Mary Austen's Mid 19th C. Alphabet Sampler with Many Birds hand-painted toy plastic 1 3/8" t

plastic 1 3/8" t

is a replacement for a more roughly carved original pin

with flaws thoroughly documented

Photos don't quite do justice to this one--getting enough light on the painting blows out the gold of the frame

so could be stuck into the ground or into a planter yet

Mary Austen's Mid 19th C. Alphabet Sampler with Many Birds hand-painted toy plastic 1 3/8" tA few losses to this one on the border, and to a couple of numbers but I really love those birds lined up in a row facing in the same direction, and another pair facing each other at the foot of a large tree. Signed by a Mary Austen, and my guess is that the "54" at center right is the year. I like samplers that roll a bunch of things together in what feels like an improvisatory sort of way, and this is very much one of those. 11" x 7 1 8". A bit of