Object Name: Sampler
Object ID: 1919.001.11
Creator: Boylston, Martha (1756-1824)
Place of Origin: Charlestown, MA
Date: 1769
Description: Sampler. Made by Martha Boylston (1756-1824), Charlestown, MA; 1769. Brightly colored silk twist threads on a plain-woven linen ground fabric, featuring four alphabets: first, capital block letters worked in a cross stitch over one thread, each letter doubled and shifting color (beige, light blue, cream, dark green, pale pink, medium blue, yellow, olive), followed by numbers one through ten. The second alphabet starts out being lower-case, but shifts to capitals after "f" (with the "g" missing), followed by an ampersand and the numbers one through eight. The third alphabet is capital block letters followed by an ampersand and numbers one through five. The fourth alphabet is larger-scale capitals worked in Algerian eye stitch, followed by numbers one through eleven. J and U are missing from all the alphabets. The next two bands of the sampler bears the inscription: "MARTHA BOYLSTON MAY / THE 1 1769*AGE*13." Below this is an unfinished panel depicting flowering trees and birds on top of a bumpy, grassy ground. The sampler is bordered on the sides and top with a flowering vine. Stitches used in these decorative elements include: New England laid stitch, buttonhole, bullion, outline, and closed herringbone. All four edges of the linen are hemstitched. The inked outlines of the design are visible under some of the embroidery.
Material: Textile
Linen
Silk
Dimensions: H-13 W-10 inches
Provenance: The donor, Alberta R. Drew (1867-1962), was the great-great-granddaughter of Mary (Frost) Bucknam (1775-18 ), the step-daughter of Martha (Boylston) Frost.
Credit Line: Gift of Alberta R. Drew
People:
Boylston, Martha (1756-1824),
Drew, Alberta R. (1867-1962)