Antique Needlework Sampler on Linen with Triple Alphabet, House, Flowers antique publication The hinges are in good

The hinges are in good shape

but they certainly pale in comparison to this fantastic tiny family of creatures carved from walnut shells

8 1/2" wide x 8 1/2 tall x 1 7/8" deep

7 1/2" tall x 3 1/4" wide and deep

Antique Needlework Sampler on Linen with Triple Alphabet, House, Flowers antique publication The hinges are in goodI'd guess the young woman who created this sampler did not expect it would be around 200 or so years later, so may not have thought much about using very light color threads that would more or less disappear as it aged. The linen backing and needlework itself has held up extremely well and appears almost completely intact, but the linen has darkened and the needlework faded, so it lives now as a very sweet but quite subtle piece, which I love but