AN unusual needlework sampler of a trout, stitched by a 10-year-old Cornish girl around 1840, is expected to make up to £1,500 when it goes under the hammer in Penzance later this month.

While most samplers of the period feature the alphabet, religious verses or biblical scenes like Adam and Eve, this work showcases a large, finely detailed fish.

It was stitched by schoolgirl Phillipa Venning, born in 1830 in the village of Altarnun near Launceston, and bears the inscription: "Phillipa Venning worked at S. Bartlett’s school Altarnun."

Phillipa likely completed the sampler around the age of 10, when most girls left formal education. As such, it offers a rare glimpse into the life of a Victorian schoolgirl.

Charles Hanson, owner of Derby-based Hansons Auctioneers, said: “This is a beautiful and highly unusual piece of needlework. It gives us a glimpse into Phillipa’s world and her individuality. It’s a poignant, quietly powerful object that deserves to be preserved.

“I’m especially excited to see it return for auction to its home county, where it belongs. It’s not just a sampler - it’s an important piece of Cornish folk art.”

It is thought farmer’s daughter Phillipa was inspired by the trout stream running through her home village. Surrounding the fish is a rich array of symbols reflecting the natural world that would have shaped her daily life.

Phillipa never had children, and at the age of 43 married a widower but sadly died just three months later. She was buried in St Clether churchyard, not far from where she grew up.

The sampler measures 20½ x 13in (52 x 33cm) and is expected to make between £1,200 and £1,500 in Hansons Cornwall’s silver, jewellery, watches and antiques auction on September 26 at Trinity House, The Harbour Saleroom, Penzance TR18 4BN.