#7055
 Eliza Mitchell Sampler

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12 1/2 " x 12 ".   15 1/4" x 14 1/2 " including a modern frame.  Eliza's sampler is just simply a very pretty piece.  It is filled with lovely sampler motifs and and a sweet, inspiring verse.  There are butterflies, stags, birds and dogs all surrounded with a delicate strawberry border. But by far, the most predominant motifs on Eliza's needlework are the florals.  There are flowers everwhere! They are in baskets and urns, they are in bouquets, they are stitched in dividing bands. There are carnations and honeysuckle and flowers of many types and colors. 

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                                                                               Her verse reads:

"If solid happiness we prize
Within our breast this jewel lies
And they are fools who roam
The world has nothing to bestow
From our own selves our joys must flow
And that dear but our home".

She signed her sampler " Eliza Mitchell 
Aged __ Years  1824".                                                                                                                                                              

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                        While there are some noticable issues with the condition of this lovely sampler, most of them do not disturb the stitching. The exception is to the area just under the signature. There is a notice- able repair in the center of the signature car- touche.  The large hole there has been backed with a small piece of fabric. There are also several holes in the bottom right corner and along the right edge of the fabric, as well as a few smaller holes along the left border, and a small amount of bleeding in the top right floral.  But in spite of the condition issues, this is still a very pretty, very pleasing antique sampler at an affordable price. It has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            $875.00       

 #7056
 Ann Monford Sampler

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12 1/2 " x 15 1/2 ".   15 1/2" x 17 3/4 " including a modern frame.  Because of her use of many different stitches, Ann's impressive sampler is a study in texture and dimension. Some of her stitches include cross stitch over one thread and over two threads, satin stitch, stem stitch, and french knots. Each of these stitches gives a different depth and texture to the finished needlework. The wide floral border is quite lovely.  The basket of flowers at the bottom center of the sampler draws the eye with its elegance. The florals are filled with a delicate shading which is fairly rare in samplers.  All in all, this sampler is both eye-catching and beautiful. 

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                                                                               Her verse reads:

"Look well to that thou taks in hand
It is better worth then House or Land
When Land is gone and Money spent
Then Learning is most Excellent".

She signed her sampler " Ann Monford". She did not give us a date, but her sampler is circa 1825.                                                                                                                                                

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The condition of the sampler is actually quite good.  There are two holes along the left edge of the fabric (both outside of the stitching area). The bottom edge of the fabric is showing a bit of wear, as is the bottom right corner. The only hole within the stitching area, is in the "W" of the first alpha- bet. But there is little or no thread loss and colors are  still lovely. It has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     $2395.00      

 #7052
 Sarah Belwood Sampler

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14 1/4 " x 17 ".   16" x 19 " including a 19th century gilt frame with old wavy glass.  Sarah's beautiful sampler is absolutely filled with sampler motif after sampler motif, pretty much everything you could want on an antique sampler. There are dividing bands, an alphabet, a verse, and an elegant carnation border.  There are trees, peacocks, birds, dogs, baskets of fruit, squirells, florals, Adam & Eve with the tree of life, and even two little geese. Sarah's workmanship is excellent, the design is lovely, and the stitches are tiny.

Sarah was born on January 1, 1788 in Helmsley, York, England. Her father was Robert Belwood.

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 Her verse reads:                                                     
"By this you see what
Care my parents took of me
This working hand my friends
Shall have when I ham dead
And laid in my grave".

Yes she really did say "...when I ham dead...". 
Her sampler is dated 1803.                                                                                                                                                        

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The sampler is a bit darkened in the center, parti- cularly in the verse area, but there are no other issues with the condition of the piece.  There is no bleeding and no thread loss. The colors are quite vibrant and the silks are still showing a lovely sheen. There is a fair amount of loss to the bead- ing on the gilt frame but it is otherwise strong. It has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                 $1825.00      

 #7054
 Stag Sampler

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10 " x 11 3/4 ".   13" x 15 " including a 19th century bird's eye maple frame.  In spite of some condition issues, this sweet sampler is not without its charm. The peaceful vignette at the bottom of the sampler is quite lovely.  There is a stag at rest between two soft, airy trees.  It's a very simple little scene but somehow, it makes me smile. The sampler features two different borders. The outside strawberry border surrounds an inner delicate floral border, which of course surrounds what would have been the verse.  Sadly, the verse has faded away and is no longer readable. 

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                                                                                   When this sampler came to me, it was folded over about 3" from the top and framed in an awful frame that was obviously too small for it. It constantly amazes me to see what some people will do to a lovely piece of needlework just to save a few dollars on a frame.  I have since reframed it on acid-free board in a nice 19th century bird's eye maple frame.                                                                                                                                                            

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As mentioned above, the verse on this charming sampler has faded away.  And while the signature is also no longer there, the date of the sampler is quite visable. It is dated August 20th, 1817. There is a pronounced fold line where the sampler was framed folded back.  There are several holes along this line. There are also holes along the bottom border and there is one in the left border area about 5" from the top.                                                                                                                                                                        $475.00     

 #7057
 Celena Pearn Sampler

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14 1/2 " x 19 1/2 ".   18" x 23 " including a modern frame.   Celena's stunning sampler is truly a work of art. She has stitched one of the more realistic versions of Adam and Eve standing under the apple tree, that I have seen. The figures are in good proportion to the tree and they are anything but the usual stick figures.  The trumpet wielding angels from on high, and the cherubs at the top of the sampler are realistically stitched as well.  Celena is what I like to call an artist with a needle. The flowers in the lovely undulating border are also quite life-like. She added the usual trees, baskets of flowers, birds, crowns, stars, dogs and small houses.  Her beautiful sampler is simply loaded with visual appeal.  

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                                                                               Celena's verse reads:

"Genesis 3rd Chap. Verse the 17

And the Lord God said unto Adam
in the day that thou eatest thereof
thou shalt surely die."

She signed her sampler, " Celena Pearn's Work
done in the 9th year of her age  1826.

                                                                                                                                                          

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                                                                    There are two noticable stains along the bottom right of the sampler and of course, the sampler does show a bit of overall darkening due to its age. In addition there are four small holes in the fabric.  Two of them are located in the small tree to the right of Adam, one is just above the left side of the apple tree, and the other is near the basket of flowers to the left of the apple tree.  They are all pretty small.  The sampler had been stitched to another piece of fabric. It has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           $2750.00