#6847                                                                                                18th. Century Dutch Sampler
                                            

Click here for larger image

12 " x 17 1/4".    15 1/2" x 20 5/8 " including a 19th century bird's eye maple frame.    I am going to say that this fabulous sampler is circa 1700 - 1730, although I think it might actually be a bit earlier.   The stitcher did put two sets of initials inside the cartouche, but she did not sign her sampler.   The initials are "O.G.B. and A.G.Q.". There is a great deal going on in this wonderful and very early sampler, and most of it is biblical in origin.  Of particular beauty is our stitcher's rendition of Adam & Eve sitting under the apple tree.  The tree and Adam & Eve are quite realistic and very beautiful.  You can actually see Eve handing the apple to Adam.   And they are surrounded by several different types of animals in the Garden of Eden.
 

Click here for larger image.

                                  
One exceptionally unusual motif is a ship that I think is meant to be Noah's Ark.  There are also a man and a woman standing at a well, an incredible phoenix (or maybe it's a griffin), the spies of Canaan, the crucifixion, Moses holding two tablets, and a man climbing some stairs up into a windmill.  But, by far the most unusual motif on this beautiful sampler is what I believe to be a very realisitic monkey.  This is not the "spinning monkey" that is often found on Dutch samplers.  This one is a fairly large, standing monkey. I have never seen anything like it.  And the stitches on this wonderful sampler are exceptionally tiny, making this a bea- utiful piece of needlework history.                                                                                                                     

Click here for larger image.

 
The sampler is showing a fair amount of thread loss. This is most noticable in the band just under the last alphabet. But, Moses' tablets have also almost faded away.  There are also some holes in the fabric.  The large ones are in the bottom center border area and at the top just above the letters "R & S".  There are also a few very small holes mostly in the apple tree area.   The sampler has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                             $2175.00

                                                                         #6826                                                                                                    English Motif Sampler
                                            

Click here for larger image

13 1/2 " x 14 1/4".    17 1/2" x 18 " including a 19th century maple frame.   While it is not signed or dated, this beautiful motif sampler is circa 1840.   Motif samplers are very different from most other types of samplers in that they are generally much more decorative.   There are no alphabets and no verses.   What you see are lots of truly lovely decorative motifs.    And that is what appeals to me about this beautiful sampler.   And, equally appealing is the lovely sheen from the silks.  These motifs almost jump out at you because the fibers actually shine.
 

Click here for larger image.

                                  
There are birds, trees, baskets of fruit, and lots of gorgeous florals.   The three florals in the center of the sampler are expecially wonderful.  The top center bird appears to be a peacock as he is quite colorful and is sporting a bit of a topknot on his head.   The undulating floral border is also quite lovely.  It's a bit unusual to see so many different flowers in a border.   This one features roses, tulips, honeysuckle and the occaisional strawberry just to name a few.                                                                                                                      

Click here for larger image.

 
The sampler is showing some darkening in the center of the piece most likely caused by the sampler being mounted on a wood stretcher at some time.   There is also one large hole in the fabric located in the upper right corner of the sampler and there is a bit of wear to the left fabric edge outside of the stitched area.   But the silks are lovely and quite vibrant and there is no bleeding.  The sampler has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                     $1285.00

     #6825
 "M. W." 17th Century Band Sampler

Click here for larger image

7 1/2" x 21".   11" x 21 1/4" including new burled wood frame.  

Click here for larger image.

This stunning sampler is amazingly early and exceptionally rare.  It is dated 1673 and signed with the initials "M.W."   Once in a while we are given the opportunity to appreciate and take care of a very special piece of history.   This is that opportunity.   Needlework from the 17th century is not just rare, it is also exqui- site!  In the 17th century, sometimes a very advanced needle woman would create a sampler that was actually reversible.  This is one of those exceptional reversible samplers.  If you look at the 4th picture, you will see the back of the sampler.   And even though we know that there are methods of doing stitches so that they reverse, the truly amazing thing about this wonderful sampler is that you cannot even see where the stitcher buried the tails of her threads.  

 This is probably English in origin, but as we only have the stitcher's initials to go by, I cannot say this with absolute certainty.   But I do believe it to be English.  There are many, many different stitches used, including double running stitch, cross stitch, long arm cross stitch, detached buttonhole stitch (I think), and many others.  Because this lovely sampler is reversible, we have used a method of framing that allows us to put glass on both sides and still retain air space between the glass.                                                                                  

  

Click here for larger image.

                                                                                                                                                                 

Click here for larger image.

The condition of this very early sampler is amazingly good.   There is only one hole in the fabric which is located a few inches down from the top near the center of the piece. It is visable in the pictures. There are two fairly minor stains located in the alphabet and initial area.  But the sampler is other- wise in excellent condition. There are no thread losses, no bleeding and the silks are still vibrant.   Of course the colors are a bit brighter on the back of the sampler.  The silks still retain their sheen.                                                                                                                                                                                        SOLD

                                                                         #6824                                                                                                  Mary Clara Forney Sampler
                                      

Click here for larger image

            Pennsylvania Sampler

18 1/4 " x 17".    22 1/4 " x 20 3/4 " including a modern frame. Mary Clara Forney was born in Waynesboro, Franklin County, Pennsylvania on October 10, 1846.  Her parents were Lewis Shriver Forney and Mary Hollinger.   She married Benjamin Franklin Wingard on October 13, 1870 in Champaign, Illinois.   She would have been eleven years old when she stitched her piece.   In spite of the obvious staining, Mary Clara's sampler is still a classically pretty schoolgirl sampler.   It would be very interesting to do some further research and try to find out how she came to travel from Pennsylvania to Illinois for her marriage at the age of twenty-four.
  

Click here for larger image.

Working with both cotton and wool, she stitched two lovely cathedral type buildings, as well as a beautiful floral garland. In addition, there are two books which probably represent the bible, along with several alphabets, two baskets of flowers and a classic strawberry border.  

She signed her sampler " Mary Clara Forney  July 26, 1857 ".                                                                                                                 

Click here for larger image.

 
As previously stated, the staining is obvious.   My best guess is that someone spilled coffee on it at some time. But there are no other problems to the condition of Mary Clara's sampler.   There are no holes and the colors are vibrant.  This is an opportunity to own an American sampler at a very affordable price.  The sampler has been mounted on acid-free board.                                 $485.00

                                                                         #6765                                                                                                    Dutch Miniature Sampler
                                                        

Click here for larger image

12 3/4" x 8".    14 1/2" x 9 3/4 " including a modern frame.   This beautiful miniature sampler is literally filled with motifs that are characteristic to Dutch needlework.  These include the Spies of Canaan, the crucifixion, a ladder, a cherub holding a sword, and lots of family initials within wreaths of flowers.   Most likely, the stitcher's initials are the  "AFH" that we see in the center of the sampler.   And while it is not signed, the sampler is dated 1832.     

Click here for larger image.

The true beauty of this lovely sampler is in the exceptionally tiny stitches.   If you look closely at the enlargement of the Adam & Eve under the Tree of Life motif, you will get an idea of just how incredibly tiny these stitches are.   It is also fairly rare to see a Dutch miniature sampler.  So this sampler is special both because of its workmanship and its unusual size.                                                                                                                                     

Click here for larger image.

                   
                        



There are six holes in the fabric, but there are no losses to the actual stitching.  Two are located near the spies of Canaan, one next to each of the two little trees in the center, one on top of the ladder and one near the left center edge of the fabric.   The silks are still vibrant and the holes are not terribly bothersome.  The sampler has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                       $1650.00