| Object ID |
1975.821 |
| Object Name |
Sampler |
| Dimensions |
W-17.5 L-24.5 inches |
| Early Date |
1796 |
| Late Date |
1800 |
| Made By |
Betsy F. Bean |
| Description |
This sampler was worked by Betsy F. Bean, who was born in Salisbury, N.H. on May 21, 1786 and was probably completed when she was 12, the average age for such an accomplishment. While many samplers can be identified with specific regions, schools, or teachers of ornamental work, this unique sampler does not closely resemble any known style.
Early Colonial samplers were strongly influenced by European needlework traditions, but by the mid-18th century distinct regional styles had developed in America, primarily in and around urban centers such as Boston, Charlestown, Newport and Philadelphia. After the Revolution, increased prosperity and a growing emphasis on education led to the establishment of many schools and academies throughout the nation. Girls were instructed in a variety of subjects, but usually had to demonstrate proficiency in needlework before their education was considered complete. Working a sampler was both an exercise and a symbol of this achievement which was often framed and proudly hung in the family's home where its skill and artistry could be admired. The sampler also served as a record of stitches, which could be consulted by a girl in her later life when responsibilities would require her to sew, mend and decorate clothing and household textiles.
Joseph and Elizabeth Fifield Bean, both of Scottish descent, were early settlers of Salisbury, N.H. Active in town government and a very wealthy property-owner, Joseph Bean gave a farm to each of his five children. Although little is known about his daughter's life, records indicate Betsy was the second-born, and married Durrell Elliot from the neighboring town of Boscowen.
While the whimsical and somewhat naïve style of Betsy's sampler suggests it was an independent effort, it is probably more likely that she received private instruction at home. The sampler was worked in a variety of stitches with over a dozen different colors of silk thread, many of which could have been purchased locally. The background material is a hand-woven combination of linen and wool threads called linsey-woolsey which was rarely used in samplers, appearing occasionally between 1798-1832 in Philadelphia; Portsmouth and Dover, N.H., and in scattering of other towns in New England and Canada.
The sampler follows a standard format: rows of alphabets and numerals, a section of pictorial decoration, and a verse. Sampler verses were taken from the Bible, popular hymns, school primers and poetry of the day and most were meditations on love and virtue (especially patience) or reflections on the brevity of life and imminence of death. In this verse, Betsy (or Eliza) sees her own life "speed away" in the looking-glass.
The profusion of decorative motifs shows little kinship to other samplers of this period from New Hampshire. The crowned lions and rows of stylized carnations are part of the English tradition. Some of the borderwork resembles Scotch-Irish weave structures. The hearts, perched birds and baskets of flowers are common to samplers from many regions, but the owls and peacocks are seen less frequently. The most intriguing component of this sampler is the large central design around which a menagerie of animals is arranged. It might represent a female figure with apron, shawl and headpiece, perhaps one of Betsy's female relatives or Betsy herself. As yet, no counterpart to this design is known, and its significance remains a mystery. |
| Credit |
Gift of Dr. Donna K. McCurdy |
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