Souvenir of the Independence of America

same bookmark attached to
different backing paper
 

 

 
 
 

the image of this bookmark
was kindly donated by
Jim Layman, USA

 
 
 SOUVENIR
 Woven at the
 World's Columbian
 Exposition
 1893
 BY THOMAS STEVENS
 Coventry, Eng.
 INVENTOR AND MANUFACTURER OF
 Pure Silk Woven Book Marks

SOUVENIR
OF THE
INDEPENDENCE
OF
AMERICA.
 

image of
Washington Memorial

 

image of
crossed flags

 
 

GEORGE WASHINGTON
FIRST PRESIDENT
OF THE
UNITED STATES 1789

 

image of the
Signing of the
Declaration of Independence

SIGNING OF THE
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
JULY 4th 1776.

VICTORY
above image of
American eagle.

 
 

22.0cm long by 6.0cm wide

 

As can be seen, this bookmark is still attached to the stiff backing paper used to support the bookmark in the post, and this paper has the STEVENS name clearly printed.

The image to the left has different wording printed on the backing paper. From research undertaken by previous members of the Stevengraph Collectors Association, it is believed that the wording " SOUVENIR OF DISCOVERY OF AMERICA " is attributed to MANNION, whilst " SOUVENIR WOVEN AT THE " is attributed to STEVENS. Whilst the actual bookmarks are identical, based upon that research, the silk to the left is attributed to MANNION whilst that to the right is attributed to STEVENS.
It should be noted too that there is no weavers name woven on the reverse of either bookmark.

Of interest, this same bookmark was also on sale two years later in 1895 at the 1895 COTTON STATES AND INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION, which was held in Atlanta, Georgia. The Exposition was open for 100 days, beginning on September 18, 1895 and ending December 31, 1895.
The following image is of the top of the stiff backing paper to which this bookmark was attached, although it is unknown whether it is attributed to Stevens or his agent, J.J. Mannion, neither of whom is recorded as being at the Exposition.