Souvenir
Woven in the

 
 

original stiff backing paper
used to support bookmark in the post
attributed to J.J. Mannion

 
 
 
 
 

SOUVENIR
WOVEN IN THE
 
 
 

image of globe with words:

WORLDS
COLUMBIAN
EXPOSITION
CHICAGO
1893
 
 
 
 
 
 

Image of eagle on shield
and two draped Star Spangled Banner flags

 
 

AND THE
STAR SPANGLED BANNER
O LONG MAY IT WAVE
OER THE LAND OF THE FREE
AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE

WELCOME
TO ALL
NATIONS

 

cm long by cm wide

 

It is not known if there is any weavers name on the reverse, although very few of these " SOUVENIR " bookmarks have any name. It is still attached to the original stiff backing paper, and although there is part missing, there is sufficient to be able to identify this as being a J. J. Mannion paper.

There is recorded in this Stevens bookmark catalogue a number of " SOUVENIR " bookmarks, featuring the Worlds Columbian Exposition, Chicago, 1893. Over several years the early membership of the Stevengraph Collectors Association looked at the stiff backing papers for these SOUVENIR bookmarks. From admittedly a small sample, the conclusion was nevertheless drawn that:
where the printing on the stiff backing paper said " SOUVENIR WOVEN AT THE . . ", the attached bookmark had been woven by STEVENS.
where the printing on the stiff backing paper said " SOUVENIR OF DISCOVERY . . ", the attached bookmark was attributable to J.J. MANNION.
Both Stevens and Mannion had looms working, so both wove silks, although it seems likely Stevens supplied the cards for both looms. It also seems as if both exchanged bookmarks, so will find the same silk on both labels.
From this conclusion, it would suggest the bookmark above is attached to a Mannion stiff backing paper.