Olive B. Graffam, Curator of Collections, Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Museum
It is rare and wonderful to work with the same client for nearly 20 years…and over this time a treasured relationship developed; tender, deeply thoughtful, and professional. We got to know each other’s families, and grandchildren by name, and shared our challenges and happiness through a continuous thread of conversations. She took a very special interest in my teaching and traveling in Asia…Olive was someone I always thought about, from long long distances, needle art all over the world reminded me of her.
Olive had an astounding knowledge and passion for the samplers and textiles that she was the Curator for at the DAR Museum for so many years. She knew the collection like a hand of cards; and could tell stories about each sampler, and what characteristics were common to those from say Alexandria Va. or Pottstown PA. Because of her scholarship, DAR members entrusted her with the needle art from their families, and the collection grew under her stewardship. From Olive I learned a lot, about American samplers, in particular. Whenever a question about a sampler arose, Olive was the first person I called. She was so generous with her knowledge.
She entrusted me, as a conservator, to work on over 80 samplers in the DAR collection. Many needed to come off old acidic cardboard or cotton, and be carefully tested and de acidified. Other steps included repairs, stabilizations, and either stitch mounting the sampler to a padded support for framing, or a passive mat for long term storage (often done in collaboration with Bill Butler, at Archival Arts).
When I first met Olive, her husband Earl, would always drive her to work and to my studio to drop off or collect the samplers and textiles. Like a gentleman, he waited in the car, and would never ever accept my offer of a coffee or armchair inside. After Ernie died, we all started going to the DAR to meet with Olive and collect the samplers. She took a taxi to and from work. Olive died at the age of 85, and had only retired last year.
Here are some of Olive’s favorite samplers we conserved over the years.
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- Some of her most favorite samplers were these…
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- …the very simple Quaker school samplers…
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- …no fancy trees or animals or architecture…
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- …on light linen…
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- …just letters, numbers and skills awakening.
Articles and more to see and read….
Read a review of her 2008 Schoolgirl sampler exhibit here.
Among others, Olive published this article:
Telling Their Stories: 19th Century Samplers and Silk Needlework
She was also engaged in the Sampler Archive
Thank you for presenting a lovely tribute to Olive B. Graffam. She sounds like a woman after my own heart for she loved samplers, which is a passion of mine as well! I was so delighted to see you post photos of her favorite samplers and was intrigued to see that that were not the elaborate pictorials that we normally associate with schoolgirl works, but rather the plain works of numbers and letters stitched by young hands just beginning to work their magic. There is budding beauty in each stitch and my imagination runs wild wondering what other works these girls wrought in later years. Olive Graffam gave them all new life under her stewardship and she cared for them as though they were her children, learning about their history and the families who cared for them. We are all grateful to her for continuing an American tradition of superlative folk art that will continue to be here for generations to come.
Julia,
This is a thoughtful and moving tribute to a textile lover with deep knowledge of her subject.
Thanks for sharing.
I knew Olive Graffam from my many trips to the museum to attend her presentations. She was a joy to spend time with! Her love for school girl samplers was so contagious. I will miss her.
Olive and I overlapped at the DAR for her first 10 years, and she was always a pleasure to work with. I believe that I may have hired her from the GWU Museum Studies program. I knew Earl, too, and he was a delightful gentleman.
It is so wonderful to hear memories of Olive from many friends. She touched many people. We share this. Julia
What a beautiful tribute to a remarkable and talented woman I did not know her and am familiar with her work through you. Thank you so much for sharing these memories and stories of her life.
Thanks, Julia, for this wonderful ecomium to your colleague and friend.
My wife and I have collected various samplers old and newish, but I have never seen such as you include here or as in the article you linked.
All best
~ John
As the past Maryland State Chairman DAR Museum, I worked with Olive to conserve several samplers. Maryland Daughters raised the money to conserve the Townshend Sampler and it is heartening to see this one on your website. I also knew Olive as the past Chairman of DAR Museum Docents. She was always an engaging speaker who “brought to life” the textiles, paintings, and silver she curated. Olive not only spoke to the technicalities of the object, but filled in with fascinating back stories. Olive also had a grace that is rarely equalled in today’s world. Olive was a true treasure, lost but not forgotten.
Linda Guest