An embroidered sampler by Janet Baird, £7000 at Anderson & Garland.
This 17 x 17in (43 x 43cm) embroidery by Janet Baird was one of a group of Victorian and earlier 19th century samplers guided between £50-200 each at the Costume & Accessories sale at Anderson & Garland on May 4.
Working chiefly in gros-and-petit-point with trees sewn in raised work, Baird’s composition included bands of family initials and two quotes from scripture above a scene depicting a country house, figures and animals including a shepherdess and her flock.
Estimated at £100-200 in Newcastle upon Tyne, it sold for £7000 (plus 25% buyer’s premium) to an online buyer using thesaleroom.com.
Georgina Norman, specialist at Anderson & Garland, said the sampler was a lovely example of 19th century Scottish needlework. “Samplers are often treasured due to their fascinating research possibilities, and genealogy links," she said.
"Scottish samplers are particularly good in this regard, as it was a tradition to incorporate the names of close and extended family. This one gave a number of clues to its origin; including the depiction of a grand house, and the use of family initials in place of a traditional alphabetic border.
"Aside from this, this particular sampler demonstrated an array of stitch variations, from petit-point to French knots, used wonderfully to bring to life a delightful domestic scene.”
