#6964                                                                                                      Sarah Gillatt Sampler               

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11 1/2 " x 16" oval.   14 1/2 " x 18 3/4 " including a vintage  frame. It is extremely rare to find a sampler stitched in an oval format.  Sarah's lovely piece is only the second one I have seen. Only eight years of age when she stitched her sampler, Sarah's workmanship is excellent.  She started with three sets of alphabets (including one worked in eyelet stitch) separated with small dividing bands.  Her first verse mentions the "Feast of Easter" while her second verse mentions her parents.   And finally, she added the beautiful hanging basket of flowers sur- rounded by ribbons and garlands of foliage and flowers.  For a child of only eight years she demonstrated surprising ability and creativity.  Her sampler is much prettier than the pictures show.

 
Her verse reads:  

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"The holy Feast of Easter was enjoin'd,
To bring Christ's Resurrection to our Mind:
Rise then from Sinas he did from the Grave:
That by his Merits he our Souls might save"

This I have done to let You see,
What care my Parents took of me:
With Care and Pains this I have wrought
And finish'd with a Virgin's Thought"

She signed her sampler "Sarah Gillatt   1798:   aged 8 Years".                                                                                                 

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There is some darkening in the center of Sarah's lovely sampler.   But there are no holes in the fabric and no losses to the silk.   The eyelet alphabet is worked in a very light color and is a bit difficult to see from a distance, but the colors are otherwise still vibrant.  The sampler has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                                            $1835.00

                                                                             #6963                                                                                                      Scottish Thistle Sampler              

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10 1/2 " x 13" oval.   15 1/2 " x 17 1/2 " including a modern frame. While this unusual sampler is not signed or dated, it appears to be quite early, probably late 18th century.   Several of the motifs are commonly found on Scottish samplers including the undulating pansy band, a peacock, the trees made up of diamonds and, of course the stunning thistle.  The lovely sampler also includes a delicate honeysuckle vine border and an unusual bargello-like motif that is actually worked in cross stitch.

 
  

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There is no verse on the sampler.  The building in the middle could be either a house or a church.   It has some interesting spire-like pieces on the roof.   In the center just above the doors, our sampler maker stitched the numbers 1234 and below that the numbers 98.   I don't know if the numbers actually mean something or if she was merely practicing numbers.   As mentioned earlier, this is a very unusual sampler.                                                                                  

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The condition of the sampler is very good.   The only holes are on the outer edge of the fabric.   The colors are still quite vibrant except for the light cream color, and there are no thread losses.   All in all, this is an early, interesting Scottish sampler in very good condition.  It has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 $2450.00

                                                                             #6764                                                                                                Martha Holmes Quaker Sampler              

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16 3/4 " x 16 3/4".    19 1/2 " x 19 1/2 " including a modern frame. Martha's elegant sampler is filled with motifs we have come to associate with pieces produced in Quaker schools.  The florals are very characteristic as are the three sets of two birds facing each other.   The lovely and elaborate floral border is fairly unusual for a a Quaker piece but I have no doubt that Martha attended a Quaker school.   Martha used several different stitches including cross, stem, satin and queen stitch.   

 

Her verse entitled "A Prayer" reads:  

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"Lord search and purify my heart
Make it clean in every part
And when tis clean O keep it so
For that is more than I can do".

She signed her sampler "Martha Holmes   1829".                                                                                                 

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There is some noticable deterioration of the fabric just outside the top border, but the rest of the fabric is in very good condition.  And the last line of the verse has some thread loss and is difficult to read   But there are no other thread losses and the sampler is in overall good condition.  It has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                       $2250.00

                                                                             #6783                                                                                                    Ann Jane G. Boggs Sampler
              

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                                                  Pennsylvania
        
16 " x 16 1/2" .   19 " x 19 1/2 " including a modern frame. Ann Jane was born on October 18, 1815 in Plum Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.  Her father was David Cham- ber Boggs and her mother was Mary McKee.   As the pictures show, Ann Jane's sampler is a particularly beautiful example of schoolgirl needlework.   The border is absolutely stunning and it includes an outside border of decorative hemstitch.  The trees surrounding the house are also quite lovely, as is the urn of flow- ers.   The alphabets include rice stitch, eyelet stitch, four sided stitch and cross stitch.   There is a date of 1826 on printed paper above the door of the house which I believe was added later.      

 
Her verse reads:  

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"May I in inocence (spelling) and peace
My fleeting moments spend
And when the toils of life is over
With calmness meet my end".

She signed her sampler "Ann Jane G. Boggs".
                                                                                                

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The fabric is separating a bit just below the last alphabet and also along the top edge of hemstitching.   But there are no thread losses and the colors are beautiful.  To the left of the house the inside light blue border goes to dark blue.  The dark blue may have been added later.   The sampler has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                                   $2650.00

     #6957 - 17th c. Band Sampler

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7 12/" x 23".   11 3/4" x 27 3/4" including new burled wood frame. This circa 1680 band sampler is incredibly rare.

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  For obvious reasons, finding samplers with this kind of age is exceptionally difficult.   And this stunning sampler is in absolutely amazing condition.   This exquisite piece would be a fabulous addition to any collection.

While the sampler is not signed or dated, there is absolutely no doubt as to the very early circa date.  If anything, the sampler may actually be earlier than 1680.   Most of the motifs on this sampler are motifs that we usually see in pieces in well known museum collections.  Using shades of blue, green and cream silk, our sampler maker stitched band after band of gorgeous florals intersperced with delicate dividing bands worked in many different stitches.

This sampler was not stitched by a young or beginning stitcher.    The techniques used in this magnifiscent needle- work are characteristic of an advanced stitcher from the 17th century. The most amazing thing about this stunning sampler is that it is completely reversible!   Because the back of the sampler (see picture #4) is just as beautiful as the front, we have framed the sampler with glass on both sides.  And I am actually tempted to hang it backwards!                                                                                 
    

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The condition of this lovely sampler is just as amazing as its extreme age.   There are two tiny holes in the middle of the whitework but no other holes anywhere.  There are three very small dark stains, two at the top and one at the bottom. And there is a bit of overall darkening, but all of these these things are very minor.   This sampler is in wonderful condition.   It is framed with air space between the double glazing.                                                                                        $6500.00