A collection of eight Victorian samplers, all embroidered by the same young girl -- Elizabeth E. Jacobs from Long Stowe, England. Young Elizabeth created the smaller embroideries in this collection as experimental pieces in learning the different embroidered stitches, motifs and designs in the art of needlework. Her samplers were embroidered between 1879 to 1882, at the ages of 10 to 13. All were most likely done while Elizabeth attended the Church of England School (note the reference to the Queen and the verse from Prov. I.VIII). The large sampler, with the decorative objects, would have been the final piece of the series as a testament to the maker's skills.

A Victorian sampler (c.1882) embroidered in cotton cross stitch with EEJ (Elizabeth Jacobs) with the alphabet in two types of script above a band containing a vase of flowers, a kettle, a butterfly, buildings, birds and a basket of fruit, all in saxen blue, red brown, sea green and ochre cottons on a canvas ground. (11.5"x16.5").

An antique sampler by Elizabeth Jacobs 1879 in shades of mauve, ochre, pale blue, sage green and beige on a natural linen ground. (6"x6") with a verse from Prov. I, VIII:

"Hear the instruction of thy father
And forsake not the law of thy mother"

A buttonhole sampler by E. Jacobs with 67 button holes in shades of green, blue, mauve, cottons on a natural linen ground. Probably done in 1879. (4.5"x6)

Sampler by Elizabeth Jacobs, Long Stowe, 1880 with a verse in taupe shaded cotton on a natural linen ground with a blue border. (6"x8"):

"JESU, Lover of my soul
Let me to thy bosom fly
While the gathering waters roll
While the tempest still is high
Fear God, Honour the Queen"

Plain checkerboard design antique sampler embroidered by E. Jacobs in 1882.

Work sampler embroidered by E. Jacobs in 1882.

Work sampler embroidered by E. Jacobs in 1882.

A Victorian sampler by Elizabeth Jacobs, Long Stowe, 1882, Church of England School, aged 13 years. (8"x8"). With a verse:

"The day is past and over
All thanks O Lord to thee:
I pray thee now that sinless
The hours of dark may be:
O JESU, keep me in thy sight,
And guard me through the
coming night.
Lead us not into temptation."

Photograph: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-nclc-04079]
Sampler photos courtesy of : Victoriana.Com, Antique Marketplace