MaryAnn Maynard’s Sampler to her Teachers

How sweet is this sampler? It is rather naive and some of the stitching is a bit wayward, but can you believe this was a little girl of six years old? She completed this sampler in gratitude to her teachers in December 1832 when she was almost six and a half (fractions of years are always important when you are that young). This gift puts the little pots of flowers taken to school by my children to shame – I just went out and bought them!

To my Teachers

Should this offend, will you excuse
A heart which truly tells
Tis not presumption prompts my muse
But gratitude compels

And though mine is a humble lot,
Yet humble hearts can love,
Your kindness I will not forget,
Which I’ve been led to prove.

The sampler is worked on very fine linen and all the text is readable. This sampler has been conserved, mounted and framed at The Royal School of Needlework (based at Hampton Court Palace.) The sampler will be supplied mounted and framed but not glazed and will be shipped securely with tracking and insurance.

The sampler measures 11 x 12.25in (28 x 31cm) inside the double mount. It will be supplied mounted and framed as shown, but not glazed.

If buying from a non-UK address, I will be in touch by email to arrange to share the shipping costs.

I bought this sampler as a part of a lot at auction, and I love it. All the samplers in this small collection were worked by very young girls and make me feel very humble indeed – especially when I think of my early attempts on quite big-count linen. And I had good lighting and the luxury of gold-plated needles to slip through the fabric! I also realised that I would be loath to record my start and finish dates the way MaryAnn has…