FREEHOLD, NEW JERSEY PICTORIAL NEEDLEWORK SAMPLER, silk on linen, top featuring a four-row verse within a floral frame, flanked by an American spread-wing eagle with shield chest, other birds, and baskets, below with a white building surrounded by trees and two flowers in urns, all encompassed by a diamond-motif border, outer border of alphabet and numeral rows, signed along bottom edge, "Mary V. Throckmorton" and "Aged 13 years and / 8 months 1837 / April 7". Housed under UV glass and conservation mounted in a cherry beveled frame. Lot includes genealogical research compiled by M. Finkel & Daughter. Dated 1837. 17" x 16 7/8" sight, 20 1/2" x 20 1/4" OA.
Very good visual condition with light fading and fugitive color to some thread, a loss of thread on one tree to the right of the building, and some small losses to thread along two side edges on alphabet rows, a few small holes and repairs to linen in top left hand corner, frame with minor wear. Not examined out of frame.
Published: M. Finkel & Daughter - Samplings: XLVII, p. 6.
Provenance: From the collection of Nick Routson, Phoenix, AZ.M. Finkel & Daughter (retains dealer label).
Catalogue Note: Mary Vought Throckmorton was born in 1822 to parents Joseph Throckmorton (1790-1853), a farmer, and Mary Ann Lloyd (1799-1859). The family lived in Freehold, Monmouth Co., NJ, where generations of Throckmortons resided as prominent citizens and were active in business and civic affairs in the county. Mary married James Warner Emmons (1833-1897) of Monmouth Co., and they had at least two sons. Mary died in 1916 and is buried in Ardena Baptist Cemetery in Ardena, NJ.M. Finkel & Daughter wrote "[t]he family history is well documented in Throckmorton Family History (Bloomington, Illinois, 1929) and began with John Throckmorton who arrived in America in 1631. The family consisted of John, his wife Rebecca and two young children, who sailed on the ship, Lyon, out of Bristol. John and the renowned Roger Williams became good friends while on the ship and the Throckmortons followed Williams to Salem, Massachusetts and then in 1636, when they became disenchanted with the Puritans, moved with Williams to Rhode Island. The Throckmortons helped to establish the first settlement at Providence Plantation. The family had many business interests and circa 1643, with a land grant from the Dutch, developed an establishment east of Manhattan. This was called Throckmorton's Neck and the name later changed to Throgs Neck. The family then removed to New Jersey after the Monmouth Patent was signed in 1665, and John's sons, John Jr. and Job, became important pioneers of this area."

Very good visual condition with light fading and fugitive color to some thread, a loss of thread on one tree to the right of the building, and some small losses to thread along two side edges on alphabet rows, a few small holes and repairs to linen in top left hand corner, frame with minor wear. Not examined out of frame.