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#6222
 Jannet Ogilve Sampler

8 3/4 x 16 1/2".   11 1/4" x 18 3/4" including a modern frame.  This is a very early English band sampler dated June 1763.   Actually, many of the motifs are more typical to the 17th century rather than the 18th.   The first band of double running stitch includes four wonderful "boxers".   Jannet followed this lovely delicate band with an alphabet, bands of decorative stitching including queen stitched strawberries, and several different religious aphorisms.   Due to thread loss, some of them are a little difficult to read.   But, I will attempt to give you as many of the words as I can decifer.      

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                                                                            Her verse reads:                                                      "Remember thy creator in the days of thy youth"       

"Immortal made what should _____                         ______ as immortal ______                                   beings for a heaven designed                                  what but a heaven the care should be"

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"

The first part of the last one is missing, but as it is a well known quote from Proverbs 12:4, I can give you the entire quote.   It reads:   "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband  but she that maketh ashamed is as rotteness in his bones"  The first word that is visible on the piece is "maketh".                                                                                                         

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                                                                                                                  There are some condition problems with Jannet's sampler.   As mentioned above, there is a fair amount of thread loss, although it is only in the verse areas.   There are holes in the alphabet area and also the main verse area which are visible in the pictures.  There are a few very small stains, but they are not very noticable.  In spite of these problems, this is still a wonderful, very early piece of needle- work history.    The sampler has been mounted on acid-free board.                               $2395.00

 #5772 - Elizabeth Harrold Sampler

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12 1/4" x 14 1/2".   15" x 17" including a modern frame.   Elizabeth's sampler is perfectly balanced and very elegant.  The border is particularly pretty.  

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It alternates honeysuckle and carnation motifs.  She uses several different stitches including eyelet stitch, satin stitch and cross stitch over one thread. 

               There are alphabets and decorative dividing bands above a lovely verse which reads " Teach me as I older grow,  The in CHRIST aright to know,  That I may thy blessing Prize,   Bring the JESUS sacrifice:   Thee with understanding praise,   Love and serve thee all my days." The workmanshipis wonderful.   She signed her sampler  "Elizabeth Harrold  Aged 11 Years   1831".   

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There are, however some condition problems.  The silks are still vibrant and there is very little staining but, there are several holes, mostly in the border area (left and bottom).   These are fairly visable in the pictures, but you have to look closely to see them.  I don't think that they detract much from the lovely stitching.   This has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                           $1585.00      

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#5251

Diana Mary Cruse Sampler - 12" X 13 1/2".  15 1/2" X 16 1/2" including new frame.  This lovely motif sampler is stitched with silk, and it is filled with lots of wonderful and traditional sampler motifs.  There is a fruit basket, birds,

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and many beautiful floral motifs as well as an elaborate floral border.  The verse reads " Jesus permit thy sacred Name to stand, As the frist efforts, of a Youthful hand. And as Her Fingers, o'er the Canvass move, Engage her tender thoughts, to seek Thy love  With thy dear children, let Her have a part,  And write thy Name, thyself upon her heart. " I think she was very

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creative with her punctuation. It is signed " Diana Mary Cruse  February 18th, 1849" There is an overall darkening around the verse area, a small amount of thread loss and a few barely noticeable holes near the large pot of flowers in the bottom left. There is a hole in the border in the top left corner and some wear to the top fabric edge. But the only damage that is noticeable is the darkening of the verse. The sampler has been mounted on acid-free board.              $1,650.00

                                                                         #6628                                                                                                      Sarah Evans Sampler
                                                

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12 1/2" x 19".   15 3/4" x 22 " including a modern frame.   Sarah's wonderful sampler is absolutely full of very beautiful sampler motifs.  There is a lovely house surrounded by a fence and charming little trees, as well as lots of brightly colored birds, two amazing baskets of fruit, and two wonderful stags.   But, without a doubt, the most beautiful motifs are the many and varied florals.  Be sure to click on the enlarged pictures to see how beautiful they are.  In addition, the two baskets of fruit and foliage just below the house are wonderful as well.  There is also a lovely border, alphabets, decorative dividing bands and a religious verse.   Sarah didn't leave anything out.  She signed her lovely sampler " Sarah Evans  Aged 12  1824".

  

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                                   Sarah's verse reads:
"The cross the cross  Oh that is my gain
Because on that the Lamb was slain
Twas there my Lord was crucified
Twas there my Saviour for me died

What wondrous causes could move the heart
To take on thee my curse and smart
The cause was love I sink with shame
Before my sacred Jesus name".                                                                                                                                                             

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There is some wear to the fabric in the top left corner and along the bottom edge.   And there are three other small holes: two near the third line of the verse (to the left of the first word and just under the word "was"), and the other one just above the small basket to the left of the house.   These are not very noticable. The silks show lovely vibrant color and still retain a lot of their original sheen.   There are no stains and no bleed- ing.   The bit of red in the bottom left is an extra couple of stitches probably added later.   The sampler has been framed on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                        $2275.00

                                                                         #6646                                                                                            Abigail P. (Pain) Stevens Sampler
                             Marblehead, Essex County, Massachusetts
 

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16 1/2" x 18 1/2".   21" x 23 " including a modern frame.   Abigail Pain Stevens was born in Marblehead, Massachusetts on December 16, 1809.   Her parents were Francis and Mary Stevens.   She stitched her stunning sampler in 1824 at the age of 14 years.  If you love needlework, you will definitely love Abigail's wonderful verse (see below).   She stitched two different verses, as well as the names and birthdates of her siblings and surrounded them with a wonderful and whimsical basket of flowers.   The blue bird on the right is especially appealing.   She must have loved birds, because even the top border of her sampler features four more wonderful birds.  The two side borders are different from the top border and the bottom features a garden of grass beneath the basket.   

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Abigail's wonderful verses read:
" How blest the maid whom circling years improve
Her God the object of her warmest love
Whose useful hours succesive as they glide
Her book her needle and her pen divide.

Jesus permit they gracious name to stand
As the first efforts of an Infant hand
And while her fingers ore the canvass move
Engage her tender heart to seek thy love".

She then added the names and birthdays of her three sisters and two brothers.                                                                                                                                                               

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There are two small holes in the fabric and some overall darkening, but the sampler is otherwise in very good condition.   There is also a bit of thread loss in the second verse area.  The sampler has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                 $3900.00

                                                                         #6420                                                                                                          Silk Embroidery
                                                

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11 1/4" x 12 ".    15 3/4" x 16 1/2 " including a stunning original bird's eye maple frame.  This lovely bouquet of flowers is stitched with silk on silk.  It is circa 1830.  The incredibly delicate flowers are gathered with a ribbon bow and surrounded with an undulating vine of more flowers.   The workmanship is exquisite and the shading is lovely.      

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The maple frame is probably the most beautiful 19th century frame I have ever seen.  The corner details are wonderful and its condition is quite good with only a few scratches to the finish.                                                                                                                                                               

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As with most needlework that is stitched on silk, the fabric is showing some wear.   The most noticable areas are the top left and the bottom right corners of the fabric.   There are a few small holes in the center area, but these are not very noticeable.  In spite of the damage to the silk, this is still a lovely example of fine needlework.                                                                                                                                                                                                     $795.00