Worked with silk threads and silk floss on linen The stylistic format of Martha Pickering’s sampler-featuring a distinctive birdhouse and pyramid-shaped trees-was employed in Portsmouth as early as 1810 and continued to be favored until 1840. Works from this group include the month, day, and year that the sampler was embroidered. A picket fence attaches the house to barn; a single bird is usually perched on the gatepost, and a birdhouse (with chimney) is mounted on a pole elevated above the barns roof; there is a bird perched on the roofs peak. Anotherschool tradition is the use of trees, they are always wrought in odd numbers of one, three, or five, depending on available space based on the width of the sampler; foliage is embroidered cross-stitches. Depicted in this work is a bird atop the center tree. This needlework sampler remains in superb original condition and is archivally mounted within an attractive modern frame.
(Frame: 21" x 20"; view: 17.5" x 16.5")

1268-2

Potted flowers and trees on hillock within strawberry border centering four alphabets, verse and stitchery samplings.
(Stained as depicted; Frame: 18.5" x 22.75"; view: 17" x 21.25")

1268-1

(Archivally mounted; frame: 12.5 x 14"; view: 11.5 x 10.25")

862-16

Neatly worked within a floral border are three alphabets, verse and finely wrought traveling man and his dog. The work is mounted within a period frame.
(Fine original condition: frame: 16.25 x 16.25"; view: 12 x 12")

862-13

(Archivally mounted within a modern frame; Frame: 16.25 x 16.25"; view: 12 x 12")

862-17

Frequently samplers remain unfinished as is the case with Martha’s work; it is always a mystery but it often, as in this case, results in the work surviving in excellent condition. We did check death records to see if Martha might have died in 1822 or shortly thereafter but couldn't find anything. We have attributed this sampler to New Hampshire based on the similarity in design to other documented samplers from New Hampshire (including another that we know featuring a very similar yellow house and overall composition). There were also several Congdon families living in the state at the time the sampler was made. However, the only specific references we could find to Martha Congdon born in the right year were t girls from Rhode Island, Connecticut and Vermont. So, "New England" would be very safe or even "Northern New England" as we believe a New Hampshire or Vermont origin is more likely than Connecticut or Rhode Island.
(Very Fine original condition; frame: 20.5 x 19"; view: 18 x 16.5")

1253-24