A prosperous 19th-century town in the Swift River Valley that was disincorporated in 1938 to make way for the Quabbin Reservoir
The design includes three compartmentalized alphabets and numerals surmounted by a grand central Federal twin-chimney house flanked by sprigging, and urns issuing flowers. Also, centering the alphabets are pastoral figures (those two ladies chatting under the trees are charming), scattered motifs including birds, baskets, and vines, a horse, and the maker’s personal inscription at the bottom.
And the backstory… Enfield was one of the four “lost towns” in the Swift River Valley, deliberately flooded in the 1930s to create the Quabbin Reservoir for Boston’s water supply. The entire community was displaced, buildings razed, and the valley submerged—it’s a haunting chapter in Massachusetts history. Knowing this sampler survived from a place that literally no longer exists on the map makes it even more special and bittersweet.
Item Date: 1819. Volina would have been about 12 years old when she stitched this. She was born about 1807.
Measurement: Frame: 18.75" x 18.25"; Sampler: 16.75" x 16.75"
Material: Silk floss on linen
Item Condition: There are scattered imperfections commensurate with age; trivial thread losses, and staining.
Price: $1,650
SKU 290-133
For More Information, Please Contact David Hillier at 978-597-8084 or email drh@aaawt.com.
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