Sampler thumbnail 1
Sampler thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Sampler

1600-1625 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In their earliest form, samplers were put together as personal reference works for embroiderers. They were trials of patterns and stitches that had been copied from others, and records of particular effects achieved that could be recreated again. They would have been the work, not of children, but of more experienced embroiderers, and, to judge from the quality of samplers like this one, of professionals too.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Linen, embroidered with silk and metal thread in tent, long-armed cross and Romanian and plaited braid stitch, with knots and pulled thread work
Brief description
Linen sampler embroidered with silk and metal thread; English; first quarter of the 17th century.
Physical description
Embroidered sampler
Dimensions
  • Height: 61.6cm
  • Width: 21.6cm
Marks and inscriptions
'I R' for James Rex, King James I (Decoration; Latin; embroidering; silk)
Subjects depicted
Summary
In their earliest form, samplers were put together as personal reference works for embroiderers. They were trials of patterns and stitches that had been copied from others, and records of particular effects achieved that could be recreated again. They would have been the work, not of children, but of more experienced embroiderers, and, to judge from the quality of samplers like this one, of professionals too.
Bibliographic reference
Browne, Clare and Jennifer Wearden, eds. Samplers from the Victoria and Albert Museum. London : V&A Publications, 1999. 144 p., ill. ISBN 1851773096.
Collection
Accession number
9047-1863

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Record createdNovember 13, 2002
Record URL
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