ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA PICTORIAL NEEDLEWORK SAMPLER, silk on linen, top third with a floral frame surrounding "A Prayer" and eight-line verse, signed below "Margreter McFarlane", lower two-thirds with a large floral arrangement in a striped basket above location and date, "Alexandria 1831", all encompassed a scrolling flower and leaf vine. Together with letters from Albert E. Steidel, Gloria Seaman Allen, and Kristin B. Lloyd of The Lyceum. Housed under glass in a modern frame. Dated 1831. 17 1/4" x 25 1/4" sight, 18 3/4" x 26 3/4" OA.
Catalogue Note: Very little information has been found on Margreter (Margaret) McFarlane. Research completed by Steidel suggests possible identities of her father and mother, John (c. 1790-1845) and Margaret (c. 1791-1857). On p. 3 of the Alexandria Gazette for January 20, 1845, a death announcement reads, "In Baltimore, on the 17th inst., Mr. JOHN McFARLANE, aged 55 years. He was for a number of years a respected citizen of this place". Later, on p.3 for the August 1, 1857 edition, the Alexandria Gazette announced the death of Margaret McFarlane in Baltimore on July 29 of that year. It is unknown when the couple and their children moved from Alexandria to Baltimore, Maryland. The 1850 U.S. Census for Baltimore Ward 1 lists a Margaret McFarline [sic], born in Scotland, under dwelling no. 57, family no. 66, living with three presumably unmarried children, Robert, John, and Elizabeth McFarline/McFarland [sic], all born in Virginia.
For an 1840 needlework sampler by her sister, Elizabeth McFarlane, in this auction, see lot 196. Elizabeth married William B. Peregoy in 1851, and both samplers descended in the Peregoy family.
For similar, undated samplers from Alexandria featuring large flower baskets and noted location, see Sloans & Kenyon, 6/1/2003, lot 1288 for one by Ann Maria Wood, and Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, unknown object number, for one by Catherine A. Butcher.

Very good visual condition with linen having light toning, some scattered stains and small holes, mostly along edges probably where the linen was mounted to the original stretcher, an area of bleeding of green color in the proper lower right of the flowers in the basket, some thread with minor to moderate fading/fugitive color, some losses to dark/brownish thread in the verse, frame with some wear, surface scratches, and chips/losses to paint. Not examined out of frame.