Scottish Needlework Sampler by Jane Cordiner, Aberdeen, 1828

A beautifully worked Scottish needlework sampler, stitched by Jane Cordiner of Aberdeen and dated May 1828.

Worked in coloured silks on a linen ground, the sampler combines traditional alphabet bands with finely executed decorative motifs including crowns, baskets, birds, flowering trees and a central Georgian house. Along the lower border is the stitched inscription, "Jane Cordiner Aberdeen May 1828", preserving both the maker and place of origin.

Samplers such as this were created to demonstrate skill in needlework while recording alphabets, numerals and decorative patterns. Individually stitched and often bearing the name of their maker, they provide a remarkable glimpse into early nineteenth-century domestic life and education.

Presented in a later black and gilt frame, this is a decorative and historically interesting piece that works equally well within traditional interiors or as part of a more contemporary scheme.