$ 91.00
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Book Qualities
126-pages, Hardbound, Full Color
Year of Publication, Authors, Publisher
2023, Rebecca Scott and Isabella Rosner, Witney Antiques
Description
The 2023 Witney Exhibition Catalog marks a significant milestone as their first hardcover book, showcasing an extraordinarily rare collection of schoolroom treasures from 1650-1750. The primary focus of the catalog is the 1667/1668 casket featured on the cover, meticulously worked by Elizabeth Hall at the Shacklewell School near Hackney. This casket contains a variety of small toys, all crafted by Elizabeth herself. Over time, her family added more items to the box, including a handmade layette set, small whitework pieces, and their accompanying patterns. The casket also holds a set of samplers created later by other family members and friends from this small Quaker meeting.
What sets this catalog apart is the groundbreaking research conducted by Rebecca Scott and Isabella Rosner, who uncovered extensive details about Elizabeth, her friends, and her family through a wealth of family letters. This research sheds new light on a set of embroidery from this period, offering an unprecedented understanding of the women behind the work. Some of these important letters are reproduced in the book, providing further context. Additionally, the casket and sampler worked by Hannah Downes—now part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection—were made contemporaneously with Elizabeth's pieces, enriching the narrative. Samplers worked by girls who attended Elizabeth’s wedding and were part of her circle are also included, offering a deeper understanding of these women’s lives during that time.
This book serves as a follow-up to the 2022 Witney exhibition catalog, which extensively covered samplers from the period, many of which are now displayed alongside the Hall sets. It also acts as a prequel to the 2024 Witney exhibition catalog, which will be larger in scope, covering additional caskets and their internal contents, providing even more insight into the girls and their schools.
The catalog features full-page photography, including detailed, magnified images of the casket and its contents, which are presented in the high-quality, clear photographs Witney’s catalogs are known for. Each piece is accompanied by an insightful essay, offering a comprehensive view of this extraordinary collection.
