Cornish, French Samplers and More at Auction

It is not often one meets a sampler from Kernow (Cornwall), for once across the Tamar River you are not so much in another county as another country. Stitched by Mary Husband Hawken aged 12 in 1837 the sampler references Treginnegar (Tre, Pol and Pen - three Cornish Men) not far from lovely Padstow on the North Cornwall Coast. I wonder if the cow on the sampler is tired of producing clotted cream for visitors' teas! It measures approximately 35cm x 29cm and is for auction on 23 March at Tooveys. It is Lot 2905 with an estimate of £100-£200.

I am intrigued by these samplers in French, for I believe many were stitched in England by English girls and so cannot properly be described as French. This one displaying very English motifs in the midst of the French text was stitched by Elizabeth Carel when she was 12 and though being sold in Eastbourne has an oak frame that hails from Dundee in Scotland. It measures 59cm x 44cm
and is Lot 205 at Eastbourne Auctions on 24/25 March.

Also for sale at Eastbourne Auctions on 24/25 March is Lot 207 comprising four sweet miniature 19th century samplers - one stitched with verse and flowers, another with maple frame, the largest 21cm x 18cm. This is one easy way of jump-starting a sampler collection.

And last, but by no means least is this beautiful 17th century English embroidered coif, decorated with lovely polychrome silkwork flowers, and metallic lace set on a linen ground. It has a floral red silkwork lining and is Lot 125 in the next Gorringes auction on 23rd March. It has an estimates of £2,000 - 3,000.

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