Antique Sampler, 1840 Scottish? House Sampler by Mary Eldridge

Object Description

1840 House Sampler by Mary Eldridge. Framed in an old wood frame with rippled, old glass. Fixed to linen with chipboard and brown paper backing. The sampler is worked in silk on linen ground, in a variety of stitches including Algerian eye. Meandering strawberry border. Colours greens, cream, red, blues and browns. Family initials. Verse reads ‘Keep death and Judgment always in your eye>None’s fit to live but who is fit to die>Make use of present time because you must>Take up your lodging shortly in the dust>Tis dreadful to behold the setting sun>And night approaching e’er your work is done’. Signed and dated ‘Mary Eldridge Finished this Work Jany-29th.1840 Aged 14 Years’. A good set of motifs, including a house with a garden and smoke rising from the chimneys, stars, dogs, birds, flowers, trees, laden with fruit, crowns, fir trees and potted flowering plants.

Object Condition

Generally Good. A few small holes, mainly to the extreme edges. A number of patchy stains. Minor stitch losses to the border, divider line and motifs. Colours are all good and strong with no noticeable fading. The silks bright and glossy. No colour run. Unevenly stretched. Frame showing some wear, but is structurally sound and in our opinion could be hung ‘as is’.

Object Details