Sampler
1836 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The earliest surviving samplers date back to the sixteenth century, where they were used as a personal reference for experienced or professional embroiderers. By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries however, when this example was made, samplers were increasingly being used as an educational tool for girls from all social backgrounds. Samplers also had an increasingly pictoral focus by this time, often framed with embroidered border patterns; the use of moralising texts and motifs also served as an expression of dutiful piety. This example was made by Elizabeth Towie, aged eight in 1836.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Wool and silk stitches on linen ground. |
| Brief description | Sampler with wool and silk cross stitch in brown, red, pink, green, blue and purple on linen ground. Made by Elizabeth Towie, aged eight in 1836. |
| Physical description | Wool and silk cross stitch in brown, red, pink, green, blue and purple on linen ground. Decoration includes letters of the alphabet and the numbers 1-7 stitched in dark blue, as well as the makers name (Elizabeth Towie), age (eight) and date made (1836) in brown stitching, frame by a light blue and purple border. There is a religious text in pink stitching in the lower half. There is an inner border of floral patterns in pink and green stitching, the image of a bird on the lower right side of the object, diamond motifs, and a simple outside border of brown stitches. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Unique |
| Credit line | Given in memory of Valerie Orr |
| Object history | Donated by Peter Orr in 2016, who was given the samplers by his mother Valerie Orr (deceased). The donor advised that his mother acquired the samplers over several years as she was the Chair of the Embroiderers' Guild in Yorkshire. He believes the period of acquisition would have been 1970-2005, and that a number were donated by a good friend in the 1970's, whilst others were purchased or a gift from others. |
| Historical context | In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries samplers were increasingly being used as an educational tool for girls from all social backgrounds. This sampler forms part of a total of fourteen examples donated to the Museum by Peter Orr, ranging in date from 1785-1886. |
| Summary | The earliest surviving samplers date back to the sixteenth century, where they were used as a personal reference for experienced or professional embroiderers. By the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries however, when this example was made, samplers were increasingly being used as an educational tool for girls from all social backgrounds. Samplers also had an increasingly pictoral focus by this time, often framed with embroidered border patterns; the use of moralising texts and motifs also served as an expression of dutiful piety. This example was made by Elizabeth Towie, aged eight in 1836. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | B.545-2016 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | September 21, 2016 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
