Needlework Family Record, Mary A. Bradford, probably Plymouth, Massachusetts, dated 1833

Worked in silk and paint on linen with ink on paper. Signed, Wrought by Mary. A Bradford Aged 11, AD 1833.

Richard and Virginia Wood, Baltimore, Maryland, August 19, 1966

American Needlework Treasures: Samplers and Silk Embroideries from the Collection of Betty Ring at the Museum of American Folk Art  (p. 14, fig. 22)

Some darkening of linen, streaking; in what appears to be the original frame and background.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The Harlow, Bradford, and Churchill samplers belong to an important group worked at an unknown school in Plymouth between 1815 and 1845. Typical is an octagonal format and a scene that combines embroidery and paint upon the linen ground. The Harlow sampler and other early pieces include ligatures and a bold alphabet that suggest Quaker influence.

Mary Ann Bradford, a daughter of William Bradford and Elsey Sylvester, was a direct descendant of the Pilgrim governor William Bradford. She married William Holmes on October 8, 1844. Her family record includes a memorial to three-year-old William Bradford, Jr . and written on the plinth is the same epitaph found on Burial Hill in Plymouth: Bost not thyself of tomorrow / For thou
knowest not / What a day may bring forth .