single lady living with her brothers, John and Jesse Brown, likely followed the needleworking education and accomplishments of her niece and made her own s;::..-:-~ example the following year. Margaret was the daughter of Quakers, John and Margaret (Hulings) 3~::-.'n. She died in 1858 and notice of her death was announced in the Friend's Intelligencer, vol.lS. 7:-...: S<illlpler was worked in silk on linen and is in very good condition with slight darkening near the edges.
:-:
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been conservation mounted into a wonderful half-spindle period frame.
Sl.-:-.;.' er size: 11 W' x 12W'
Frame size: 13W' x 14W'
Price: $2600.
Quaker Knitted Pin Cushion, England, 1820 Another form of schoolgirl needlework that holds great appeal is the silk Quaker knitted pin ball, or other similar pin cushions, which were made as little gifts or objects of remembrance in the early 19th century. Some of these are illustrated in Carol Humphrey's excellent book, Quaker School Girl Samplers from Ackworth on pages 97 and 98. The girls chose from a repertoire of designs that were taught in Quaker schools of England and the United States. This very fine example is signed, "M. Wood for H. Mouncey" and is dated 1820. It makes use of the classic Quaker motif of facing birds and the inscription, "An emblem of love." This closely resembles the York School example shown by Mrs. :tr:-.;>hrey: both were formed of two flat discs knitted with S::.:: â&#x20AC;˘.Y.1 \ -ery fine needles, with a knitted band that joins ~e:-- It measures 2" in diameter by W' high, and is in -::L.c:_:ent condition. ~c:
Sl200.
_\_\I ERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel e; Daughter.
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Betsy Johnson, West Mrican missionary sampler, Waterloo, Siena Leone, 1841 A small grouping of samplers is known to have been made at the missionary schools that were established in Sierra Leone, on the west coast of Africa. The Church Missionary Society, a Church of England institution, played a key role in bringing western-style education and religious conversion to the missionary villages populated with formerly enslaved people, particularly children. The Society was founded in London in 1799 and its first overseas mission was established at Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1804. Waterloo is located in what the Society called its River District, inland and southeast of Freetown, and a missionary school was opened there in 1837. The Society's Missionary Register for 1842 reported that the number of girls attending their day school was 163. A photocopy of the Western Africa section of this report, which provides wonderfully specific information about the missions, accompanies the sampler. In 1841 eleven-year-old Betsy Johnson worked this sampler at Waterloo and it is very much in style of other samplers known to have been created in the Sierra Leone missions. Very well executed lettering and pictorial motifs indicate Betsy's proficiency, and the verse is most fitting, with its fervent wish that the Father "shed forth his light and grace on Heathen nations." Betsy may have been an African child, the daughter of an English missionary or, most intriguingly, the daughter of the mission's interpreter, William Johnson. An 1847 publication entitled The Church of England Mission in Sierra Leone by Rev. Samuel Abraham Walker recounts the signing of a treaty in September of 1841 with the help of William Johnson, an interpreter who spoke the native language, Eggarra, as well as English. Our understanding is that the interpreters used by missionaries were often liberated African who had become Church members. The lengthy description of the treaty negotiations, which took place on a vessel on the Niger River, recounts that, after the treaty was signed, Johnson fell overboard and drowned, leaving a young daughter behind. This sampler is quite similar to one made by Lucy Grant in 1840 in Regent Town, Sierra Leone, which is part of the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum and published as plate 88 in Samplers from the Victoria and Albert Museum by Browne and Wearden. Worked in silk on wool, the sampler is in very good condition with some areas of weakness and darning to the wool. It has been conservation mounted and is in a 19th century frame, which retains its original framer's label from Leeds, England on the backboard. Sampler size: 12W' x 8W'
Frame size: 15W' x 11 W'
Price: $5800.
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Ann Louisa Robbinson, Falmouth, Massachusetts, 1838
\-orked by eight-year-old Ann Louisa Robbinson in 1838, this praiseworthy sampler features a fine townscape with various alphabets above, and a fine honeysuckle border surrounding it on unusual two-towered building was likely one drawn from the imagination of the ;.ÂŤ.mg sarnplermaker. A palette of green, pale blue and deep tan predominates, with black used to outline and :.:. pro.ide an interesting depth to the trees. ;;_(many buildings and trees, ~-:ur sides_ The view, with its
Born on February 1, 1830, Ann Louisa Robbinson was the second of nine children of Erving and Eleanor
,-oungl Robbinson of Falmouth, located on Vineyard Sound, in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. (The ~ing
of the family name fluctuated between Robinson and Robbinson.) She was a descendant of Rev. John Rdmson (1575-1625) who lived his life in England and Holland and is widely revered as the spiritual leader ci the Puritans who sailed on the Mayflower; his expectation was to join them, however he died before that .:ould happen. It was Rev. John's son, Isaac Robinson (1610-1704) who emigrated in 1631, settling in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Much of the family remained in the area and seven generations later, Ann Louisa -~ born, also in Barnstable County and information about them is published in The Robinson Genealogy
Descendants of the Rev. John Robinson, Pastor of the Pilgrims. ~
birth record for Ann indicates that her given name was Louisa Ann Robbinson; however she used Ann Louisa during her life, as evidenced on her sampler, in her marriage record and in census records. According :o the \!tal Records of Massachusetts, Ann married JosephS. French, as his second wife, in 1851. He was a ~Tight of New Bedford, also a descendant of an early Massachusetts family. Tili: sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a figured _;aple frame.
