Sampler

Sampler


Lydia P. Davis (created by)
Mattatuck Historical Soc (owned by)
1838 (Date manufactured/created)
Silk thread
linen ground
17 1/2 in. H X 17 1/2 in. W Measurement Notes: Dimensions Extent: unframed
Framed?: Yes
Made by Lydia Davis in 1838. Design includes 3 alphabets, a verse, and the name of her instructor (S. A. Meloy), a floral border, two flowering trees, two birds on branches, and three baskets of flowers. Attributed to Newtown, CT. Donation received from Florence Allis, whose family included the Allis and Davis families of Newtown, CT. Sampler is in original red and yellow painted frame. Alphabet sampler worked in black, dark green, pale green, yellow and brown silks using cross-stitch, star, button-hole and satin stitches. Is divided into two portions, the top containing six rows of alphabets in both upper and lower case block and cursive lettering. A flowering vine divides top portion from bottom. Bottom portion consists of panel bearing verse "Mark these elements human lore / And from my name where all was blank before / Lord make my heart a SamPler of thy grace / There from thine image and thy Pre__ (remainder illegible) trace / O mark my soul for heaven where angels shine / And seal the glorious truth that god is mine" and inscription "Lydia P Davis Sampler Wrought AD 1838 in the 13th Year of Her age / Under the instruction of SA Meloy" worked in brown silk. Birds perched on a branch flank the verse. Below these inscriptions are flowering trees, vases holding flowering branches and a basket of flowers; a flowering.fruit vine in a wave pattern is stitches along the four sides. 
Collection of the Mattatuck Museum, Gift of Florence Pierce Sperring,1985
85.6