Antique Sampler, 1742, by Mary Pilley

George II, dated 1742. 13ins high, 10.2ins wide, 0.8ins deep. George II Sampler, dated 1742, by Mary Pilley.

The sampler is worked in silk and cotton on canvas ground, in a variety of stitches.

Meandering floral border, which includes finely embroidered flowers, with metal thread scrolls inbetween.

Colours white, red, green, pale blue, pale green, peach, brown and pink.

Alphabets A-Z in upper case.

Verses read, 'The vanities of this World I disdain. Riches are Transitory Pride a pain.' And, 'In watchings or in restless Dreams, The Night by me his Spent, AS by Those solitary Birbs, The lonesome Roofs frequent.'.

Signed and dated, 'I have done this that you may see. What care my Parents took on me. Mary Pilley'.

And 'May 1742'.

A wonderful set of motifs, including a shepherdess with her dog and a flock of sheep.

A stag, birds, trees, and a crown.

Framed in an old wood frame with glass.

Mounting: The sampler is stitched to calico slip over mountboard. The mountboard is then fixed to chipboard and sealed with tape.

CONDITION: Generally Good. A few holes to outside the border.

The ground is quite dark, but we believe this is down to the sample being originally stitched to dark canvas.

Some stitch losses to letters of the alphabet and to the inner line border.

Colours are mostly good and strong with no noticeable fading, except the bottom section of text, which is quite hard to read.

No colour run. Neatly and evenly stretched. Frame showing some wear, but is structurally sound and in our opinion could be hung 'as is'.

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