Antique Samplers and Needlework
Available from The Scarlet Letter

Listed below is our current selection of genuine antique needleworks for sale, some of which have been reproduced as kits/patterns, some of which have not. All items are guaranteed to be authentic antiques. If you are interested in a particular piece and require more information, Marsha Parker can be contacted at samplers@scarlet-letter.com for more information. All items listed are subject to prior sale.

Please click on the name or photo to see more detailed information, photos and prices of each item. Some of the photos appear a bit whitish because of glare on the glass


Showing 17 results

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AW 1662
A fine early English band sampler in excellent condition, professionally cleaned, mounted and framed behind UV filtering museum glass.
Price: $2895.00

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Sarah Brown 1834
This English sampler is a memorial to her deceased brother. It is framed in an old- possibly original- mahogany frame with gilt slip and glass. The sampler is stitched with silk on linen, entirely in cross stitch. It is packed with motifs including a cathedral a lion, stars, birds, fruit baskets, fir trees, hearts, a crown, flowers, insects, acorns and potted flowering plants including a bold and beautiful four sided undulating floral border...
Price: $1,250

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Christy Clark 1809
Very finely stitched English sampler with the theme of the four seasons.
Price: $1400

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Elizabeth Forfitt 1749
Very finely stitched English sampler with alphabets and three verses at the top, with a scene featuring a large and elaborately detailed flower flanked by two enormous butterflies, within a four sided floral and Greek key border.
Price: $850

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Harriot Hammond
Harriot Hammond, dated 1811, is an English Adam and Eve sampler. This wonderfully busy sampler is filled with many traditional and some quite unusual motifs
Price: $1050

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Margret Lawrance 1823
This Scottish sampler is stitched with brightly colored silk and wool floss on linen, featuring numerous stylized alphabets and family initials. There are three rows of beautiful illuminated letters characteristic of Scottish samplers. In the lower reserve is a peacock with seven tail feather (also typical of Scottish samplers), a small house, flowers, a rooster, a tulip, flower baskets, hearts and a small female figures.
Price: $525

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LM:AM dated 1829
This sampler is either English or Continental, and is stitched with brilliantly colored silk on extremely fine linen and bordered with rose colored silk ribbon.
Price: $895.00

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Margret Nisbet circa 1770
This beautiful Scottish sampler features illuminated letters, an arcaded floral band, traditional motifs including peacocks, windmills. birds at the Fountain of Life, illuminated letters and family initials.
Price: $1100

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17?4 Silkwork Sampler by Susey Oliver
Framed in an old 'molded composition over wood' and gilt frame with rippled, old glass. Stitched to linen with wooden backing and brown paper dust cover. The sampler is finely worked in silk on linen ground, in a variety of stitches including Algerian eye. Meandering leafy border...
Price: $1,750

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OVAL TENT STITCHED PICTURE, probably English, early 18th century (circa 1720)
Executed in fine wool and silk, this beautifully balanced needlework picture depicts two characters in a rural setting, the woman carrying a jug of water on her head, the man apparently leaping or dancing, with a flock of very contented sheep to their right. One sheep appears to be a Jacob sheep- a rare old breed, with black spots and horns...
Price: $1,950

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Petite Point Floral Urn, circa 1740, English
This very finely stitched petit point canvaswork picture of a blue and white urn burgeoning with naturalistic flowers (carnations, tulips, periwinkles, daisies, chrysanthemums) was probably made as a chair back, or a fire screen. It is signed with the initials "MC". It has been professionally cleaned and conserved by Frances Faile, and is museum mounted within a new period style frame...
Price: $2,950

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Louisa Silver Smith, 1827 Aged 10 years
This English sampler is closely related to others, some in the collection of The Scarlet Letter, and surely was the product of a skilled and inspired teacher. Louisa Silver Smith's sampler has been professionally cleaned and conservation mounted, within its original gilded frame...
Price: $6,500

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Katie Sym 1769
This is an exquisitely stitched classic Scottish sampler featuring illuminated letters, an arcaded floral band, traditional motifs including peacocks, birds drinking at the Fountain of Life, feather trees and family initials.
Price: $1100

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Dorothy Walpole 1774
An Irish sampler, made by the mother, and including three samplers made by Dorothy Walpole's daughters, two by Mary Williams dated 1804 and 1805, and one by Elizabeth Williams, dated 1804...
The price for all four samplers inclusive is $5.400.

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L. WHITEAR 1816
This English silkwork sampler is stitched in a variety of stitches with a meandering floral border. The condition is very good, no stains, no stitch loss (other than to a few spots where there are small holes, that have been backed with matching linen so they are barely noticeable),...
Price: $1,950

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Scandinavian or German Whitework
Dated 1601
Price: $3,200

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Mary Wilson
Early English band sampler signed and dated (Mary Wilson born 1711), worked with silk and fine metal wire on linen.
Price: $2750.00