I purchased this one from a seller in the Netherlands who deals a lot in darning samplers, and from whom I've bought a couple of others in the past. She used "wow!" to describe this one, c. 1900, and I have to agree--I've never see one packed with as many darnings as this. That itself speaks to this one cloth have been worked for many many many hours, with each darning beginning as a cut/puncture to the cloth, which the darning would then mend. A wide variety of techniques are represented here (this was very much about practice toward mastery), a majority executed in white thread, which means this is best appreciated by someone with an eye for the subtle. I love this maximal--minimal simultaneity about it, which also makes it a great one to live with. Personally, I'd frame it between two sheets of glass as each side is rich with different rewards. Unusual and special.
14 1/4" x 15" and in good condition, with some darkening/soiling along the center fold from having been folded for some period of time, I don't believe detracting.
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