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Antique
Samplers
Elizabeth
Neavel,
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania,
1829
Sampler
size:
16½" x 17"


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Elizabeth
Neavel was the daughter of Henry and Catherine (Leaver) Neavel
of Gwynedd Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, north
of Philadelphia. She was born on January 21, 1818 and was
baptized at St. Peter's Yellow Church in North Wales. Henry
and Catherine had been married in 1813 according to a notice
in the newspaper of the county seat, Norristown. Their initials
appear prominently on Elizabeth's sampler along with those
of her siblings, Elias, Jeremiah, and Abigail (MMN was likely
a younger sibling who died in infancy). Elizabeth did not
marry and died sometime between 1829 and 1839.
Elizabeth
made this handsome sampler in 1829 when she was 11 years old.
It shares its composition and many salient features with other
known samplers from this area of Montgomery County, specifically
the fine double-chimney Federal house and lawn with little
sheep and dogs, tall trees and a prominent pot of flowers.
The unusual straight-lined leafy cartouche is also a regional
characteristic, with roots in the Quaker sampler design prevalent
in the area. The fine black lettering also shows a strong
Quaker school influence.
This
sampler was in the collection of Theodore H. Kapnek
, one of the most highly regarded collectors of American
samplers. This collection was exhibited at the Museum of American
Folk Art and sold, after the death of Mr. Kapnek, at Sotheby's
in 1981. An extensive research file accompanies this sampler
with photocopies of the 1830 will of Henry Neavel, and many
other interesting legal documents relating to the family.
Catherine Neavel, as a widow, lived with her son Elias for
many years. He became a weaver and lived in Norristown.
The sampler
was worked in silk on linen and is in excellent condition.
It has been conservation mounted and is in a maple and cherry
cornerblock frame.
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