Antique samplers were predominantly stitched by young girls in private schools, in the 200 year
period between 1650-1850.
The Huber's large inventory emphasizes American and English antique samplers, silk embroideries
and related textiles. Their historic shop (open by appointment) is a 1649 house in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. They
hold special events throughout the year and participate in the nation's leading antique shows.
They have, and continue to assemble, the best collections of antique samplers and needlework in America. They routinely
advise major museums, historical societies and private collectors, and are consulted by the leading auction houses.
They welcome inquiries from beginning collectors to the most advanced for either purchasing or selling.
Explanation of the above categories.
Sampler or Antique Sampler: Usually these terms refer to early
needlework accomplishments stitched, or wrought by young students in schools with silk thread on a linen background.
They can run the gamut in quality, complexity, and price. The first attempt at making a sampler by a young girl,
or far less frequently a young boy, was usually a very simple sampler with only alphabets, numbers, name, date,
and sometimes a small amount of decorative stitching. These are commonly referred to as marking samplers. As the
students became more capable, the complexity of the sampler usually increased accordingly. At the very top are
some masterpieces sporting a wide variety of difficult stitches and subtle color changes intricately and graphically
executed to create a needlework sampler that was framed, proudly displayed and cherished. Now those same samplers
are highly sought after and cherished by knowledgeable antique needlework collectors.
Silk Embroidered Pictures: We use this term to refer to early
needlework that was embroidered with silk or chenille thread on a silk (not linen, canvas, or cotton) background.
Often the silk background not covered with embroidery is painted with watercolors. These were popular c1780 to
c1840 and were extremely expensive and difficult to execute. They often depicted classic biblical stories, mythological
stories, popular stories of the times, or memorial themes. The faces were often painted by well-known artists of
the period, some are known today although many are yet to be identified. In general, privileged young girls attending
the finest schools were responsible for these exquisite silk embroidered pictures. We consider this type of needlework
to be the highest quality needlework art of the period.
Memorials: Although memorials were usually a form of "silk
embroidered pictures" they deserve a category to themselves. A memorial needlework picture was one of the
expected accomplishments of a young cultured girl c1780 to c1840. These typically show a tomb, mourning figures,
and weeping willow trees. They are beautiful, sensitive, and graceful works of needlework art that are highly sought
after by the top collectors of antique samplers and needlework. Contrary to popular belief, the stitchers of these
memorials were not necessarily in mourning over the loss of a loved one but merely creating a popular form of needlework.
If they had no one close enough to them to memorialize, they may dedicate their memorial to a well known figure
or inscribe the tomb "sacred to friendship" or simply leave it blank.
Canvaswork pictures: This category refers to a well known group
of needlework pictures or needlepoint pictures, executed in "tent" stitch, predominately made in the
mid 18th century in Philadelphia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, the Boston area, and in England. They often depict
a shepherd and shepherdess or a hunt scene with a pastoral background. They vary in size from about 4" x 6"
to massive and impressive works of art referred to as "over mantles" that can be 2 feet high and 5 feet
wide. This type of needlework folk art is some of the most highly prized and aggressively collected antique needlework
on the market today.
English 17th century samplers and related needlework: We are
using this category to present 17th century needlework, usually from England, and other types of needlework or
beadwork that doesn't conveniently fall into any of the other categories. Stumpwork is a term commonly used today
to refer to early raised or padded needlework that was popular in the mid 17th century.
STEPHEN & CAROL HUBER
(860) 388-6809 or email: Hubers@AntiqueSamplers.com
We buy and sell antique needlework
needlework embroidery needlework embroidery needlework
embroidery needlework embroidery needlework embroidery needlework embroidery