Sampler

Period1822

MediumSilk thread on linen ground

DimensionsSight: 10.63 × 6.75 in. (27 × 17.1 cm)

SignedBeneath the border is the inscription "Emeline Conover's Wrought / in the 12th year of her age / Cranberry N. Jersey 1822."

ClassificationsNeedlework

Credit LineGift of Benjamin H. Trask, 1959

Object number1986.564

DescriptionThis simple rectangular sampler is constructed of silk plied thread on a natural linen ground. From top to bottom, the sampler features an upper case alphabet in two rows, a lower case alphabet in two rows with the addition of numerals 1 through 9 and zero, and a large upper case vowel run from A through U, with the addition of W and an additional letter I as a spacer. Below the alphabet runs a bold dagged band border worked in queenstitch. Beneath the border is the inscription "Emeline Conover's Wrought / in the 12th year of her age / Cranberry N. Jersey 1822." A simple narrow geometric border edges the entire sampler. The sampler is worked in simple cross, queen, box, and diagonal stitches in shades of pink, brown, blue, dark blue, off-white, dark green, and light green.
Curatorial RemarksThe Association is fortunate to have not one, but two samplers completed in the same year by the same maker. This small, originally brightly colored sampler is worked on relatively heavy, sturdy linen with, in some areas, rather thickly plied silk thread. Emeline Conover's second sampler (accession number 2084.4) is much larger and is done on a high-quality finely woven linen ground, embroidered with thin plied silk threads. Possible theories for these differences are tantalizing. The larger sampler, completed in October of 1822, may have been started in the beginning of that year, perhaps in late winter or early Spring. The smaller of the two samplers, also dated 1822, may have been started the year before and completed in the first months of 1822 before Emeline tackled the more polished embroidery. While the smaller sampler includes only the name of the town of Cranbury and the larger sampler specifies Cranbury Academy as the place of instruction, Emeline most likely made both at this school. According to an 1818 advertisement in "The Federalist" newspaper, Cranbury Academy had a female division and taught music at $15 per quarter. Judging from Emeline's two samplers, the Academy also offered extensive needlework instruction. The Association also owns a small decorative penmanship exercise by Emeline, featuring a verse within a pen, ink and watercolor border and dated 1822. Decorative handwriting must also have been part of the Academy's lessons. It is not known how long Emeline attended the Cranbury Academy, but it is clear that for 1822, at least, she was a busy and attentive student.NotesEmeline Conover was born on 11 November 1810, in Cranbury, Middlesex County, New Jersey, a daughter of William W. Conover (1783-1837) and Catherine Mount (1787-1852). She was baptized on 20 January 1811 at the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury, and later attended the Cranbury Academy as a young girl. In or around 1816, at the age of about six, Emeline sat for itinerant portrait artist Micah Williams (1782-1837), who produced a small pastel image of the little girl, dressed in red and holding a small leather-covered book (see accession 1983.612). While at the Academy, Emeline completed a penmanship exercise dated 17 August 1822, a large verse sampler dated 30 October 1822 (see accession number 2084.4), and this small practice sampler dated the same year. The Association owns both samplers, the penmanship exercise, and the portrait. For further biographical informaton on Emeline Conover Story, see accession number 2084.4.

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