Antique Samplers

ISOBELLA WILKIE 1799 This is a wonderful, classic Scottish “mansion house” sampler, beginning with a wide arcaded band of stylized pansies across the followed by a verse: In thy fair book of life divine My god inscribe my name There let it fill some humble place beneath the slaughtered lamb A mansion house is fronted…

SARAH ATKIN 1822 Aged nine years, 25 March 1822, Stapleford A wonderful English sampler in possibly original magnificent figured maple veneered frame, with large stylized lions at the top, above three verses, all within a four-sided floral border. Excellent condition apart from slight fading, executed mostly in cross stitch with some straight stitches as embellishments…

MARTHA WHITWORTH 1819 An English sampler with a four-sided artichoke-like border with a verse, flanked by outsized stylized flowers and leaves. The verse is:Be Christ my pattern and my guideThis image may I bearO may I tread his sacred stepsAnd his bright glories share Below the date, she has stitched a woman in a trailing…

MARY FORD 1802 English sampler depicting flying cherubs, a stag, dogs, a cow, and sheep, stitched with silk on linen in three tiers.  The first tier includes two lines of alphabet and numerals above her name, followed by “Born October 20 1788”.  A sun’s face peers out from beneath a bank of cheerful clouds, beside…

MARY RANDAL Aged 9 years 1803 This English sampler features an unusual and amusing hunting scene with a hunter on horseback pursuing a single stag with a pack of ten spotted hounds (beagles?)  A four sided floral border centers five tiers of design including floral motifs and trees. The verse is: Give me O Lord…

ELIZABETH LILLY 1801 An English sampler with a four-sided carnation border centering many intricate petit point floral and birds motifs.  There is a large mansion house at the center.  The lower third features two of the most imaginative sheep I’ve ever seen on a sampler.  They’re in an extensive pasture with flowers flanking the cartouche…

MARGARET REID 1837 Possibly Scottish, a very well-preserved sampler that was likely never framed. (There is an acquisition tag sewn to the edge but the source collection is unknown.)  An unusual, elaborate four-sided floral and leaf border surrounds a central reserve with a brief moral verse, Adam and Eve with a turquoise serpent under the…

ANN DENT HER SAMPLER FINISHED DECEMBER 23 1806 BORN APRIL THE 9 1799 That’s as much as I can say about Ann Dent’s sampler, which I believe was made in New England on homespun linen with very fine wool threads.  It’s an alphabet sampler with a few geometric pattern bands.  Stitches used are cross, eyelet,…

MARY PATTON 1803 An American band sampler stitched on homespun linen with silk threads, consisting of alphabets, numerals, inscription, and spot motifs within a three-sided floral border. The inscription: Mary Patton her sampler made in the 11 year of her age 1803 Ambitious stitches used in her sampler are cross, eyelet, Queen, counted satin, and…

AMELIA WILSON  1837 A very finely stitched English sampler in superb condition with an unusual pomegranate and palm leaf border, executed in three tiers.  The top contains a verse flanked by intricate floral sprays and beneath the verse are more meticulously stitched foliate sprays and a vignette of a small pond with a swimming duck.…

AGNES BINNIE 1824 Scottish sampler made in Linlithgow, West Lothian, in 1824. Agnes Binnie was born in nearby Stirling on March 22nd, 1808. Her father was Robert Binnie, age 45, and her mother was Mary Addie, age 34. At the age of 23 Agnes married James Barclay on March 16th, 1832, in Falkirk, Stirlingshire. Together…

MARTHA MASKELL 1799 A miniature sampler that could be American, stitched in silk on linen. The verse is: Salvation to the Lord belongs He only can defend This clessing he extends to all That on his pow’r depends Excellent original color, gilt frame possibly original 8″ x 6″