Very occasionally, schoolgirls worked samplers featuring American eagles and these are considered highly desirable in the field of folk art. These samplers were only worked in Pennsylvania and they become available rarely; we are pleased to be able to offer Eleanor Fisher's outstanding needlework with a handsome eagle surmounting her fine composition. This sampler was in the collection of Theodore H. Kapnek, widely considered one of the premier collectors of American samplers; this provenance is one of the most important that any sampler can offer.

The sampler is signed, "Eleanor Fishers work done in the 10th year of her age in the township of Rush in the year of our Lord 1839." While Ted Kapnek had researchers who worked diligently to identify his samplermakers, he was unable to find young Eleanor. We were both diligent and fortunate, and a full picture of Eleanor and her family now accompanies the sampler. Eleanor named her parents, Jacob and Margaret on her sampler and included the initials of her eleven older siblings: Rebecca, Catherine, Fannie (whose early death is indicated by the black thread used for her initials) Joseph, Albert, Sarah, Patterson, George W., David K., Clotworthy, Asher and her two younger step-siblings: William G. and Margaret. Her great-grandfather was Joseph Fisher born in Saxony, Germany in 1734. He came to America and settled in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania by 1788. His wife was Catherine Minegar, born in Holland, and their son Jacob, a farmer, and his wife Margaret Kimpbel were the parents of our samplermaker. The Genealogy of Joseph Fisher and his Descendants , compiled by Clarence Woodward Fisher provides a great deal of specific information about this family.

Eleanor was born on September 6, 1829 and lived her life in Rush Township. Northumberland County is in just east of the center of Pennsylvania. She seems not to have married and was living with her parents in 1850. Her death on December 26, 1868 was recorded in the Fisher genealogy book.

The Kapnek collection was exhibited at the Museum of American Folk Art in New York in 1978, and the excellent book, A Gallery of American Samplers: The Theodore H. Kapnek Collection by Glee F. Krueger was published at that time, with this sampler as figure 118.

The sampler was worked in silk and linen on linen and is in very good condition with very minor weakness to the linen. It has been conservation mounted into a fine mahogany and maple cornerblock frame.