Family Register
EmbroidererEmbroidered by
Sarah Elizabeth Hills
(American, born 1822)
Date1834
MediumEmbroidery; silk thread on a plain-woven, undyed linen ground
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (height x width): 14 x 17 1/2in. (35.6 x 44.5cm)
ClassificationsTextiles
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number1973.7.0
DescriptionFamily register worked in blue-green, medium green, black, dark brown, copper, light green, and light blue silk threads on a linen ground using cross stitch over two threads and other stitches. The registeris rectangular, oriented horizontally. It is laid out with the words "Family Register", over two columns labeled "Births" and "Death", over a straight horizontal band. The left column, Births, is laid out with nine rows of family details, over two inscriptions. The first inscription is "Let Virtue be my greatest care/ And Study my delight:/ So shall my Day be always Fair/ And Peaceable my night." The second inscription is "The only amaranthine flower on Earth/ is Virtue, The only [illegible] treasure Truth". The right column, Deaths, is laid out with two inscriptions. There is no family death detail. The first inscription is "When life in opening buds is sweet/ And golden hopes the spirit greet,/ And youth prepares his joys to meet/ Alas! how hard it is to die./ When scarce is seized some borowed prize/ And duties press, and tender ties/ Forbid the soul from earth to rise,/ How awful then it is to die". The second inscription is "This Sampler [illegible] wrought [illegible] Sarah/ Elizabeth Hills East Hartford 1834/ [illegible]". Some of the rows of text are separated by straight and meandering lines, which run the width of the columns. The columns are separated by a straight vertical line. The family register has a stylized floral/vine four-sided border.
The register has a 1/8-inch double-turned hem on the top and bottom edges, and selvedges on the right and left edges. Nail holes are evenly spaced around all four sides of the register. The register is not framed or permanently mounted. It is encased in a covered mat.
Letters and Numbers: The first letters in the words "Family", "Register", "Births", and "Deaths" are in uppercase script. Uppercase letters in the family details are in block and script forms. Uppercase letters in verse 1 of the left column and in all of the verses of the right column are in script. Uppercase letters in verse 2 of the left column are in block form.
Stitches: The sampler is worked in cross over two, cross over one and Algerian eye stitches. The border is done in cross stitch over two. All of the text is done is cross stitch over one. "Family Register" is done in Algerian eye stitches.
Condition: The sampler has light to moderate fading, depending on the color. It has a stain in the right bottom corner. There are nail holes along all four edges. There is some stitch loss to the verses in the right column and possibly to the second verse in the left column. The sampler is not framed or permanently mounted. It is encased in a covered mat.
NotesSource Note: The first inscription in the right column based on "A Thought on Death" by Anna Lætitia Barbauld (1743-1820). The poem was first published in the Christian Disciple (Boston) in 1821. (Wittman 3/3/2007)The register has a 1/8-inch double-turned hem on the top and bottom edges, and selvedges on the right and left edges. Nail holes are evenly spaced around all four sides of the register. The register is not framed or permanently mounted. It is encased in a covered mat.
Letters and Numbers: The first letters in the words "Family", "Register", "Births", and "Deaths" are in uppercase script. Uppercase letters in the family details are in block and script forms. Uppercase letters in verse 1 of the left column and in all of the verses of the right column are in script. Uppercase letters in verse 2 of the left column are in block form.
Stitches: The sampler is worked in cross over two, cross over one and Algerian eye stitches. The border is done in cross stitch over two. All of the text is done is cross stitch over one. "Family Register" is done in Algerian eye stitches.
Condition: The sampler has light to moderate fading, depending on the color. It has a stain in the right bottom corner. There are nail holes along all four edges. There is some stitch loss to the verses in the right column and possibly to the second verse in the left column. The sampler is not framed or permanently mounted. It is encased in a covered mat.
Object Note: There is no death information in the right column. The second inscription in the right column is "This sampler [illegible (probably "was")] wrought [illegible (probably "by")] Sarah/ Elizabeth Hills East Hartford 1834/ [illegible (probably "aged [illegible]")]. (Wittman 3/3/2007)
Status
Not on view
