The Project Gutenberg eBook, Samplers and Tapestry Embroideries, by Marcus Bourne Huish

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Title: Samplers and Tapestry Embroideries

Second Edition

Author: Marcus Bourne Huish

Release Date: December 27, 2012 [eBook #41717]

Language: English

Character set encoding: UTF-8

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SAMPLERS AND TAPESTRY EMBROIDERIES***

 

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Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See http://archive.org/details/samplerstapestry00huisrich

 

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SAMPLERS AND
TAPESTRY EMBROIDERIES

 

 

Tho our Countrie everywhere is fil’d
With ladies and with gentlewomen skil’d
In this rare art, yet here they may discerne
Some things to teach them if they list to learne
And as this booke some cunning workes doth teach
Too high for meane capacities to reache
So for weake learners other workes here be
As plaine and easie as an A B C.
—The Needle’s Excellency.

 

 

Plate I.—Tapestry Embroidery. Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth.
The Corporation of Maidstone.

(Frontispiece.)

The very unusual piece of Embroidery reproduced as our Frontispiece may date from the Accession of Queen Elizabeth, in which case it is the earliest specimen of an embroidery picture that we have seen. It would appear to be the creation of some exultant Protestant rejoicing at the restoration of his religion, which to him is “Good tidings of great joy”; for his Queen holds the Bible open at this verse, and is ready to defend it with her sword. Edward VI. also upholds the Bible in his upraised hand, whilst Henry VIII. has one foot on the downtrodden Pope, and the other on his crown, which he has kicked from his head. Popery is portrayed in Mary with her Rosary and Papal-crowned Dragon. The presence of the Thistle raises a doubt as to its being of the Elizabethan age, but although this flower consorts with the Rose it also does so with a pansy, which deprives it of its value as an emblem of Scotland. The piece belongs to the Corporation of Maidstone.

 

 

SAMPLERS & TAPESTRY
EMBROIDERIES

 

BY
MARCUS B. HUISH, LL.B.
Author of “Japan and its Art,” “Greek Terra Cotta Statuettes”
“The American Pilgrim’s Way,” &c.

 

SECOND EDITION

WITH 24 COLOURED PLATES AND
77 ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT

 

 

 

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.
39 PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON
NEW YORK, BOMBAY, AND CALCUTTA
1913
All rights reserved

 

 

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Preface to the Second Edition

I have explained, in the chapter upon English Needlework with which this volume opens, the reasons which prompted me to take up the subject of Samplers and Tapestry Embroideries, and I have here only to thank the many who, since its first issue, have expressed their acknowledgment of the pleasure they have derived from it, and to record my gratification that it has induced some of them to start the study and collection of these interesting objects.

In the present edition several American Samplers of considerable interest, kindly furnished by correspondents in that country, are noted and illustrated.

I am indebted to the publishers for putting the present volume on the market at a more popular price than the expense of the first edition permitted.

 

 

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Contents

  PAGES   ENGLISH NEEDLEWORK.— Its Practice in Past Times.—Its place amongst the Minor Arts.—Mr Ruskin’s Views as to Needlework in a Museum.—Lack of a History.—Exhibition of Samplers.—Range of this Volume 1-5   PART I.— SAMPLERS.—The Need of.—The Age of.—Inscriptions on.—Alphabets and Numerals on.—Signatures on.—Inscriptions on.—Design, Ornament, and Colouring of, including: The Human Figure; Animals; Flowers.—Further Inscriptions on.—Verses which Commemorate Religious Festivals; which take the form of Prayers and Dedications; which refer to Life and Death; which Inculcate Duties to Parents and Preceptors; which have reference to Virtue or Vice, Wealth or Poverty.—Quaint Inscriptions; Crowns; Coronets; Hearts; Borders.—Miscellanea respecting Samplers, namely:—the Age and Sex of the Workers; the Place of Origin of Samplers; Samplers as Records of National Events; Map Samplers; American Samplers; Foreign Samplers; Sampler Literature; the Last of the Samplers 7-122   PART II.— EMBROIDERIES IN THE MANNER OF TAPESTRY PICTURES.—Large Numbers Exhibited at Fine Art Society’s.—Opportunity for their Examination, and for making Record of their History.—Difficulties Surrounding Investigation of Origin of Industry.—No Apparent Infancy.—No Specimens discoverable earlier than Elizabethan Era.—Theory as to fashion originating with introduction of Tapestry Manufacture to England.—Particulars of that Manufacture.—Three-fold Interest of Picture Embroideries: (1) Subjects Depicted thereon; (2) Historical Material as to Fashions; (3) As Specimens of Needlework.—Particulars respecting Subjects, Fashions of Dress, Horticulture, etc.

