Sampler
| 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 has no name or date, but was most likely made in the 18th Century. The decoration includes a scene of a house and garden.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silk stitching on wool ground. |
| Brief description | Sampler with scene of a house and garden. Silk cross stitches in green, pink, blue, purple, yellow, brown, black, beige and white on wool ground. |
| Physical description | Silk cross stitches in green, pink, blue, purple, yellow, brown, black, beige and white on wool ground. Scene of a house and garden in the center with a red door and a dog on the central path. There is a leaf and floral decorative border, as well as text in the upper area, which reads "All you my friends who now expect to see, A piece of marking thus performed by me, Cast but a smile on this my mean endeavour, I'll strive to mend and be obedient forever", which is decorated with bird, animal, floral, tree and crown motifs. |
| Dimensions |
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| 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 has no name or date, but was most likely made in the 18th Century. The decoration includes a scene of a house and garden. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | B.549-2016 |
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| Record created | September 21, 2016 |
| Record URL |
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