Marking Samplers

This is an example of a simple marking sampler...so called because it contains only alphabets and numbers, and a simple verse. These samplers were stitched mainly by very young children as their first sampler to teach them their letters and numbers for marking linens...linen was a precious commodity and only the wealthiest households would have a large inventory of sheets, towels, tablecloths, etc...to make sure all the items were rotated evenly they would be marked with initials or numbers...usually by servants of the house. A young girl from a poor family would have no chance of employment other than working as a maid, and marking of linens was a necessary skill. I find them charming and attractive in their simplicity. This was a reproduction from Joann Harvey of the Exemplarey, the Hannah Bingham sampler, 1788.