OLD BARRACKS MUSEUM
  • Home
  • About
    • History >
      • About the Building
      • Bibliography
    • Contact
    • Space Rentals
    • Staff & Board
    • Supporters
    • Projects >
      • Bake Oven Rebuild
      • Operation: Restoration 2016 >
        • Officers' House Restoration
        • Barracks Restoration
      • French and Indian War Outfittings Project & Grant
    • Photo Gallery
  • Visit
    • Hours, Admission, Etc.
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • School and Group Tours
    • Plan Your Visit
  • Exhibits
    • Collection Highlights >
      • Sampler Collection
    • A Symbol of New Jersey to the World
    • When Women Vote: The Old Barracks and the Anti-Suffrage Movement
    • "Necessary and Proper for the Public Good" World War I Exhibit
  • Support
    • Membership
    • Donate
    • Volunteers & Interns
    • Email Sign Up
  • Shop
Picture
Berlin Style Sampler
Anna P. Forman (1847-1933)
1857
New Jersey, United States
Wool yarn on canvas ground
Gift ofMr. M. Callear Traver

OBA 1973.002.0001

Anna P Forman
Aged 10 Years
1857
A Berlin wool work sampler, a style which became popular in the 1820s. Originating in Berlin, Germany, it utilized local wool yarn on canvas, linen, or cotton. The wool was often dyed in bright colors, creating a beautiful contrast to the neutral ground. Berlin samplers had their design drawn on graph paper, which was then transferred onto the backing. This technique changed embroidery from how it was traditionally done; by using a drafted design, it de-skilled embroidery and allowed more people the ability to create pieces. The commercialized and attainable nature of the Berlin style allowed these samplers to grow in popularity until the 1870s. 

​Anna Perrine Forman was born on February 16, 1847 to merchant Runey Runyan Forman and his wife Hannah Perrine (1817-?). Anna was one of six children. 

In 1868, Anna married John Stonaker Silvers (1841-1915) and had two children, J. Stanley Silvers (1880-1882) and Julia Silvers Dunham (dates unknown). Her family owned Forman Hardware, and in 1901, Anna and John took over running the business from her brothers. Anna passed away on November 16, 1933. 
Previous
Next
Sampler Collection
Collection Highlights
The Old Barracks Museum | 101 Barrack Street, Trenton, NJ 08608 | 609-396-1776 | info@barracks.org
Open Wednesday - Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM 
Closed Sundays, Mondays, Jan. 1, Thanksgiving, Dec. 24, Dec. 25
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • About
    • History >
      • About the Building
      • Bibliography
    • Contact
    • Space Rentals
    • Staff & Board
    • Supporters
    • Projects >
      • Bake Oven Rebuild
      • Operation: Restoration 2016 >
        • Officers' House Restoration
        • Barracks Restoration
      • French and Indian War Outfittings Project & Grant
    • Photo Gallery
  • Visit
    • Hours, Admission, Etc.
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • School and Group Tours
    • Plan Your Visit
  • Exhibits
    • Collection Highlights >
      • Sampler Collection
    • A Symbol of New Jersey to the World
    • When Women Vote: The Old Barracks and the Anti-Suffrage Movement
    • "Necessary and Proper for the Public Good" World War I Exhibit
  • Support
    • Membership
    • Donate
    • Volunteers & Interns
    • Email Sign Up
  • Shop