align="right" valign="bottom">123-141   PART III.— (1) STITCHERY OF EMBROIDERIES IN IMITATION OF TAPESTRY AND THE LIKE.—Background Stitches.—Figures in Raised Needlework.—Knot Stitches.—Plush Stitch.—Embroidery in Purl and Metallic Threads.—Bead Embroidery.—First Stage of Embroidered Picture 143-160     (2) THE STITCHERY OF SAMPLERS, WITH A NOTE ON THEIR MATERIALS.—Cut and Drawn Work.—Back Stitch.—Alphabet Stitches.—Darning Stitches.—Tent and Cross Stitches.—Various Stitches.—Materials 161-171     INDEX 173

 

 

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List of Colour Plates

PLATE   To face page I. Tapestry Embroidery. Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth Frontispiece II. Sampler, by M. C. 16th-17th Century 9 III. Portion of Long Sampler, by A. S. Dated 1648 16 IV. Sampler, by Elizabeth Calthorpe. Dated 1656 20 V. Portion of Sampler, by Mary Hall. Dated 1662 24 VI. Portion of Sampler, by Elizabeth Creasey. Dated 1686 36 VII. Sampler, by Hannah Dawe. 17th Century 42 VIII. Sampler, by Mary Postle. Dated 1747 48 IX. Sampler, by E. Philips. Dated 1761 56 X. Sampler, by Catherine Tweedall. Dated 1775 66 XI. Sampler, by Ann Chapman. Dated 1779 78 XII. Sampler, by Ann Maria Wiggins. 19th Century 90 XIII. American Sampler, by Martha C. Barton. Dated 1825 100

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@41717@[email protected]#plate14" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">XIV. Tapestry Embroidery: Christ in the Temple, Stoning of Martyrs, Etc. About 1625 123 XV. Tapestry Embroidery. The Story of Hagar and Ishmael. About 1630 124 XVI. Tapestry Embroidery. Charles I. and his Queen. About 1630 126 XVII. Lid of a Casket. The Judgment of Paris. About 1630 130 XVIII. Tapestry Embroidery. The Story of Queen Esther. About 1630 132 XIX. Lid of a Casket. About 1660 143 XX. Back of Casket in Tapestry Embroidery. Signed A. K., 1657 144 XXI. Beadwork Embroidery. Charles II. and his Queen, Etc. 150 XXII. Tapestry Embroidery. Dated 1735 158 XXIII. Purl Embroidery. 16th and 17th Century 161 XXIV. Darning Sampler. Dated 1788 164

 

 

Illustrations in Text

FIG.   PAGE 1. The Visit to the Boarding School, by George Morland xiv 2. Bottom of Sampler, in Knotted Yellow Silk, by Mary Caney, 1710 1 3. Upper Portion of Sampler, by Pupil in Orphan School, Calcutta, 1797 9 4. Sampler of Cut and Embroidered Work. Early 17th Century 16 5. Portion of Sampler. 17th Century 17 6. Portion of Sampler of Cut and Embroidered Work. 17th

Century 18 7. Samplers in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Dated 1643, 1667, 1696 19 8. Long Sampler, signed Ann Turner. 1686 24 9. Sampler, by Elizabeth Baker. 1739 25 10. Sampler, by Charlotte Brontë. 1829 29 11. Sampler, by Emily Jane Brontë. 1829 31 12. Sampler, by Anne Brontë. 1830 33 13. Easter Sampler, by Kitty Harison. 1770 37 14. Sampler, by Elizabeth Stockwell. 1832 43 15. Sampler, by Sarah Young. c. 1750 53 16. Drawn-Work Sampler, by S. I. D. 1649 59 17. Sampler, by Jean Porter. 1709-10 61 18. Sampler. Name Illegible. Date, 1742 63 19. Sampler, by Mary Anderson. 1831 67 20. Sampler (? Scottish). 18th Century 69 21. Small Scottish Sampler, by J. H. [Jane Heath]. 1728 71 22. Sampler, by Mary Bywater. 1751 72 23. Heart-shaped Sampler, by Mary Ives. 1796 73

