Antique Balloon Sampler, 1847, by Catherine Elphick
Victorian, dated 1847. 15.7ins high, 12.2ins wide, 2ins deep. Victorian hot air balloons Sampler, 1847, by Catherine Elphick.
The sampler is worked in silk on linen ground, mainly in cross stitch. There are also metal bead embellishments.
Meandering floral border.
Colours red, green, dark brown, copper, gold, silver, pale blue and pink.
Alphabets A-Z in upper case.
Verse reads, 'O guide us O light us still, O shield us through this vale of tears, Our hearts with hope and rapture fill, And soothe to peace our closing years.'.
Signed and dated, 'Catherine Elphick December 20 1847'.
A wonderful set of motifs, most notably including two hot air balloons.
Ballooning captured the imagination of Victorians. It is thought that a local balloon sighting by a child would inspire them to stitch these motifs onto the sampler.
It is thought that in 1847, Catherine Elphick lived in Lewes, East Sussex, England and the balloons can be linked with a balloon flight that happened near her.
An alternative theory is that the inspiration may have come from Charles Green's ascent from Cardiff. (He was the most famous British balloonist of the 19th century ascended from Cardiff in 1847, possibly effecting the first balloon launch in Wales.)
Other wonderful motifs include a house with a garden,
bees,
trees,
hearts and baskets of flowers.
Framed in an old, possibly original, mahogany frame with glass.
Mounting: The sampler is backed on linen and fixed to board. Frame backed with wood and paper, then sealed with tape.
Condition
CONDITION: Good. Two holes in top right corner, well backed and inconspicuous.
Another small hole in top left.
One feint stain bottom left corner.
No stitch losses other than to the holed areas.
Colours are all good and strong with no noticeable fading.
No colour run.
Neatly and evenly stretched.
Frame with some minor wear, but in good condition and ready to hang.
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