Samplers at Auction in February 2014

After quite a dearth over the Christmas period, samplers are turning up at auction again. Above is Lot 1101 for sale on 20 February 2014 with Chorleys. It was stitched by Frances Burgum in 1811. The swagged cords and free working of this rural idyll are reminiscent of Dinah Ellis' sampler in the Feller Collection - F107 on Page 8 of Volume 2. The sampler above measures 42cm x 29.25cm (16.5" x 11.5") and has an estimate of £300 - £500. For more details click here.

I quite like this quirky North Borderland/Scottish sampler which is Lot 1103 for sale on 20 February with Chorleys. Why do I say Scottish when it appears without paired family initials and typical Scottish home? The 5 bloom urn above the house is a marker for Scottish samplers and the device with fountain and birds within the leaf  garland seen upper left are also seen on Scottish samplers. However, its quirkiness together with style of building may hint at a Northumberland/Cumberland provenance. It is initialled and dated BT 1812. Measuring 28cm x 20.5cm (11" x 8") it has an estimate of£300 - £400. For more details click here.

Lot 972 is for sale on 11 February 2014 at Canterbury auctions and is a Georgian darning sampler by Mary Palmer worked in coloured silks with basket of flowers to the centre. Typical of Norwich school darned pattern samplers it measures 15.5ins x 13.25ins and is in a maple frame and glazed. Its estimate is £200 - £300. For more details click here.

At Bamfords Auctions on 12 February 2014 is lot 1039 - A George IV needlework sampler, by Mary Turvey, Aged 14, Finished Dec 19 1828, worked in coloured wools with a named view of St Paul`s Church, Covent Garden, London. This is one of a growing group of samplers with this depiction (See Feller Collection F340 by Sarah Maria Fey on page 174 of volume 2.) It measures 39cm x 40cm and has an estimate of£60 - £100. For more details click here.

Also at Bamfords is lot 1035 for sale on 12 February 2014 - a George III sampler worked by Sarah Petty, the daughter of William and Ann Petty at age 8 in 1806. I am particularly interested by the first curlicued decorated alphabet which appears on many north country samplers and also samplers from north Germany. There was a Sarah Petty, daughter of William and Nancy (for Ann) born on 21 August 1797 at Thornthwaite near York who could have been the stitcher of this sampler. The sampler measures 41cm x 38cm and has an estimate of £50 - £70. For more details click here.