5.::..'11pler size: 14%" x 16W' Frame size: 171A'' x 19" Price: $5800.
-\_\fErucA¡s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
14
Ann Reed, England, 1802
While many English girls portrayed school buildings on their samplers, few stitched as impressive and detailed a building as did Ann Reed on her outstanding 1802 sampler. Every window has mullions and is surmounted by lintels, the door has its knocker and knob and the chimneys are topped by chimney caps. A black iron bell hangs in the bell tower and the weathervane sits above, quite charmingly with its East and West designations backwards, as if the wind had blown it. A pair of classic sampler angels floats above, almost as a benediction. The samplermaker also worked many animals, flowers, trees and baskets with great detail, producing a sampler with enormous appeal.
Worked in silk on wool, the sampler is in excellent condition with very minor weakness at some areas of the edge of the wool. It has been conservation mounted and is in a fine period carved and painted frame.
Sampler size: 15 ~" x 12%" Frame size: 17W' x 14%" Price: $5800.
(detail)
15
_Iary Ann Crown, Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, 1 36 -
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~ ...!<,. 11>41 to -v.,.all< in tl. y · o"""lllii(.W.$ 't't$ "' J:eU!I/-tNI r-..1 '£tor l••""'"if.he'IOI-br·h.ot&Yr ot ha...,ol.f VTT ....,. ... ~ ......,. ll) Y"'¥-<>.1.
• fence aht _.,. .. The crs of -~ ler are .....-......_.,,...,.,,· ~ry : · ·olumns \ ith grapevines embellished with silvery leaves and bunches of luscious deep blue grapes. 'large white blossoms and leafy fronds sit atop the columns. rown worked her sampler with great delicacy. The fine needlework lavished onto details such as .: .ei and tendrils, the wispy willow trees, the buds and leaves of the cartouche enclosures and the _ Tought lettering throughout create an unusually refined sampler. . I _3 Mary Ann was the daughter of Thomas and Catherine Ann (Meyers) Crown of Middletown, - .· · :ania Germans with roots in this area nearby Harrisburg. She married a distiller, Jacob Scholl, who irca 1820 in Switzerland, and they remained in Dauphin County. I r was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition; it has been conservation mounted
mahogany frame with a gold leaf bead. See detail on back cover. ~r
·ize: 21" x 17" Framed size: 25" x 21 W'
Price: $26,500.
IE RicA's LEADIN G sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK D EALER
M. Finkel e:i Daughter.
16
Sarah Ann Campbell, American, 1818 Completed on May 21, 1818, this sampler has an unusually endearing and whimsical personality. Sarah Ann Campbell, who likely lived in the mid-Atlantic states, portrayed a welldeveloped scene of a bright red house on a striated lawn, with fine tall trees and little apple trees. A plump brown bird soars above the scene. The uppermost register contains a little fruit basket and flower branches caught in a fine bowknot; the large round blossoms are worked dimensionally and contribute further to the appeal. The samplermaker was clearly knowledgeable and skilled enough to include details such as the door knob and knocker, a tiny eye on the bird and the many graceful willow branches. The sampler was worked in a combination of silk and wool on linen. It is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted into a late 19th century mahogany frame with inlaid cornerblocks. See details on page 37 and inside back cover. Sampler size: 1714'' x 8W' Frame size 20" x 11 W' Price: $5200.
Sarah Ralston Jones, Wilmington, Delaware, 1822 A most remarkable piece, this large and very beautiful sampler was worked by a young girl from an illustrious Wilmington, Delaware family. Sarah Ralston Jones's needlework portrays a splendid basket of flowers worked predominantly in fine silk chenille which creates a highly appealing texture and energy. The sampler shares salient features of its composition with other known Wilmington samplers but this overwhelming use of chenille is highly unusual, as is the effusive composition of its naturalistic subject matter. Sarah Ralston Jones was the daughter of Morgan Jones, an attorney, and Mary Hemphill, who were married in Wilmington, Delaware in 1808 and who had two sons and two daughters (detail) there. Morgan Jones was from Craven County, North Carolina and Mary Hemphill was the daughter of a distinguished merchant of Philadelphia and Wilmington, William Hemphill (1743-1823). Mr. Hemphill was a partner in a vast shipping business with Robert Ralston (1761 -1836) of (continued on the next page)
M. Finkel ~ Daughter. AMERICA's LEADIN G sAMPLER
No
EE oLEwoRK oEALER
17
Ralston Jones, Wilmington, Delaware, 1822 (continued) - I hia, one of the most successful merchants of his day, with ships trading in the West Indies, France, _ -::an China. According to the History of Delaware 1609-1888 by J. Thomas Scharf, Mr. Hemphill ~ ··a large land-holder in Wilmington and was interested in and contributed much to its business ·--~..:_•. . ,- :." The Historical Society of Delaware contains The Hemphill Papers, correspondence regarding the ·.: -hipping and trading, concentrating on the sugar and rum trade in the late 18th and early 19th -. The prominence of the Hemphill family and its affiliation with Robert Ralston, who seems likely en arah's godfather, allow for the complete and fascinating family history that accompanies this sampler.
