What is the most common type of antique needlework?

The framed sampler, by a clear margin. It is the single largest term in the titles on Sellingantiques, at 89 of 307. Behind it come framed needlework pictures, then panels, then pole and fire screens. Sewing tools and boxes make up a small persistent slice.

Why do samplers have girls' names stitched into them?

The sampler began as an exercise. A girl demonstrated her alphabets, numerals, borders and verses, and signed the result. That is why the second most common word in these titles, after `sampler`, is a personal name. Those names belong to the girls and women who did the stitching, not to any commercial maker.

How old is the oldest needlework on the site?

The recorded dates run from 1700 to 1930. Nine listings carry a 17th Century label, with a few more filed simply as Before 1700. That early group includes English needlework panels, North German and English tapestry cushion covers, a Stuart stumpwork panel and an early 17th-century English coif.

Are there any named makers of antique needlework?

No. The category has no makers to speak of, and no dominant supplier either. 118 dealers have listed in it, so almost every piece arrives from a different hand. The personal names you read in titles are the stitchers.

What sizes does antique needlework come in?

From miniature framed pieces up to panels quoted at 165 x 248cm and 224 x 136cm, with a 6'7" needlepoint room divider the tallest object. The largest measured things are textiles rather than furniture. `Large` appears in 17 titles.

Does needlework turn up on furniture?

Yes. `Screen` is in 24 titles, `pole` in 18, and `pole screen` in 14, with rosewood and mahogany the woods most often named. Alongside the pole screens sit fire screens, table face screens, and folding and room screens. Cushion covers and larger hangings are a separate strand again.

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Antique Needlework

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Hand stitching in silk or wool on a cloth ground, almost always framed and hung as a picture, and made at home or at school rather than in a workshop.