A Gallery of American Samplers Author:Krueger The superb collection of American samplers dating from 1678 to 1865 that has been formed by Thodore H. Kapnek is the basis for this exemplary study of the subject, which is also very beautifully illustrated with 112 examples, the majority of them in color. There are also many details enlarged from the samplers that make it possible to examine th... more »e actual stitches closely.
Far from being an assemblage that is merely visually stunning, the Kapnek Collection provides the reader with a broad chronological and geographical range of Americana as worked by schoolgirls over a span of two hundred years. Basically a method of teaching the essentials of both practical and ornamental needlework, samplers have become much sought after and prized in recent years as fascinating examples of early American embroidery. The author, an expert on all types of American needlework, provides in the comprehensive introduction a study of the development of the sampler in America, with special attention to the types of schools where this work was taught, the materials and stitches used, and the sources of the designs.
'A Gallery of American Samplers" serves as both a useful introduction to this beautiful craft and as an essential reference work for collectors and art lovers alike.« less