- · m the First and Central Presbyterian Church of Wilmington chronicle the births and deaths -- -family and allow us to confirm that Sarah Ralston Jones was born in April of 1814. She was only _ ,·hen she worked this extraordinary sampler in April of 1822. Quite sadly, Sarah died later that ember 30, at age 8 years 5 months. Much is known about the adult lives of Sarah's brothers and -:.- - ey a! o held leadership positions in their communities and in national government. -'early a highly talented needleworker, adept with chenille but equally accomplished in her tiny lettering and queen's-stitched strawberries. The sampler was worked in chenille, silk and I on li nen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted into a fine mahogany _ _ eai frame. ""2..::
Frame size: 22 W' x 25W'
Price: $28,500.
ERlCA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NE EDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
18
Hannah C. Parker, Falmouth, Massachusetts, 1835 Hannah Cotton Parker of Falmouth, Massachusetts stitched a beautifully worded poem on her appealing sampler, a description of the process of the education that results in the creation of a sampler: 'With close attention carefully inwrought I Fair education paints the pleasing thought I Inserts the curious lines on proper ground /Completes the work and scatters roses round." In combination with the fascinating family history of the maker, this is rendered a delightful example. Hannah was the daughter of a successful merchant and civic-minded leader from Falmouth, Ward M. Parker, whose business activities were based in the whaling and coastal trade. His wife was Hepzibah (Davis) Parker and both were from early and prominent families in the area. Hannah was born in 1825 and worked this sampler when she was ten years old. In 1848, she married Joseph Arthur Beauvais whose parents were from Bordeaux, France; he emigrated to Massachusetts as a very young boy to avoid conscription into Napoleon's army. Reared by his older married sister, he became a highly prosperous trader and merchant. The only child of Hannah and Arthur was a daughter, Louise, who married Max Ritter von Schmaedel, a German artist. Louise died in 1882, at age 27, in Munich leaving behind a son, Harold Parker von Schmaedel. An article published in 1888 in the New York Times tells of the unusual law suit brought by Joseph Arthur Beauvais against his son-in-law, who sought to control the substantial estate left to the minor by his mother. Further specifics regarding this family are in the extensive file that accompanies this sampler. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a black molded and painted frame. Sampler size: 16%" x 11 %"
Frame size: 19W' x 14W' Price: $2800.
(detail)
M.Finkel ~Daughter. AMERicA'sLEADINGSAMPLERANo
EEoLEwoRKoEALER
Uhler, Uhlerstown, Mary Isabella Hall's School, nnsylvania, 1832 _ Record samplers were made throughout New England but did not enjoy the same popularity in the _ - "' tic states, rendering those made in Pennsylvania quite rare. This is an outstanding family record well as a fully developed house and lawn sampler, and was made at a school that has been -1_· undocumented, that of Mary Isabella HalL It lists the entire family of Jacob Uhler and Margaret ,..,.,-='--•;-., ... r ihler who lived in Bucks and Northampton Counties, in southeastern Pennsylvania. The family ~'+->rl • illlerstown, a town in Bucks County which was, obviously, established by members of the Uhler e hool may have been located in nearby Easton and hopefully ongoing research will result in the __._..___....."""o..u·on of this schooL
- se i exceptionally folky, with its elongated windows and doors; it sits on a shallow lawn with :c- :orked baskets of flowers, gazebos and tall trees that are wonderfully nai've. A double row of ~· · erries separate the lower register from the information above and many other strawberries ~.... ,~hnul The lettering was worked with the same naivete.
m on pril 18, 1820, the eighth of nine children born to Jacob and Margaret Uhler. The Bucks County Pennsylvania, edited by J. H. Battle, indicates that Jacob was an enterprising -tee of his church in Durham Township, Bucks County. Jacob died in 1827 and Margaret y forty years. Mary remained unmarried and, according to the 1870 census, was living in worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, with minor weakness. It has been ounted and is in a tiger maple frame. Frame size: 19W' x 1914''
Price: $7400.
C:\: LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
19
20
Plushwork Dog in Cattails, probably Moravian, mid 19th century This endearing depiction of a dog fetching a riding crop was worked in plush wool and cross stitch with a painted sky. The circular format is highly unusual and, in the opinion of noted needlework scholar and author, Susan B. Swan, who expertised this some years ago, used exclusively by the Moravians in their schools and academies. The Berlin pattern and the plushwork technique date this piece to the mid 19th century. It was worked in wool on linen and is in excellent condition, retaining its original convex glass and original pressed brass frame.
Size of the needlework: 8" diameter Frame size: 10%" diameter Price: $2200.
Headwork Picture, A. Ville, France, 1838 Beadwork has been an interesting and important type of needlework from the 17th century forth, with glass beads used to highlight certain areas or, very occasionally, to form an entire scene as an alternative to silk or wool threads. This picture is entirely sewn with tiny seed beads of wonderful colors, notably the inscription, which translates to "Given to the dearest of brothers 1838 by A. Ville," was worked in gold-colored beads set against a deep azure blue.
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This scene features great dimension, fine architecture and whimsical animation -a huge butterfly hovers over the apple tree, a bird carries a wreath in its beak and a silhouetted young lady strolls the grounds. It is in excellent condition with a very minor area of loss and remains in its fine original gold leaf frame.
~-
---~---
Sight size: 10" x 13W' Frame size: 13" x 16W'
Price: $2800.
M. Finkel ~ Daughter. AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
r Orphanage Sampler by Bessie White, Bristol, England,
_ • • .-...u. .....
