Family Record Needlework Sampler, Mary Huston, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, circa 1818

Worked in silk threads on a linen ground.

Green Bottle Antiques, Houston, Texas, 1964

American Needlework Treasures: Samplers and Silk Embroideries from the Collection of Betty Ring at the Museum of American Folk Art (p. 45, fig. 77)

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.

The lettering and floral sprays of this unfinished sampler reflect Quaker instruction. It is attributed to Mary Huston (1806-1826), the daughter of Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Charles Huston
(1771- 1849) and Mary Winters (c. 1776-1845) of Bellefonte, Centre County. Another child, Lucy, was born in 1819. Mary, a Presbyterian, was probably taught by Miss Sarah Tucker, a Quakeress, and the best-known schoolmistress in Bellefonte from 1807 until about 1825. About 1821, Lucy Winters Alexander, Mary's first cousin, worked a sampler with exactly the same house, and her alphabet, in the same bold Quaker style, also lacks the letter V . Lucy' s sampler is now at the Centre County Library and Historical Museum , Bellefonte, Pennsylvania.