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Gift of Emily Strickland, 1939.8.1  Photograph by Gavin Ashworth.  © 2009 The Connecticut Histo…
Ripley Family Coat of Arms
Gift of Emily Strickland, 1939.8.1 Photograph by Gavin Ashworth. © 2009 The Connecticut Historical Society.
Photographs and all rights purchased by the Connecticut Historical Society.

Ripley Family Coat of Arms

Embroiderer (American, 1789 - 1846)
Teacher (American, 1785 - 1825)
Date1804-1805
MediumEmbroidery; silk and metallic thread on a satin-woven silk ground; plain-woven linen
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width): 19 1/2 x 16 7/8in. (49.5 x 42.9cm)
ClassificationsTextiles
Credit LineGift of Emily Strickland
DescriptionRipley Family Coat of Arms worked in shades of dark medium and light green, blue green, cream, red and white silk thread, and silver and gold metallic threads, on a cream satin-woven silk ground, using a long and short stitch and other stitches. At the top is a silver eagle with outstretched wings clutching a swagged garland of roses and leaves in its beak. Below this is a knight's helmet at the top of a shield. The shield, sewn with silver metallic thread, contains a chevron and three rampant lions in gold metallic thread; the chevron is shaded with brown, blue and green thread. The shield is surrounded by a wreath of laurels on stems that are crossed at the bottom. Beneath the shield are three banners, each with a word or name "REGARD", "RIPLEY", and "THE END"; the center banner is over the initials "LR". At the bottom is a swagged garland of colorful white, red and blue flowers.

The coat of arms was originally framed, but is currently unframed and removed from its stretcher. Each edge of the silk is hand-stitched to a strip of plain-woven linen which contains nail holes (original tacks removed). The eagle and each lion are stitched in relief with a padded satin stitch.

Stitches: The principal stitch on the sampler is the long and short stitch; it also includes padded satin, and encroaching satin.

Condition: The coat of arms is unframed and not mounted on a stretcher. The silk threads are faded slightly.
Object number1939.8.1
NotesHistorical Note: Lucy Ripley (1789-1846) embroidered this coat of arms in 1804-1805, probably while she was a student at the Patten School, a girls' school in Hartford, Connecticut. Condition Notes: According to notes in the object file, when received at CHS, this pieces was tacked to the edge of a whitewood backboard measuriing 17-1/2 x 14 inches.
On View
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