79
:or females lers t have to ::-:s;Ecti1-•"C employers as _..,.....~:c.,.......
_.,...., e worked there are highly recognizable for their astonishing precision and minute detail.
--.. .·- oi the Bristol Orphanage samplers are the rows of alphabets in various fonts and a great number -- that generally include the Holy Bible, crosses, houses, baskets, animals, butterflies, and wreaths initials, all worked in red silk onto a tight white cotton ground. piers come onto the market very rarely and we are pleased to be able to offer this excellent made by Bessie White in 1879. The archives of The George Muller Foundation indicate that Bessie on August 26, 1869 and was admitted to the orphanage in 1878, along with her older sister Fanny, • ~ r the deaths of their parents, Robert and Frances White. The family had resided in Petersfield, a - n in Hampshire, where Robert was a butcher. Bessie left the orphanage in 1886 and was recorded ~ 1 census living in Headley with the Richard Curtis family. He was a master draper and Bessie's :.o::r.::;.::·:.:::J·on \ as that of a draper, as well. By 1901 Bessie was living with a cousin in Bath.
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otifs featured by Bessie, such as the elephant and train car, are found only rarely on Bristol Additionally, Bessie's overall composition and arrangement are more an those on some other Bristol samplers, contributing as well to the :>...lo.o~- : thi particular piece. It was worked in silk on cotton and is in excellent =r::C::io.l dth some very minor weakness to the cotton. It has been conservation ._....___.,,._-1 an is in its original black and gold frame. See detail on contents page. Frame size: 16" x 14"
Price: $12,500.
zruCA·s LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
21
22
Lydia Burrough, Burlington County, New Jersey, 1792
An early and unusual band sampler, this was made by Lydia Burrough, a ten-year-old schoolgirl who was living in Upper Evesham Township in Burlington County, New Jersey. Her ancestors were Quaker, and Lydia remained a Friend throughout her life; however, Quaker samplers made at this early date don't exhibit these specific characteristics as much as they do regional traits. The band of hearts and hourglass-like motifs and the border formed of strawberries attached to the inner framework place Lydia's sampler in a fascinating small group made in southern New Jersey in the late 18th and early 19th centuries; indeed Lydia's sampler is this group's earliest known example.
The tightly worked inscription at the bottom of the sampler reads, "Lydia Burrough her sampler made in the 11th year of her age 1792." Born December 16, 1781, Lydia was the daughter of Samuel Burrough (1741-1793) and Sarah (Lamb) Burrough. At age nineteen she married Solomon Lippincott Saunders, also a Quaker from Burlington County. They remained in the area and after she was widowed in 1818, Lydia raised their four daughters. Her death, in 1878, was reported in a publication, The Friend, vol. 53.
The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a black painted and molded frame. Sampler size: 17" x 8W'
Frame size: 19" x lOW'
Price: $4800.
M. Finkel ~ Daughter. AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
23
_lary Anne Dundas, England, 1797 - handsome ler made by _ear-old Mary Dundas, ~
; May peace and plenty on our nat Jon smtle . '-'â&#x20AC;˘.nd trade
with
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Bless the British sLu.
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inished tltts . ampler, geJ.S.'./ears .
Another attribute of this piece is its interesting provenance; it was handled by the legendary Cora Ginsburg (1910-2003), the New York dealer and collector of early textiles, needlework and costume. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and remains in its fine original beveled figured maple frame with an inner ilt liner.
¡ . 15'12"' x 11%
Frame size: 19'\4'' x 15W'
Price: $4200.
24
Stephen Gusterson, London, England, 1837 A great rarity within the world of antique samplers is one made by a young boy; we know of only a handful of these. In our experience many samplers thought to have been made by boys are indeed made by girls with names that are easily confused, such as Sidney, Christian and Reggie. Of course there is no doubt about a maker whose sampler is inscribed with the words, "His Work."
(detail)
Stephen Gusterson was the son of a master bricklayer Gabriel Gusterson, who lived in Chelsea, a neighborhood in southwest London, with his wife Sarah (Chapman) Gusterson. He was born on September 7, 1828, the second of their six children. His sampler, worked at age 8, indicates great expertise: the letters that form the lengthy poem are small and perfectly formed and the many classic pictorial devices are equally fine. A great assortment of birds, animals, trees, pots of fruits and flowers decorate the sampler along with two gentleman and two ladies in the lower corners. This sampler is indeed rare, as well as greatly appealing.
Stephen remained in London; his death, at age 50 in 1877, is noted in official records. The sampler was worked in silk on wool and is in excellent condition with one very minor area of weakness in the lower right quadrant. It has been conservation mounted and is in a molded and painted frame.
Sampler size: 16W' X 17W' Framed size: 18W' X 19W' Price: $5400.
