Bidspirit auction | 1826 Hannah Mansell Needlework Sampler

1826 Hannah Mansell Needlework Sampler - This framed needlework sampler features silk or wool thread embroidery on a hand-woven linen or linsey-woolsey ground. The composition is centered on a floral basket within a circular foliate wreath, flanked by floral sprigs, a stylized bird, and other decorative motifs. A repeating geometric vine border encloses the entire scene. Below the central imagery is a four-line memento mori verse: Seize mortals seize the transient hour / Improve each moment as it flies / Lifes a short summer man a flower / He dies Alas how soon he dies. The top line reads Virtue is activity. The piece is signed and dated at the bottom in embroidered script, Hannah Mansell February 4th 1826. The sampler is housed in a wooden frame under glass. The reverse of the frame features a brown paper backing with a small rectangular adhesive label in the upper left corner. The label is printed in black ink and reads IVAN LUTE / GIFT AND / ART SHOP / 5119 BALTIMORE AVE. / PHILADELPHIA, with the handwritten number 7662 added to the lower portion. Width: 11 1/4 inches Height: 11 1/2 inches. The textile ground shows significant age-related darkening and foxing throughout (photo 1). A large, dark circular stain is visible above the word Virtue in the upper center (photo 2). There are several material losses to the linen ground, most notably along the bottom edge near the signature and date, and at the upper left corner where the fabric has pulled away from the frame (photo 1, photo 2). The embroidery exhibits minor thread loss and general fading consistent with age. The wooden frame shows wear, including a significant chip at the lower left corner and several smaller nicks and scratches along the edges (photo 1, photo 5). The paper backing on the reverse is heavily torn, brittle, and partially missing, revealing a secondary grey mounting board (photo 3).