A gallery of American samplers is the catalog for the exhibit of over one hundred schoolgirl samplers from the private collection of Theodore Kapnek. The exhibit, held at the American Museum of Folk Art in the 1970s, covers samplers from the eastern section of the United States from 1756 to 1865 and many are pictured in the catalog, both in black and white but mostly in color, including several from this area of Pennsylvania. In the introduction, Glee Krueger, a sampler expert, briefly explains samplers from Europe and this country with basic information on patterns (or lack of), materials including threads and ground fabrics, and motifs. The most interesting aspects of the introduction are the glimpses into the various schools of needlework, including Westtown School in Chester County, Pennsylvania and the various teachers of young stitchers. (I had the privilege of visiting Westtown School several years ago and seeing samplers from their archives. The fourth grade curriculum today includes sampler design and stitching for both boys and girls.)

The color photographs are of the highest quality. In many of the samplers, I could identify the stitches and even the errors, especially in failing to cross the same way in the entire piece. And contrary to popular belief, most of these samplers used more than cross stitch. It is amazing to realize that many of these were stitched by very young girls, pieces today that would challenge even the most proficient stitcher.

Kruger includes extensive information in the captions to each illustration (possibly the tags used at the exhibit) as well as a section of additional information on the samplers and the genealogy of the stitchers when known. She also extensively footnotes her introduction and includes a bibliography of many sources known in 1978. (I was at first surprised to see several well known books missing until I realized that they had not yet been published.)

This book will not replace a serious study of samplers, but the photographs are well worth enjoying. And it is the only look at most of Kapnek’s samplers in one source since, when he died, his collection was sold at auction (although a catalog of an auction held on January 19, 1981 at Sotheby’s exists and is cataloged on LibraryThing). ( )