M.Finkel ~Daughter. AMERICA'SLEADI1 csAMPLERANo
EEDLEwoRKoEALER
25
ashington's Urn," silk embroidery, American, circa 1810
on had been a legend during his lifetime and had been celebrated in textiles and engraving for :u ecades prior to his death. His death, however, elevated him to immortal fame and elicited all
: "butes," wrote Davida Tenebaum Deutsch and Betty Ring in their article, "Homage to Washington ·ork and prints", published in The Magazine Antiques, February, 1981. Indeed following his December 14, 1799, the United Sates Senate decreed in their December 19 proceedings, "That it be ~u..w'""' ~ .... :1 ed to the people of the United States to wear crape on their left arm, as mourning, for thirty in further proceedings of the same date, the Senate declared that a committee be appointed to -uitable measure that should be taken, given "the loss of a citizen, first in war, first in peace, and - -· ~ hearts of his countrymen." rning of Washington became very popular and schoolgirl silk embroidered memorial pictures _..._--"-""....... . to him were made for many years afterwards. Some are large, elaborate productions with great .-~_,......,....,._
o ·weeping figures and some are smaller and less mournful. Our silk embroidery, initialed M. S. "'\ ashington's Urn" is a delightful example with a little scene portraying two young ladies, one '.:-.=:::J~:~ <:S and the other holding a garland of roses. They flank the urn and hold between them a wreath of on which perches the dove of peace. A large weeping willow, a universal symbol of mourning, '-atercolor scene of two houses on a pond, with some lush foliage, which provides further interest. ·-
~;.........
· ilreads were used for the outline of the urn and its finial, Washington's initials and the surround of oi thi picture. The oval composition is edged in deep red and beige and further surrounded by a - r. The picture was worked in silk, watercolor and metallic threads on silk and it is in excellent ---.:=v....., I i in a period frame and the eglomise glass is a later replacement. See detail on inside cover. o ·al: W' x 10%''
Frame size: 14%" x 18"
Price: $9500.
26
Maria Hains, NJ, 1803 This sampler offers strong appeal with its fine central basket of stylized flowers set on a deep green-blue lawn. The composition, with its vertical format, hillocks and baskets and nicely arcaded border, is similar to samplers worked in the classic 18th style, which was continued by many samplermakers into the early years of the 19th century. The maker, Maria Hains, was from southern New Jersey and this sampler shares its salient characteristics with other known samplers from Burlington County, New Jersey. The two little pots of flowers and the hillocks, which are formed of outlines that contain the name and date, are more unusual treatments. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a good mid 19th century gold leaf frame. Sampler size: 16" x 12" Frame size: 20W' x 16W' Price: $4200.
Isabella White, Scotland, 1830 Scottish samplers frequently share many characteristics and this handsome sampler well represents many of these traits: the blue stone house with a slate roof, stylized diamond trees, pairs of deer, lettering alternating in a red and green palette and the listing of many family initials including those of the birth family of the maker's mother. The samplermaker is Isabella White and she inscribed the word Currachrune after her name. With help from Scottish sampler experts and the Scottish Genealogical Society, we have determined that this would have been the name of a farm, likely the home of Miss White, located near Crieff, which was 15 miles west of Perth. Other attributes of this sampler include the large eyelet stitched line of the first half of the alphabet with a narrow band, also worked in the same stitch below, and the little scene of a spotted dog and deer under a diamond-shaped element above the house. Larger versions of the diamond-shaped element were worked just next to the oversized black birds perched on the trees. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and remains in its original beveled frame. See detail on page 37. Sampler size: 17" x 12%" Frame size: 21 W' x 17" Price: $3800.
M. Finkel ~Daughter. AMERICA'SLEADINcsAMPLER ANo
EEDLEWORKDEALER
27
Heloise Bruhiere, Rouen, France, 1822 ely worked sampler was made in 1822 ouen, a city northwest of Paris, and is by its maker, Heloise Bruhiere. She ed a wonderful assortment of pictorial '""'en as well as a fine scene of a stately - a bam and a woman with her dog. -. irds and butterflies further decorate ·~
-
. . ,-
details included by Heloise are arly appealing. Note the ladder that along the side of the bam, the smoke .. nt1 from two of the chimneys of the house - e walking stick carried by the woman. It - likely that this was a depiction of the · r· home rather than a generic scene - d by a teacher.
in silk on wool, the sampler is in nt condition and it has been -- ·ation mounted into a beveled pine ·•
ize: 15%" x 12W' . . . . , ize: 17%" x 14W' : - 000.
by Treadway, Middletown, Connecticut, 1797 y executed little sampler, this is signed, "Abby Treadway Mark'd This. July 13th 1797." Young girls began
eedlework education by learning to stitch the alphabets and numbers, so that they could mark - hold linens and keep track of their rotation; however we rarely see use of the actual word "mark'd" on a r. This samplermaker was nine-year-old Abby Treadway who lived in Middletown, a town located on the
ticut River, south of Hartford. Abby's ancestors migrated to the colonies by 1635, settling initially in Massachusetts. By the early 18th century this branch of the Treadway family removed to Colchester, Connecticut and then to Middletown. Abby was born there in 1788, one of the eight daughters of Josiah and Urana (Cook) Treadway. Her father fought in the Connecticut line of the Continental Army at the Battle of Lexington during the Revolutionary War. The sampler is worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition; while the third alphabet is pale, it is complete and fully legible. It has been conservation mounted into a later frame. Sampler size: 7W' x 8W' Frame size: 9W' x lOW' Price: $2300.
:\..\tERicA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
28
Darning Sampler, northern Europe, 1788 One of the most practical needlework skills at which a young woman could become proficient was darning, allowing her to extend the life of costly household textiles and clothing. To teach this skill, instructresses cut square holes in the ground fabric of samplers and required students to reproduce particular weave structures to mend the area. Today, the darning samplers created by these accomplished needleworkers are considered very desirable as they exhibit both refined techniques and stunning graphic qualities .
