Ann Cook,

An extraordinary and delightful Adam and Eve sampler, this is signed Ann Cook and dated 1769. Ann infused her sampler with an unusual free-form, folky personality from the central depiction of the biblical couple and the serpent winding around the striped tree trunk to the wonderful menagerie of animals and birds, large and small. We especially love the leopard-like creature peeking out from behind the tree and his friend, the smiling lion. The border echoes the lyrical, airy composition and frames the sampler well. 

The verse was written by Isaac Watt (1674-1748) and is from The Thief, published as part of Divine and Moral Songs. This sampler was in the highly regarded Feller collection and published in The Micheal and Elizabeth Feller Needlework Collection: 2 (Needleprint, 2012) as figure F499. 

Worked in silk on wool, it is in excellent condition with some very minor areas of securing to the wool. It has been conservation mounted and is in a fine early 19th maple frame with a gilt liner, probably original.