{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O10005"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O10005/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AP0200/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AP0200/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AP0200","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AU8705","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AD0517","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O10005/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O10005","accessionNumber":"T.433-1990","objectType":"Sampler","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>Samplers like this were exercises in embroidery stitches and techniques, which had become well established as part of a girl's education by the middle of the 17th century. Typically in this long thin form, they were filled with rows of repeating patterns worked in coloured silks, sometimes interspersed with figures or floral motifs. Their makers often signed and dated them, as Martha Edlin has done here.<br><br><b>People</b><br>Martha Edlin (1660-1725) worked a series of embroideries during her childhood, including this jewellery case, which were cherished by her descendants and passed down through the female line in her family for over 300 years. We know little about her life, except that she married a man called Richard Richmond and appears to have been a prosperous widow living in Pinner in Greater London at the time she drew up her will, with daughters and grandchildren.<br><br><b>Materials & Making</b><br>Following the usual development of needlework skills in a young educated girl in the mid-17th century, Martha Edlin embroidered a sampler in coloured silks at the age of eight, and a more complicated piece in whitework and cutwork at nine. By 1671, her eleventh year, she had embroidered the panels of an elaborate casket, and two years later this beadwork jewellery case. The needlework skills she demonstrated in these pieces would be important attributes in her adulthood, in the management of her household and the making, mending and decoration of her own and her family's clothes.","physicalDescription":"Band sampler embroidered on linen with polychrome silks. With three alphabets, inscribed 'Martha Edlin 1668', and with floral motifs, birds and animals. Embroidered with silk in double running, cross, two-sided cross, long-armed cross and satin stitch, and with eyelets.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Edlin, Martha","id":"A8363"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"linen (material)","id":"AAT14069"},{"text":"silk thread","id":"x30127"}],"techniques":[{"text":"embroidered","id":"AAT53653"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Linen embroidered with silk","categories":[{"text":"Household objects","id":"THES48939"},{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Embroidery","id":"THES48960"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2006AP0200","2006AU8705","2006AD0517"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"56D (VA)","id":"THES49242"},"free":"","case":"CA6","shelf":"","box":"5"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Sampler","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1668","earliest":"1668-01-01","latest":"1668-12-31"},"association":{"text":"dated","id":"AAT54714"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund and  Art Fund","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"81.9","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"21","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 26/04/1999 by dw","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Martha Edlin 1668'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"1668","earliest":"1668-01-01","latest":"1668-12-31"},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"silk","method":"embroidering","position":"near lower edge","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"Decoration","note":"Decoration embroidered in silk; near lower edge"}],"objectHistory":"Purchased. Registered File number 1989/1572.\r\nPassed down through the female line (usually the eldest daughter in each generation) from the maker to the vendor. \r\nPreviously on loan to the V&A since 1927. Part of Lady Gerahty Loan and Lewis Loan. Related papers include NF for Lady Gerahty, NF for Gillian Lewis, 86/713, 89/1572.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Band sampler embroidered on linen with silks, made by Martha Edlin, England, signed and dated 1668.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Ashton, Leigh. Martha Edlin: A Stuart Embroideress. <u>Connoisseur</u>. Vol. LXXXI pp.215-223"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Browne, Clare and Jennifer Wearden, eds. <u>Samplers from the Victoria and Albert Museum</u>. London: V&A Publications, 1999. 144 p., ill. ISBN 1851773096."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"birds","id":"x35043"},{"text":"flowers","id":"x31099"},{"text":"animals","id":"x30274"},{"text":"alphabets","id":"AAT255216"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nThis is the earliest surviving piece of Martha Edlin's needlework, completed when she was eight years old. Samplers were made to show the development of a young girl's needleworking skills, through a range of stitches and techniques.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["T.433-1990"],"accessionNumberNum":"433","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1990,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LP9372","2019LP8478","2019LV7634"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-15","recordCreationDate":"1999-01-13","availableToBook":false}}