Antique Sampler, 1787, by Marion Erskine

Object Description

Georgian Sampler, 1787, by Marion Erskine. The sampler is worked in silk threads on a linen ground, mainly in cross stitch. Meandering floral border. Colours green, blue, red, gold, black, dark brown and silver. Family initials, ‘IE, GE, RE, IS, IO, IG’ and numbers 1-6. Signed and dated ‘MARION ERSKINE Sowed this SEMPLER (sic) IN the YeaR 1787’. Also, the names ‘M Erskine’ and ‘M Simpson’ either side. A wonderful set of motifs, including Adam & Eve standing either side of the tree of life with a snake coiled around its trunk, dogs, rabbits, birds, potted flowering plants, fruit baskets, crowns, hearts and a peacock. Framed in an old wood frame with rippled, dimpled, old glass. Mounting: The sampler is fixed to board. Frame backed with wood.. Dimensions exclude the frame and slip.

Object Condition

Good. One well backed hole. Slight dark stain across the top border. No stitch losses. Colours are all good and strong with no noticeable fading. No colour run. Neatly and evenly stretched, though the side borders may have been over-framed at some point in the samplers history. Frame showing slight wear, otherwise sound and ready to hang.

Object Details