Coat of Arms

Embroidered coats of arms were only produced in New England in the 18th and early 19th centuries. Those made in Boston, replete with gold and silver thread, are the most richly worked American needlework. This type of embroidery was created by only quite well-to-do girls from the Boston area, since while three months of schooling to learn how to make one cost six pounds, the embroidery threads, made with real precious metals, could cost over thirty pounds (the equivalent of about $9000 today). Their personalized design, production, and heraldic references combine to reflect not only women’s education at the time, but also the role young women played in perpetuating their family histories and social status. Combining emblems to represent her father’s Duncan lineage and her mother’s American and English descent in the Phillips and Lemmon families—Sarah Duncan’s coat of arms is a visual representation of her roots.

For more information, see catalogue entry below.