On today's antiques sampler market, American samplers are rare and command a higher value than their English counterparts. Condition is key to the value of any sampler. Samplers that are cut, re-stitched, stained or torn are not as valuable as those that are in good condition.
What is a vintage sampler?
Samplers were pieces of cloth, usually linen, that featured hand-embroidered designs using thread made of silk, wool, or cotton. Patterns stitched into these early samplers were often sewn as a reminder of a stitch so that the sewer could refer to it later.
How old is my cross stitch sampler?
An ancient Peruvian running-stitch sampler has been dated to 200-500 AD. The earliest fragment of embroidered cloth includes cross stitch and dates back to the sixth or seventh centuries AD. It was found in a Coptic tomb in Upper Egypt, where it was preserved by the dry desert climate.
What is an old sampler?
Samplers were pieces of cloth, usually linen, that featured hand-embroidered designs using thread made of silk, wool, or cotton. Samplers were pieces of cloth, usually linen, that featured hand-embroidered designs using thread made of silk, wool, or cotton.
Why is it called a sampler?
The English word 'sampler' derives from the Latin 'exemplum', or the old French term 'essamplaire', meaning 'an example'. Before the introduction of printed designs, embroiderers and lacemakers needed a way to record and reference different designs, stitches and effects.
What makes a sampler valuable?
Condition, age of the sampler, a pictorial scene, strong color and contrast also all play key roles is determining the value.
What is an antique sampler?
Antique Samplers - In a nutshell Samplers are a form of embroidery that evolved in the 17thC, used to demonstrate needlework skills. Most commonly, samplers are stitched by children, using silk or wool thread, onto a canvas ground. They often feature alphabets, numbers, verses and motifs.
How do you clean an old sampler?
Wash the sampler in a bath in warm water with a little Woolite that is free of scents and color. Woolite is a nonionic detergent and will rinse out of the fabric more easily than regular detergent. Rinse at least twice in a lot of water. It will help with the dirt but will not help with the glue.
How can you tell if an old sampler is real?
If a sampler browns, it tends to do so naturally around the edges near the frame, but blotchy browning should raise a cautionary flag. Also, if the fabric is wrinkled as if it were twisted or bunched up and the brown spots seem to follow that pattern, there's a good chance the browning has been added deliberately.