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This darning sampler is a particularly splendid example and an impressive demonstration of the stitcher's skill. As is often the case on these samplers, the maker's name was not included but various sets of initials appear on the sampler, likely those of the needleworker, her parents and, perhaps, her teacher. Note that the needlework, a wonderful assortment of patterns, covers the great majority of the sampler. A large whitework dam dominates the sampler; whitework may have been in fact the most practical of dams as so many household fabrics and clothing would ultimately benefit from this type of repair. Worked in silk on linen with it original silk zigzag binding, the sampler is in excellent condition with a minor repair within the whitework. It has been conservation mounted into a fine gold leaf frame. Sampler size: 12W' x 13"
Frame size: 1514" x 15%" Price: $5200.
M. Finkel e:J Daughter. AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
29
Postrema Ridgway, Burlington County, New Jersey, circa 1805 splendid small pictorial sampler boasts -ellent composition and outstanding lework. The maker was nine-year-old strema Ridgway who was a Quaker girl m Burlington County, New Jersey, born . uly of 1796. Her parents were John and eth (Paxson) Ridgway, each of whom : escended from many generations of ~ ington County Quakers. Published ·ly genealogical information indicates ~ Postrema married Isaac Jones of · delphia. ema was clearly working within the entury samplermaking traditions of elphia and New Jersey. The motifs - he featured include a leaping stag, -- c-like building, paired birds, yellow -. baskets of fruit, butterflies, stalks of lis and a lustrous green lawn and .:e formed of double lines with finely flowers, buds and berries. A four~ c e reads, "Let joy and Worship spend I The remnants of my days I And to my God my soul ascend I In _ - perfumes of Praise," and this was a psalm published in 1784 and used in public worship. in silk on fine linen, the sampler is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is ·eled mahogany frame. Sampler size: 1OW' x 11 W' Frame size: 12%" x 13%" Price: $3800.
annah Merrell, Barkhamsted, Litchfield Co., Connecticut, 1829 Barkhamsted, a small town twenty miles northeast of Litchfield, was home to the family of George and Hannah (Howd) Merrell and their daughter Hannah, who worked this handsome sampler in 1829, stating on it that she "was born April 21st 1819." Hannah's sampler presents alphabets, a four line verse and good pictorial elements including a large basket of fruit, a pair of green birds and one of little black dogs. The verse advises applying true diligence of the heart toward wisdom's ways. Note that the word "days" at the end of the first line required space underneath as well, and Hannah worked a neat compartment in a running stitch to delineate this. At age 26, Hannah married Albert Munson, a miller. The family removed to Smyrna, New York and opened Smyrna Mills, a large mill operation which ultimately was run by their two sons. The family contributed the funds to build the Munson Opera House in 1886 and this was considered one d omest opera houses in central New York. Hannah died in 1870. The sampler was worked in silk and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted into a cherry frame. -
cr ize: 17W' x 16W' Framed size: 21" x 20W' Price: $2600. !ERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel e:J Daughter.
30
Elizabeth S. Billings, R. T. Merrill, Instructress, Sidney, Ontario, Canada, 1835 Documented Canadian samplers are rare and we are pleased to offer this interesting example inscribed: "Elizabeth S. Billing's sampler wrought in Sidney June 10 1835 R.T. Merrill Instructress from the USA." R. T. Merrill, most likely designated that her students include this information within their inscription; clearly this was a desirable status for a teacher. The tiny town of Sidney was located in Hastings County, Ontario, on Lake Ontario and was later incorporated into a larger town in the area. Born on March 24, 1824, Elizabeth S.
Billings was the daughter of James and Theodosia (Spencer) Billings. Her maternal ancestors were from New England and the family removed to Canada. Elizabeth married tinsmith Levi Richardson Comstock, also from Ontario, circa 1842 and they became the parents of six children. Ultimately the family returned to the United States and lived in the Midwest, where Elizabeth died in 1873. Along with alphabets, a verse, basket, birds and bands, Elizabeth featured a castle-like depiction of Solomon's Temple. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition, conservation mounted into a black painted and molded frame. Sampler size: 16" x 17W'
Frame size: 19W' x 20W'
Price: $4800.
M. Finkel eJ Daughter. AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
31
Phebe E. Canfield, Caldwell, Essex County, ew Jersey 1 33 An exceptional sampler with strong aesthetic appeal, this presents a tightly work ho - · view set on a lawn with fine trees. It was worked by Phebe Ernaline anfield an 11 -}ear-ol Caldwell, north of Newark, New Jersey. An outstanding garland of flower frarn e t\ '0 poe an unusual and splendid border of alternating mauve and white flower urroun e sam ler on ;our -i Phebe was born on November 5, 1821, the seventh of eight children. Her parents, .latthias an Elizabe (Crane) Canfield were from two of the oldest families of this area. History of Montclair Thwnship State of New Jersey, published in 1894, includes much information about these families' hi tori . The Canfields in America began with Matthew Canfield (1603-1673) who settled in. ·ewark. ·e\\' Jersey an the Crane family with Jasper Crane who was in Newark by 1667. In 1846, Phebe married Nathaniel Baldwin, a farmer, and they became the parents of two children Martha Ann Baldwin and Edgar Baldwin. Phebe died in 1853. Her sampler descended in through the families for many generations. Family history from a variety of published sources accompanies the sampler. The sampler was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a fine mahogany and maple cornerblock frame. Sampler size: 16W' x 16W'
Frame size: 19" x 19W'
Price: $11,500.
