Rare Needlework Sampler, Phebe Hayes, Connecticut, dated 1835

Worked in silk threads on a linen ground; signed Phebe Elizabeth Hayes' Sampler marked Sept. 22nd, AD 1835 Aged 12 Years. Mrs. Sally Summers Instructress.

Gill Brook Gallery, Newtown, Connecticut, 1964

American Needlework Treasures: Samplers and Silk Embroideries from the Collection of Betty Ring at the Museum of American Folk Art (p. 23, fig. 34)

In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

A similar sampler worked under Mrs. Summers's instruction is described in Glee Krueger, New England Samplers to 1840, p. 41. Phebe joined two pieces of homespun linen to create her very large sampler, and she stitched the most popular sampler verse of the nineteenth century, in both England and America. Phebe Hayes was the daughter of Asa Hayes of Monroe. She married George Knapp of Weston on March 2, 1845.