MARGARET REID 1837
The original Scottish antique sampler had never been framed and so it was in excellent condition with the same vibrant, unfaded colors on the front as well as on the back. An unusual, elaborate four-sided undulating floral and leaf border surrounds a central reserve with a brief moral verse. Adam and Eve stand on either side of the Tree of Life with a vivid turquoise serpent slithering up the trunk. Many colorful flora, bird, and animal motifs are symmetrically placed around the field, including roosters, rabbits, parrots, peacocks, quail, stags, dogs, and two comical overzealous birds flying over the stags.
The illuminated initials GR and AG are likely her parents. The inscription reveals the initials of other members of her family.
Stitches used in the sampler are cross, petit point, double running, back, and counted satin. On 32-count linen, the finished reproduction will be almost the same size as the original- 15″ x 17″.
nb. There is one correction to the chart. Under the list of DMC cotton and AVAS silk floss colors, the AVAS equivalent of DMC 433 should be 4214.