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M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
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Holliepoint and Buttonhole Sampler, Germany, 1819 Some of the most appealing types of European whitework were created in Germany in the 18th and early 19th century and include hollie point, a method of creating needle lace that was used to work the fine, decorative inserts at the necklines and cuffs of linen shirts. The book, Patterns and Motifs, by Anne WannerJean Richard, curator at --=-the St. Callen Textile Museum in Switzerland, illustrates three examples as figures 201, 202 and 203. We are pleased to offer this excellent sampler which closely resembles those in the St. Callen collection. Similarly, exceptionally fine needle lace patterns were formed in previously empty space, and tiny embellishments in triangular formation and in undulating lines decorate the linen. Our sampler includes buttonhole work as well, and these are beautifully decorated in much the same fashion.
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Initialed IMHP and dated 1819 in tiny red cross-stitches, this was worked in silk and linen on linen and is in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted and is in a black molded and painted frame. See detail on page 37. Sampler size: 4W' x 9W' Frame size: 7W' x 12" Price: $2800.
Ann Davey Wells, England, 1785 As evidenced by the great number of outstanding samplers they produced, 18th century English schoolgirls were capable of a very high level of proficiency in the needle arts. Ann Davey Wells worked on gauze-like linen and her fine silk stitches formed many bands of alphabets and numerical progressions, a biblical quotation from the Book of Proverbs with obvious application, and a delightful pictorial register of potted flowers and little birds centered on a fat fruit basket. The aphorism worked underneath this is one of our favorites and was likely one that was designated by Ann's teacher: "A diligent scholar is an ornament to a school." See detail on page 37. The palette used is varied and harmonious with highlights of blues and pinks. Worked in silk on linen, it is in excellent condition with two letters that are missing. It has been conservation mounted and is in a cherry molded frame. Sampler size: 13" x 14" Frame size: 15" x 16" Price: $3200.
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Anna Fletcher, Silk Embroidered Memorial, Dunstable Massachusetts, 1803 In Mourning Becomes America . Jr. Anita chor ch writ , ¡¡~tourning design, particularly the stitched and painted memorial pictures common in Federal America, was considered in 1800, to be a beautiful art form. Shared with family and friends by being hung in the most important room in the house, the parlor, it was prominent at first, as a legitimate response to the death of the new nation's most cherished hero, George Washington, and subsequently was used to memorialized many less heroic figures." Indeed, many memorials , were worked to honor members of one's own family.
This handsome silk embroidery, worked in 1803 by Anna Fletcher of Dunstable, Massachusetts, is an excellent example of the genre, and can be appreciated on many levels. Delicate and precisely formed needlework covers the entire piece, with the exception of the painted head and arms of the young mourner, a portrayal of Anna herself. The composition is unusual, with a graceful willow tree overarching the scene and a complete landscape with a house, a church and many trees providing perspective as they retreat into the background. Many silk embroideries are highly formulaic and we are pleased to offer one with a more personal nature. (continued on the next page)
(inscription under eglomise) AMERicA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
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Anna Fletcher, Silk Embroidered Memorial, Dunstable, Massachusetts, 1803 (continued) Born in 1784, Anna was the daughter of Phineas and Anna (Burge) Fletcher of Dunstable, a small town located east of Townsend, and just at the New Hampshire border. She was the first of seven children, four of whom died as infants or young children. Anna's mother died in 1794 and her father's second marriage resulted in five children further. In 1803, when she was 19 years old, Anna worked this silk embroidered memorial, dedicating it to her mother and her siblings, Sewell, Mark, Charlotte, and Sally. A History of the Thwn of Dunstable, Massachusetts, published in 1877, includes the graveyard inscriptions of these family members. In 1816, Anna married, as his second wife, Nathaniel Cummings (1778-1854) and they resided in Townsend and Tyngsboro, Massachusetts and Mason, New Hampshire, towns that are within a short distance of each other. Nathaniel served as Selectman of Tyngsboro from 1808 to 1813 and from 1815 to 1820. Anna Fletcher Cummings died in 1837. (detail) Most interestingly, a hand-scripted notation (see detail on prior page) was written in ink onto the silk in the lower right corner of this piece. It reads, "Anna Fletcher $4.25 1803 Paid." This notation was made during the process of the making of this silk embroidery and was likely an indication of the payment to the artist who may have drawn the composition and who likely painted the fine miniature portrait of Anna at the tomb. It would have been covered by the eglomise glass mat shortly after the completion of this project, but of course remains intact. It is in its original frame and the eglomise glass mat is a later replacement. Size of the oval: 16" x 13W' Frame size: 19%" x 16%" Price: $9200.
(detail)
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Margaret Stonesipher, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania 1 49 The large, pictorial samplers of western Pennsylvania, made into the 1 0, ha\'e Ion been \ell documented by scholars and curators. These samplers often feature hou e and lawn seen \; flower baskets and colorful birds in trees, surrounded by borders of brightly colore flower o -. In 1849, Margaret Stonesipher, working in this specific samplermaking tradition, created thi ou tan in<1 sampler with its strong color, pleasing subject and generous proportions. The hou e i hown in threequarter view and the lawn is particularly interesting with its layered ripples in hades of reen. Ei ht line of verse concerning friendship were worked in deep blue and are featured within this airy compo ition.
