November 21, 2025: Fall Premier Americana: Day Two Featuring The Benny Long Collection
Jeffrey S. Evans & Assoc., Inc. info@jeffreysevans.com
| Price | Bid Increment |
|---|---|
| $0 | $10 |
| $200 | $25 |
| $500 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $100 |
| $3,000 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 |
| $30,000 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 |
SALEM, ROANOKE CO., VIRGINIA NEEDLEWORK SAMPLER, silk on linen, seven alphabet and numeral rows segmented by horizontal bands of decorative stitching, dated "1835" at the end of the fifth row, below signed "Wrought by Julia Ann Withers 1[blank]35" above a four-line verse flanked by two floral urns, encompassed by a sawtooth frame and a floral vine border to three sides. Housed under glass in a modern frame, backing with two attached later notes, one handwritten note reads, "done by Julia Ann Withers / sister of Emily Withers Belew / wife of Daniel Belew, great, great / great grandfather / of Elizabeth Lindsay Belew", and the other typed partial note reads "and framed Sampler made by Julia Ann Withers in 1835, a relative / of Emily Withers Belew, wife of Daniel Belew, my great-grandfather, and picture light, to LINDSAY BELEW, if she / survives me". Dated 1835. 16" x 16 1/4" sight, 22 5/8" x 22 7/8" OA.
Literature: For information on John Withers and his family, see Hollan - Virginia Silversmiths, pp. 830-831.
Catalogue Note: The maker is identified as Julia Ann Withers (c. 1817-1897), who was born to parents John Withers (1788-1869), a silversmith in Salem, Roanoke Co., VA, and Mary Martha "Patsy" Nance (1790-1859). She had five siblings, Emily, Maria (Mariah), Alfred, Frances "Fanny", and Amanda. Julia and her sister Maria remained unmarried and lived in Salem, VA their whole lives, residing with their parents and then inheriting the house on Main Street when John died.
According to Hollan, "Maria Withers conducted a millinery business from 1859, in which the father and a sister (probably unmarried Julia) joined as Maria Withers & Co. in October 1868." On the 1880 U.S. Federal Census for Salem under dwelling no. 67 and family no. 77, Julia and Maria have "Millinary" listed as their occupation, featuring several people living at the house, consisting of Arthur McLavy (brother-in-law), Frank W. McLavy (nephew), Delilia A. Below, Ella C. Waskey, and Lucinda Hale (servant). As recorded on the two notes present with the sampler, Emily Withers married Daniel D. Belew (Below/Ballew) on June 2, 1835, and they resided in Botetourt Co. by 1850 and had at least four children.
Good visual condition with linen having some scattered holes including along top with center having repair and at signature, a few stains, thread with some fading / fugitive color, possible loss to thread in border at lower proper left corner, frame with minor wear. Not examined out of frame.
From a Richmond, VA private collection.
Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates, 12/2/2023, lot 2410.
Deaccessioned from the Wilton House Museum collection, Richmond, VA.
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