Object Number 1967.0271

Object Name

Sampler (Fancy sampler)

Category

Textiles (Needlework)

Credit Line/Donor

Museum purchase

Creator (Role)

Mary Ann Bissikummer (Maker)
Oct. 13, 1816
Mary Ann Bissikummer was born on October 13, 1816 to Martin and Louesia Bissikummer of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Mary Ann attended Mary Reed's School in 1824, and made her sampler when she was 10 years old.

Mary Reed (School mistress)
1761-1829
Mary Reed (c. 1761-1829) may have been the unmarried Mary Walker who attended Leah Galligher's School in 1797 and who later assisted Leah with teaching until 1802. Afterwards, Mary Walker operated a school of her own for a number of years, until she started teaching under her married name Mary Dehuff Reed as a widow. Mary Reed was an advertised school mistress in Lancaster's "Intelligencer & Weekly Advertiser" of May 12, 1807 at "a School in the east End of Kingstreet; where she teaches as formerly, Spelling, Reading, and Writing; Needlework of all kinds, and plain Sewing". The samplers from Mary Reed's School are similar in style and bear many identical motifs to those worked at Galligher's School. Mary died in Lancaster on August 27th in her 50th year in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At present, all known samplers naming Mary Reed are dated 1824.

Place of Origin

Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Mid-Atlantic, United States, North America

Mark or Signature or Inscription or Label

1. Label; Pinned on label; "67.271" (graphite)
2. Inscription; Worked onto the sampler; "Mary ann Bissikummer a Daughter of / Martin and Lovesia Bissikummer was / born October 13th 1816 and made this sam / Pler in the 10 Year of her age in Mary Reeds / School in the Year of Our LORD 1824 /" (embroidered thread)

Materials

Silk; Linen

Techniques

Embroidered, Woven (plain)

Construction Description

Hand-embroidered

Dimensions (inches)

11.125 (L) , 8.375 (W)

Dimensions (centimeters)

28.258 (L) , 21.272 (W)

Measurement Notes

Mounting Board - W 10.5 inches x L 13.00 inches

Object Description

Text available soon.

Bibliography and Bibliographic Notes

[Book] Ring, Betty. 1987 American Needlework Treasures, Samplers and Silk Embroideries from the Collection of Betty Ring.
• Similar: fig. 79, p. 47, sampler also worked at Mary Reed's School