Ann Daydon

This charming little marking sampler was stitched by Ann Daydon when she was just seven years old. As evidenced by the beautiful stitched back of the sampler, she was already well on her way to becoming quite skilled with a needle and thread.

We turned to the highly respected scholar and author Joanne Lukacher and her book Imitation and Improvement: The Norfolk Sampler Tradition (In the Company of Friends, LLC, 2013) for some added insight on relating Miss Daydon’s sampler to others of the region. 

Ms. Lukacher published several examples of marking samplers, and noted three specific ones to us, which include similarities of decorative bands, multicolor alphabets and a large eyelet-stitched alphabet; examples can be found on p. 213-217 of her book. The deep pink geometric flowers and star motifs along the bottom of Ann’s sampler relate to many motifs found on examples throughout the Norfolk sampler book. Additionally, the little symbols of the arrow-crossed hearts in the lower corners are documented on other Norfolk samplers.

Ann was born in 1792 in Norwich, Norfolk, England to John and his second wife, Ann (Hart) Daydon; it appears she was their only child. She went on to marry Charles Beard in 1814 and they had four children, residing in and around London. Ann died in 1871; she was 79.

Worked in silk on linen, this sampler remains in excellent condition. It has been conservation mounted into a black painted, molded frame.
 

photo of reverse