Sampler Sale

Susan Tomlinson antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge A truly pristine Bucks County, Pennsylvania Quaker band sampler with colors as bright and condition as perfect as the day it was completed. This piece was worked by Susan Tomlinson in 1828 when she was only eight years old possibly at the quaker school in Bristol, Pa. Susan was born in 1821 in nearby Pineville and the needlework came from a family decendent living in Bristol. This sampler is now fully conserved and mounted in a reproduction frame with UV glass. 8 1/2" wide X 17 1/2" high sampler size Price: $2,200.00

Electa Dickinson, antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge Electa Dickinson's early American antique sampler worked at the age of twelve, circa 1825. Born Jan. 27, 1813 Electa was the Daughter of Captain Job Marsh Dickinson and Rhoda Holton of Northfield, Massachusetts. The Dickinson family is well documented in the history of Northfield. An early family member, Nathanial Dickinson, was killed by Indians in 1747 and a granite monument to his memory stands upon the site. See,  A History of the Town of Northfield ,  1875. 12" x 10 1/2", sampler size. Fully conservation mounted, in excellent condition and installed in an early, possibly original frame.  PRICE: SOLD

Eliza Willson antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge A very interesting Chester County, Pennsylvania sampler worked by Eliza Willson in June, 1821. This needlework features the well known decorated vase of carnations as its primary image but to each side are crowns, not often seen on pieces from the young America. Also, the grape vine motif at the upper left is unusual.   Eliza Wilson was born in Chester County on October 25th, 1808 and names her parents and siblings at the top of her work.This needlework is in excellent condition, conservation mounted and installed in its original frame. 16 3/4" wide X 18 1/2" high sampler size.                                                                                                                                 PRICE: $ 3,000.00   Bucks County antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge NOTE UPDATED INFORMATION: An imposing and historically important Delaware Valley silk on linen floral sampler worked  by Hannah R. Knight in 1837. The motifs and distinctive stitches employed here are found in a recently identified group worked by samplermakers in Bucks and Montgomery County northeast of Philadelphia. The few samplers known at this time include wonderful examples at The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Whitman Sampler Collection, and The Bucks County Historical Society. Hannah Knight, born in Byberry at the northeast edge of the city around 1826,  descended on both sides from the earliest Quakers who arrived in Philadelphia with William Penn in 1682. Her father Leonard is a descendant of Giles Knight who arrived on the ship Bristol and was prominent in early politics and business. Her mother Ruth Wynne Knight is a descendant of Penn's personal physician, Dr. Thomas Wynne, who arrived with him on the ship Welcome. This outstanding needlework is in excellent condition and is conservation mounted in its original figured maple frame and backboard. 23 1/4" square, sampler size Extensive genealogy and pictures of comparable examples accompany this piece. PRICE: $ 25,000.00

Fenton antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge A very good eighteenth century Pennsylvania house sampler worked by Mary Fentun (Fenton) at the age of nine in 1789. This work has numerous motifs found in Delaware Valley samplers of the period including pine trees, the stylized floral urn, the Georgian mansion and colorful peacocks. The misspelled words and backwards letters add charm to this piece and may indicate that Mary copied the text and did not know how to read or write. Mary was baptized in Bucks County at the Low Dutch Church Of Southampton. She was the daughter of Cornelius and Mary Shaw Fenton both of whom died when she was still a child. Her grandfather, Dr. Joseph Fenton,Jr., a surgeon during the Revolutionary war, became her guardian. Excellent condition, fully conserved and mounted in a reproduction frame. Fenton family background accompanies this needlework. PRICE: $ 9500.00

Lydia Dowell antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge A large skillfully worked antique needlework sampler by Lydia Dowell dated 1834. Lydia was the daughter of Richard Dowell and Barbara George Dowell both of Philadelphia who later moved to Mississippi where Lydia was born in 1820. Her father died in Natchez in 1833 and undoubtedly the family returned to Philadelphia where Lydia worked this sampler at the age of 14. Excellent condition, fully conserved and mounted in a reproduction black and gold frame. 20" x 20 3/4" sampler size. PRICE: SOLD

Amelia Smith antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge A very fine eighteenth century English pictorial sampler of the highest quality. This exceptional needlework is precisely worked in silk on wool and features a colorful border and bands with a verse at the top. The middle is signed "Amelia Smith finished this work in the ninth year of her age 1781", an amazing accomplishment for a child. Above and below the signature are wonderful embroideries done in tent stitch with an extremely high thread count. The bottom picture depicts shepherds with animals on the hills, a stream and bridge, and a town far in the background. This sampler was produced at one of the best schools in the country and is quite similar to at least one other example known to us. It is in excellent condition with good color and remains mounted on its original stretcher. The carved and gilded frame also appears to be original. There are a few losses to the wool background, all outside of the border and mostly unseen. 12" wide X 18" high sampler size. PRICE: $ 12,000.00

