Small Late 18th Century Adam & Eve, Motif & Verse Sampler By Mary Drage 1787

  
Small late 18th century linen and silk work sampler by Mary Drage aged 13 - 1787. This sampler is just stunning with fine quality stitch work throughout. The upper section of the linen is stitched with rows of alphabet letters, numbers and border patterns with the following verse on Friendship beneath. Tell me ye knowing and discerning few. Where I may find a friend both firm and true. Who dares stand by me when in deep distress. And then his love and friendship most express. Mary's details and the date of 1787 are stitched beneath the verse with an arcaded floral border above and an intricate strawberry border below. The bottom section of the linen is stitched with a central Tree of Knowledge, complete with entwined serpent and Adam and Eve standing beneath its fruit laden branches. Each figure has a tree basket at their side followed by a hillock worked in long stitch with a fruit basket standing on top, a pair of birds above each. There is a seated squirrel on each side of the upper branches of the Tree with a strip of grass next to each. The left side grass has a central floral motif standing on it with a bird on each side, whilst the right side strip has a central flower with a bird standing to its left and a crowned lion standing to its right.

The whole piece is then surrounded by a meandering tulip border. The linen has overall discolouration consistent with its age with some slight puckering and the odd, very small, very faint mark. There is a small area of damage to the side of the right hillock and a larger area to the right side of Eve. The penultimate photo is of a closeup of this area and also shows how the sampler is sitting on a backing cloth. This appears to have some age to it and was probably done when the sampler was framed.

The sampler is behind glass so I'm not able to see the reverse, but the colours of the silks appear good though they are likely to have mellowed to some extent over the year. The sampler is contained within an early 20th century dark wood frame which is in good condition with the odd scratch and scuff mark commensurate with its age.

PLEASE NOTE - ANY MARKS ETC ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS WHICH I'VE NOT ALREADY MENTIONED ARE FROM THE GLARE AND REFLECTION OF THE GLASS AND NOT ON THE SAMPLER ITSELF. The item "SMALL LATE 18TH CENTURY ADAM & EVE, MOTIF & VERSE SAMPLER BY MARY DRAGE 1787" is in sale since Tuesday, October 2, 2018.

This item is in the category "Antiques\Linens & Textiles (Pre-1930)\Samplers". The seller is "cockleheart" and is located in Sowerby Bridge. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Australia.