Victorian, dated 1858 1858 Silkwork Napoleon Sampler by Susan Barnfield. Framed in an old, possibly original, wood frame with gilt slip and rippled, old glass. Glued around the edges to linen, which is stretched over and glued around the edge of a chipboard backing. The sampler is worked in silk on linen ground, in a variety of stitches. Meandering strawberry border. Colours gold, navy blue, black, magenta, copper and dark green. Verse reads ''From the prayer of want and plaint of wee> O never never turn away thine ear> Forlorn in this bleak wilderness below> Ah what were man should Heaven refuse to hear> Toothers do the law is not severe> What to thyself thou wishest to be done> Forgive thy foes and love thy parents dear> And friends and native land nor these alone> All human weal and woe learn thou to make thine own''. Signed and dated ''Susan Barnfield aged 13yrs 1858''. A good set of motifs, including a figure of Napoleon, Adam and Eve standing either side of the tree of life, crosses, dogs, flowers, potted flowering plants, stags, horses, fir trees, stars and fruit baskets. Generally Good. A few tiny holes at the bottom. Dark stain specks to the verse. Uniform age darkening of the ground. No stitch losses. Colours are slightly faded, but still well defined. Colour run around the dark green threads. Unevenly stretched and slightly over framed. Frame showing some wear, but structurally sound. 15.25ins by 10.75ins wide

Antique Textiles
Antique Samplers