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@41717@[email protected]#fig24" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">24. Drawn-work Sampler, by S. W. 1700 76 25. Border of Mary Lounds’s Sampler. 1726 77 26. Border of Mary Heaviside’s Sampler. 1735 77 27. Border of Elizabeth Greensmith’s Sampler. 1737 77 28. Border of Margaret Knowles’s Sampler. 1738 78 29. Border to Sampler, by Elizabeth Turner. 1771 78 30. Border to Sampler, by Sarah Carr. 1809 79 31. Border to Sampler, by Susanna Hayes. 1813 79 32. Small Sampler, by Martha Haynes. 1704 81 33. Sampler, by Sarah Pelham, aged 6 83 34. Scottish Sampler, by Robert Henderson. 1762 85 35. Two Small Samplers, by May Johnson. 1785-6 87 36. Two Small Samplers, by Lydia Johnson. 1784 87 37. Scottish Sampler, by Mary Bayland. 1779 89 38. Sampler, by Mary Minshull. 1694 90 39. Map of North America, by M. A. K. 1788 93 40. Map of England and Wales, by Ann Brown 94 41. Map of Africa. 1784

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@41717@[email protected]#fig41" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">95 42. Sampler, by Anne Gower 98 43. Sampler, by Loara Standish 99 44. Sampler, by Miles and Abigail Fleetwood 99 45. Sampler, by Abigail Ridgway. 1795 100 46. Sampler, by Elizabeth Easton. 1795 101 47. Sampler, by Maria E. Spalding. 1815 102 48. Sampler, by Martha C. Hooton. 1827 103 49. Sampler, by the Lamborn Family. 1822 105 50. Sampler, by Elizabeth M. Ford 106 51. Sampler, by Lydia J. Cotton. 1819 107 52. Sampler, by Helen Price 114 53. Beadwork Sampler, by Jane Mills 119 54. Sampler, by Elizabeth Clarkson. 1881 121 55. Embroidered Glove. Early 17th Century 123 56. The Judgment of Paris. About 1630 129 57. Tapestry Embroidery: The Finding of Moses. About 1640 134 58. Portion of a Book Cover. 16th Century 136

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">59. Purl and Applied Embroidery. About 1630 137 60. Embroidery Picture. Charles II. and His Queen. 1663 141 61. Hollie Point Lace, from Top of Christening Cap. 1774 143 62. Cushion-Stitch Background: Embroidered Book Cover, dated 1703 145 63. Eyelet-Hole-Stitch: from a Sampler dated 1811 146 64. Tapestry Embroidery. About 1640 147 65. Face worked in Split-Stitch: Enlarged from Embroidery Reproduced in Fig. 63 150 66. Face worked in Split-Stitch: Enlarged from Lower Portion of Fig. 63 (not reproduced) 151 67. Knotted-Stitch: Enlarged from Embroidery Reproduced in Fig. 63 152 68. Embroidery Picture: A Squire and His Lady. Dated 1657 155 69. Hair of Unravelled Silk: Enlargement of Portion of Embroidery Reproduced in Plate 157 70. Groundwork Tracing for Embroidered Picture. 17th Century 159 71. Moulds for Knotted, or Lace-Work, with Silk Spools and Case 160 72. Drawn-Work Sampler. 17th Century 162 73. Cut and Drawn-Work: Enlargement from 17th Century Sampler 163 74. Satin-Stitch and Combination of Types of Open-Work: Enlarged from the Sampler Reproduced in Fig. 4. 17th Century 164 75. Back-Stitch: Enlargement of Portion of Sampler in Fig. 5. 17th Century. Twice Actual Size 165

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@41717@[email protected]#fig76" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">76. Darning Sampler. Signed M. M., T. B., J. J. 1802 167 77. Enlarged Portion of a Darning Sampler. Dated 1785 169

 

 

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