Kentucky Sampler Sews Up Top Lot For Amelia Jeffers

Published on Antiques and the Arts Weekly – May 13, 2024

DELAWARE, OHIO — On May 3 and 4, Amelia Jeffers conducted an auction of Ohio Valley and Americana items. Claiming the top spot overall was a circa 1840 political needlework sampler from Kentucky. The top portion of the sampler included rows of pattern designs and the alphabet, while the bottom third included depictions of a log cabin, a cider barrel, an American flag and stylized plants. Just above the images were lines of text that read, “To log cabin frugality we owe our independence,” “Wm. Harrison” and “Worked by Mary Jane Mitchel, Halifax, Ky.” The sampler, which measured 17½ by 17 inches, found a new home with a Kentucky private collector for $25,200, more than tripling its $8,000 high estimate. Prices quoted include the buyer’s premium as reported by the auction house; a more extensive review of these sales will be included in a future issue.