#7007                                                                                                    Christian Sinclair Sampler               

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15 " x 18 1/2".    20 1/2 " x 25 " including a lovely period frame.   Christian stitched a delicate and beautiful filligree alpha- bet that is very characteristic of Scottish needlework.  In fact, almost everything on this striking sampler is very Scottish. From the wide pansy band, to the seven tailed peacocks to the row of Scottish trees that line the bottom of the sampler, she (or possibly he) is telling us that she was a Scot.  Because she did not give us a date, it is difficult to identify where in Scotland she was born.  But I believe the sampler to be circa 1760-1765.  There are dogs, birds, trees, fruit baskets and florals scattered throughout her vibrant piece.  But, perhaps most notable motif is the striking building in the center of the sampler.       
                                          

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Christian's sampler is very similar to two examples pictured in Margaret Swain's book entitled "Scottish Embroidery Medieval To Modern". Please see Color Figure VIII for the Margaret Boog sampler, stitched in 1761, and figure 86, for the Janet Learmonth sampler stitched in 1765.  You see a varieation of the same building on both of these samplers, so they were all most likely done in the same school.  Unfor- tunately, we don't know the name or location of the school.

                                      

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Christian's sampler is very beautiful and quite vibrant. But there are some issues with its condition.  It appears that the sampler has at one time been framed with its border folded under. As a result of that, there is significant wear to the border area. The top and right borders are fine, but the left and bottom borders are showing some losses.  And there is a medium sized hole just under the large letter "M". It has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               $2650

                                                                                               #6993                                                                                                      Quaker Medallion Sampler              

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19 1/2 " x 14 1/2".    22 1/2 " x 17 1/2 " including a 19th century maple frame. Because they are so desire- able, these wonderful quaker medallion pieces have become very, very rare.  I haven't had one available in quite a while. It features the characteristic half octagons around the outer edges of the sampler that are so recog- nizably quaker.  There is such charm in these motifs.  They have always reminded me of the designs seen on quilts or woven coverlets. I think of these wonderful medallion samplers as a sort of a cross between a quilt, a coverlet and a sampler.  This one is dated 1798.                                                

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Within the octagons we find many of the floral motifs also typically seen on quaker samplers. And there are many sets of initials. So many sets in fact that it is difficult to determine which initials belong to our sampler maker.  My guess is that the " MH" surrounding the floral in the center octagon were probably our needlewoman's.

                                                                                                  

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There is a fair amount of thread loss throughout the piece, but the sampler is otherwise in good condition.  There are no holes in the fabric, no bleeding and the colors are still vibrant. It has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                  $3295

                                                                             #6991                                                                                                      Hannah Dew Sampler              

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21 " x 16 1/2".    26 1/4 " x 21 1/2 " including a 19th century bird's eye maple frame.  There are so many wonderful things in Hannah's beautiful sampler that it's difficult to know where to begin. She stitched a lovely house with a family strolling in the garden with their dog and some deer. They are of course, in period costume.  It's a lovely garden with lots of trees and flowers surrounded by a pretty fence.  Interestingly, she also stitched her rendition of Adam & Eve and the Tree of Life standing inside the garden fence.  It is common to see Adam & Eve on samplers, but not standing in a garden with other people! Also of note is her beautiful border.  The top border is quite elaborate while the other three sides are fairly simple.    

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Hannah's verse reads:

" Since I'm a stranger here below
Let not thy path be hid
But mark the road my feet should go
And be my constant guide"

" Hannah Dew Finished this Work February the 19  1834  Aged 14 years". Hannah was christened on July 30, 1820 in Suffolk, England. 
      

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There is a noticable water stain and a bit of bleeding running down the right side of the sampler.  And though the colors are still vibrant, there are some thread losses. There are also three small holes and two larger holes in the fabric.  The biggest hole is just to the right of "Aged 14 years", and the second largest hole is between the first and second word of the last line of her verse.  In spite of its condition problems this sampler is quite impressive and very beautiful. It has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            $1650

 #7032
 Susanah Cockcroft Sampler

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12 1/2 " x 12 1/4 ".   16" x 15 1/2 " including a 19th century bird's eye maple frame.  Susanah's beautiful sampler features an impressive mansion with a lovely front garden, along with a charming picture of the lady of the house feeding the birds.  The fence bordering the garden appears to be a picket fence. There are cherubs and florals and trees as well as a lovely carnation border.  The mansion is reminiscent of the buildings we see on so many of the beautiful Scottish house samplers.  So, even though we believe Susanah to be English, her needlework shows a definite Scottish influence.

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Susanah was born on July 12, 1802 in Heptonstall, York, England. She was christened on November 11, 1802.  So, she would have been only nine years old when she stitched her lovely sampler.  Her parents were John and Susannah Cockcroft.  York is fairly far north in England, so that might explain the Scottish influence in her sampler.

                                                                                    
                                                

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There are some problems with the condition of Susanah's sampler.   There are some holes in the fabric, the most noticable of which is next to the signature. Other holes are in the fence area and the top and bottom edges of the fabric (outside the stitching area).   There are two stains just under the top border and there is also some bleeding in the bottom border area.  The fabric does have some overall darkening.  It has been mounted on acid-free board.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        $1195