Antique Samplers

Born in 1841, Hannah Turner made this sampler at the unusually grand age of eighteen years. It features a grandiose version of Solomon’s Temple surrounded by flying angels, birds perched in trees, pots of flowers, stags, dogs, and two human figures, with a four sided floral border. It is stitched in cross stitch, wool on…

This English sampler is in excellent condition, virtually unfaded in rich shades of blue, red, green, gold, cream and black silks on a finely woven tammy ground. A gold satin stitched sawtooth border surrounds all four sides, and inside that is a four sided meandering floral border, with a third inner sawtooth border surrounding three…

This English sampler features a fine country house identified as Wilton House in Wiltshire, near Salisbury, the county seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over four hundred years. Many people may recognize it from scenes filmed there such as “The Madness of King George” (1994), “Pride and Prejudice” (2005), “The Young Victoria” (2009), and…

An English sampler with very good color, a few holes (they don’t affect the design), stitched in cross, satin and petit point on tammy cloth, measuring 12-1/4″ x 12-1/2″ (sampler alone, not including frame). This beautiful little sampler features some interesting floral motifs, and a stepped plateau in the lower reserve flanked by stags. The…

A rare and unusual oval sampler in excellent condition, featuring Adam and Eve beside the tree of life with a black serpent. At the top is the crucified Christ executed in stem stitch . The verses are: Behold the Saviour of mankindNailed to the shameful treeHow vast the love that him inclindTo bleed and die…

English tent stitch picture of a shepherd and shepherdess in a pastoral landscape, probably early 19th century. The subjects are surrounded by their sheep in a pasture with a rabbit, flanked by fruit and oak trees, with a sun shining above. The picture has been stitched with silk and wool, in possibly its original rosewood…

Norfolk (England) samplers are a unique species, characterized by either a stepped lozenge cartouche as in this example, an elaborate floral border (usually embroidered freehand but not in Eliza Tagg’s sampler), and a horizontal row of joined octagons filled with various floral or animal motifs. A nearly identical Norfolk sampler was made by Eliza Dearn…

This is an exquisitely stitched classic Scottish sampler featuring illuminated letters, an arcaded floral band, traditional motifs including peacocks, birds drinking at the Fountain of Life, feather trees and family initials. A four sided berry border surrounds six rows of alphabets done in a variety of stitches, followed by the floral band. The lower third…

This sampler has been stitched on very fine tiffany type linen using cross, double running, satin, and petit point stitches in still vibrant shades of olive green, gold, navy blue, rose, brown, and medium blue. It depicts a small “mansion” house flanked by pots of flowers, stags, and a wee lion beneath the house, all…

March the 2 1799 Very finely stitched English sampler with a four sided strawberry border surrounding a central reserve with a verse and a depiction of Adam and Eve under the Tree of Life with a black serpent. Above the verse are five flying cherubs and golden stars. ON AN ACTIVE LIFEHappy is he the…

This English sampler is closely related to others, some in the collection of The Scarlet Letter, and surely was the product of a skilled and inspired teacher. Similarities between these samplers include the intricate satin and stem stitched floral borders, the chenille detailing in the flora, finely executed satin and stem stitched architectural details, as…

Probably American, this naive sampler is stitched with silk threads on homespun, unbleached linen with eight rows of alphabets and numerals separated by geometric pattern bands. The verse: There is beyond the sky A heav’n of Joy And Love and holy children when they do go to the wold (sic) Above. Hannah Sills Ended This…