Allegheny County, in far western Pennsylvania, was home to the Stonesipher family after their emigration from Germany and initial residence in Maryland. Margaret was the daughter of Philip and Rachel (Shafer) Stonesipher, born in 1823. This sampler was made when she was 26, the year prior to her marriage to a well-to-do farmer, Philip McCandless. They became the parents of five children. History of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, published in 1889, includes biographical information about both John Stonesipher and Philip McCandless. Margaret died in 1890. The sampler was worked in merino wool and silk on linen and is in very good condition, with minor weakness to the linen. It has been conservation mounted and is in a beveled bird's eye maple frame. Sampler size: 23%" x 24W'
Frame size: 28%" x 29W'
Price: $12,500.
AMERicA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
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Pictorial Sampler, Scotland, 1809
This large sampler, with its generous pictorial scenes, can be appreciated for its unusual composition, its folky imagery and its excellent needlework. Awell-developed scene dominates the lower half of the sampler, with a detailed house, leafy trees and little birds flying about, typical of the same house, trees and birds that can be found on some of the finest Scottish samplers. The lawn, worked in wool, is populated with large birds with smaller birds perched upon one of them, a whimsical basket of flowers and berries and a little black dog. The area above the house features the coat-of-arms of the United Kingdom with the British Lion and the Unicorn of Scotland; in this case the shield contains a listing of family initials and the date, 1809. The upper register presents a huge scalloped vase filled with flowers, grape bunches, thistles and birds. A gentleman, bearing the initials BG, with a little blue dog and a very little brown deer appears along with his counterpart, a lady in a plaid skirt with her basket. A pair of peacocks fills the space below and birds in scalloped oval enclosures fill the space above. The name "Mrs. Reid," likely that of the instructress, is nestled into the oval on the right. An extravagant border of berries on a stylized leafy vine provides an ample framework on three sides. The sampler was worked in silk and wool on wool and is in excellent condition with some minor weakness to the wool. It has been conservation mounted and is in a fine beveled figured maple frame. Sampler size: 2112'' x 17W'
Frame size: 24%" x 20W'
Price: $6800.
M. Finkel & Daughter. AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER AND
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Mary Raymond, page 3
Sarah Ann Campbell, page 16
Holliepoint and Buttonhole, page 32
A Pic-Nic on the Wissahickon, page 8
Isabella White, page 26 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. A Maryland Sampling: Girlhood Embroidery, 1738-1860, Maryland Historical Society, 2007. Bolton, Ethel Stanwood and Coe, Eve Johnston. American Samplers. Boston: The Massachusetts Society of the Colonial Dames of America, 1921. Browne, Clare and Jennifer Wearden. Samplers from the Victoria and alvert Museum. London: V&A Publications, 1999. Edmonds, Mary Jaene. Samplers and Samplermakers, An American Schoolgirl Art 1700-1850. New York: Rizzoli, 1991. 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, Pa, 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. Quaker School Girl Samplers from Ackworth. Needleprint & Ackworth School Estates Limited, 2006. 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, Massachusetts: Old Sturbridge Village, 1978. Parma!, Pamela A. Samplers from A to Z. Boston, Massachusetts: MFA Publications, 2000. 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. Staples, Kathleen, This Have I Done: Samplers and Embroideries from Charleston and the Lowcountry. Curious Works Press and the Charleston Museum, 2002. Studebaker, Sue. Ohio Samplers, School Girl Embroideries 1803-1850. Warren County Historical Society, 1988. Ohio Is My Dwelling Place. Ohio: Ohio University Press, 2002. Swan, Susan B. Plain and Fancy: American Women and Their Needlework, 1700-1850. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1977.
M. Finkel ~ Daughter. AMERICA's LEADING sAMPLER
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EEDLEwoRK oEALER
Conservation Mounting of Antique Samplers and . -ee le ·or · Because of the important role that condition plays in the fi eld of antique ampler an n e I . ·or ·. ·e strive to insure that these pieces undergo proper preservation while in our care. Belo · i e - :- ep description of the "conservation mounting" process . Our techn ique are imple an trai h ·orward; we remove the dust and dirt particles mechanically, never wet-cleaning the textiles. \\'e u e only a i -free materials and museum-approved techniques throughout the proce . Plea e call u if you have any que tions in this regard. 0
Carefully clean the piece using our special vacuum process.
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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 stabil ize any holes or weak areas.
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Re-fit the item back into its original frame, or custom-make a reproducti on of an 18th or early 19th century frame using one of our exclusive patterns.
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Supply a reverse painted black glass mat, if appropriate, done in correct antique manner.
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When necessary, install TruVue Conservation Clear glass which blocks 97% of the harmful ultraviolet light.
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In the framing process, the needlework is properly spaced away from the glass, the wooden frame is sealed, and the dust cover is attached with special archival tape.
detail of the sampler by Ann Davey Wells, page 32
detail of the sampler by Sarah Ann Campbell, page 16 AMERicA's LEADING sAMPLER AND NEEDLEwoRK DEALER
M. Finkel ~ Daughter.
detail of the sampler by Mary Ann Crown, page 15
detail of the sampler by Elizabeth Slough, page 10
est. 1947
M.Finkel e:J 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 www.samplings.com