Exceptional Silk on Linen Needlepoint Sampler, Martha Hall Story (1813-44), Hopkinton, New Hamps...

Exceptional Silk on Linen Needlepoint Sampler, Martha Hall Story (1813-44), Hopkinton, New Hampshire, 1826. Large plain-woven linen canvas with central reserve in serrated rectangular border containing five lines of an ornate, serifed alphabet wrought large in alternating red and green cross-stitch, above three lines of smaller cursive alphabet with bottom row completed by an ampersand and initials 'MHS' rendered in broderie anglaise, the bottom register signed 'Martha H. Story aged 13 yrs. / Hopkinton N.H. August 23, 1826.' at lower right, below three blocks of text offset by shaded floral sprigs, all surrounded by wide border with columns depicting stylized grapevines between large sprigs of roses at corners, a butterfly perching on the top right petal, the bottom margin centering a pineapple between birds on flowering branches, and the top inscribed 'Soft is the silver dew that rests / On flowers that scent the morning air / So soft so sweet to sorrows breast / Is friendships smile and pity's tear', a satin-stitched ray pattern filling the four corners inside stitched eyelet hem, (sight) 17 x 23 5/8 in., (frame) 19 3/4 x 26 1/4 in. Footnotes: Provenance The collection of Eric van Rooy. Stephen & Carol Huber, Old Saybrook, Connecticut, 10 August 2002. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing