Eliza Kuhns, 1814
Name/Title
Eliza Kuhns, 1814Entry/Object ID
1999.1.1Description
The sampler with a floral border with blue scrolling vines enclosing a palm with six fronds and two stylized bireds, with inscriptions "Greensburgh July 1814;" early 19th century walnut frame and glassContext
Samplers made in the western region of Pennsylvania are far less common than those from the south-eastern part of the state. Eliza dated her sampler July 1, 1814, worked in GreensBurgh, a small town 30 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, now known as Greensburg. One of the main reasons for the scarcity of the samplers from this area is demographics: in 1810 Pittsburgh had a population of 4,768, compared to Philadelphia at 88,877. Eliza's sampler combines a naïve sensibility with a relatively sophisticated vocabulary of stitches, including whip, flat, cross, and satin stitches. The two oversized birds and the side borders display an unusual and appealing sense of spontaneity while the borders at the top and bottom were designed in a classic 18th century format. Eliza Kuhns was born September 2, 19=894 to Colnoel John and Elizabeth and baptized December 2 of hte same year at the First Lutheran Church of GreensBurgh. She married William H. King of the nearby town of North Huntington and died in 1852.Collection
ERS Sampler CollectionCategory
Sampler