The Temple of Solomon

American, pre-Civil War. Framed.. Very good with excellent color retention. The sampler has been secured to a backing board some time early in the twentieth century using brass tacks with folding tips. These are applied at the extremities through the eighth-inch hemmed edges and do not impact the design or the integrity of the linen base of the sampler.. Colored silk thread on linen base. It measures appx. 305 x 405 mm.

A lively and dramatic rendering - given the elaborate flourish of animals and plants that make up the decorative surround - of a popular design motif, Solomon's Temple. A symbol of wisdom and knowledge, but also a cautionary reminder, being a popular Old Testament account of one who strayed from the righteous path. A "caution" that would have been readily recognized and accepted within the congregations of the PA German Pietist community. The whole is executed with considerable skill and care. See the two volume collection catalog of Betty Ring, Girlhood Embroidery ....; Yoder, The German Bible in America; Brooks, Threads of Useful Learning ....