Antique Shield-Shaped Silk Embroidery &Needlework

Updated September 10, 2026

Panel - Figure of an Archer. The names written on the paper backing of the frame belong to Virginia M. Bird and her husband, John Struthers.Historical records reveal a fascinating context for this couple:The Marriage: Virginia M. Bird married John Struthers in 1871 in Pennsylvania. This closely aligns with the handwritten date "Circa 1870" on the backing, suggesting the inscription likely notes when she acquired, inherited, or framed the piece around the time of her marriage.John Struthers' Legacy: He was a prominent, third-generation marble merchant and contractor based in Philadelphia (William Struthers & Company). His company was responsible for building major landmarks, including most of the marble work in downtown Philadelphia, the U.S. Mint Building, and sculpting George and Martha Washington's sarcophagi at Mount Vernon.Virginia's Background: Her father, Thomas Jefferson Bird, was a sea captain who commanded The Universe, a prominent ocean liner running between New York and Liverpool.The "Gilded Age" Connection: The couple was highly prominent in high society. In 1896, they purchased a summer estate in Lenox, Massachusetts (right next door to author Edith Wharton's in-laws), where they built a massive 11-bedroom Gilded Age "cottage" called Wynnstay (known today as the historic Hampton Terrace Inn). They also maintained a winter home at the famous Jekyll Island Club in Georgia.

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