Judith Gehman antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge A Pennsylvania German sampler worked by Judith Gehman and dated 1846. This skillfully executed centered type Lancaster County needlework is probably Mennonite and shares many motifs with examples shown in Hersh, Samplers Of The Pennsylvania Germans, figure 6-39 and 6-40. Excellent condition and fully conservation mounted. 13" wide X 14" high overall. Price: $2,800.00

1747 antique darning sampler click image to enlarge A very early Dutch darning sampler dated 1747 and worked in red, green, gold, white and blue silk on a linen background. Excellent condition, fully conserved and mounted in a reproduction frame with UV glass. Price: $2,700.00

New England Memorial, antique needlework click image to enlarge A lovely antique New England memorial picture, circa 1810-30. This colorful embroidery is worked in silk, paint and ink on silk. It is in excellent condition and has been conservation mounted in a period frame. 14 1/4" x 11 1/4", needlework size.  PRICE: $2800.00

Odenwelder antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge An unusually fine Lehigh Valley needlework by Ellen E. Oldenwelder. This sampler can be attributed to the school of Mrs. Mary Ralston of Easton and is similar in its design and technique  to other known examples, see Betty Ring, Girlhood Embroidery, page 450-52. Ellen Oldenwelder was born in 1820 in Northampton, Pennsylvania. She was the second of eight children born to Michael and Sarah Barnett Odenwelder and probably worked her embroidery around 1833-35.  This beautiful needlework is worked in wool on linen and is in excellent condition with good color. It has been fully conserved in an early frame. There is a small area of stitch loss in the lower right hand corner. 25" wide X 21 1/2" high, sampler size. PRICE: $ 18,000.00

Ann Wilson antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge A choice early nineteenth century band sampler skillfully worked by Ann Wilson in a variety of colors, still bright because this needlework was never mounted and exposed to the air or sunlight. Ann Wilson was born on May the 9th, 1794 in West Stockbridge, Massachusetts.  Now fully conserved and mounted in a reproduction frame. 16 1/2" wide X 16" high sampler size PRICE: $2,800.00

antique Quaker medallion sampler click image to enlarge A scarce Quaker medallion sampler, possibly worked at the Westtown Boarding School and containing several motifs found on a similar  Westtown example illustrated in Betty Ring, Girlhood Embroidery, fig. 427. This needlework is initialed S.I. and may have been the work of Sarah Iden of Richland, Pennsylvania or her sister Susanna. Excellent condition and fully conserved. Circa 1800 - 40. Price: $1,800.00

Lucy Gordon antique needlework sampler click image to enlarge A Philadelphia castle type sampler with added Quaker motifs worked by Lucy Gordon, age 14 in 1826. this popular format was introduced in the city at Mary Zeller's school and continued on after her death in 1818. This needlework was probably stitched in the city although we have been unable to locate Lucy there. Samplers of this style are also found in Frederick / Carroll county Maryland and in Ohio. The sampler is in very good condition and fully conserved in a reproduction corner block frame. 17 1/4" wide and 17" high, sampler size. PRICE: $2800.00

Betsy Brown antique needlework sampler click to enlarge A colorful needlework signed by Betsy Brown, age twelve years. This antique sampler has been very expertly worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition with bright colors. The house and fence design and the specific verse point to a possible Portsmouth, New Hampshire origin.  This piece is conservation mounted into a period gold leaf frame. New England, circa 1820-30. 17 3/4" wide, 16" high sampler size PRICE: $3500.00

Gulielma Thomas chester County sampler click image to enlarge A sophisticated and historically interesting Chester County, Pennsylvania extract sampler worked by Gulielma Thomas, great granddaughter of Isaac Thomas, the well known eighteenth century cabinetmaker. The sampler was stitched with great skill at the school of the celebrated instructress  Elizabeth Passmore who is discussed in Betty Ring, Girlhood Embroidery, pages 398 -99 with pictures on page 401 showing similar motifs and embroidery style to this needlework. The entire ground surrounding the verse is covered with colorful flowers, birds and butterflies. The sampler is in excellent condition with one small patch at the upper left border. It has been fully conserved and mounted in a reproduction mahogany frame with conservation glass. 20" wide X 14" high sampler size. Price: $ 3,500.00

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