Stevengraphs

STEVENGRAPHS

Thomas Stevens founed his business in Coventry in 1862. He started with pure silk bookmarks and progressed to pictures and portraits after 1879. They became known and collected as a Stevengraph.
The genius of Stevens was the ability to adapt his Jacquard looms to produce multi-coloured silk weavings. 
Stevengraphs are pictures woven from silk, originally created by Thomas Stevens in the 19th century. They were popular collectable items during the revival of interest in Victoriana in the 1960s and 1970s. In the mid-19th century the town of Coventry, England, was the centre of a ribbon weaving industry. In 1860 the Cobden–Chevalier Treaty was signed; this free trade treaty introduced new competition into the industry, leading to a collapse in the local economy.

Thomas Stevens, a local weaver, responded by adapting the Jacquard looms used in Coventry to weave colourful pictures from silk. By 1862, Stevens could produce four different designs and by the late 1880s this had grown to over 900; they became known as "Stevengraphs", after their maker. Many of these designs were used to produce bookmarks, while others were used to make greeting cards and other silk objects.

By the 1930s, Stevengraphs were considered collectable items, but the hobby was considered eccentric and originally mainly confined to female collectors. During the Second World War Coventry was attacked by German bombers; on 14 November 1940 the Coventry Blitz occurred, destroying the Stevens factory and the apparently all records of the Stevengraphs. In the late 1950s it emerged that Henry Stephens, a descendent of Thomas, had saved one of the pattern books the night before the attack and kept it in safe storage; Henry donated it to the Coventry City Council, who in turn entrusted it with the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum.

Stevengraphs became valuable, with more male collectors entering the hobby. Prices rose, particularly for unusual or rarer images less popular during the Victorian period. Stevengraphs normally measure around 140mm x 64mm (5½ x 2½ inch) and are often mounted on cardboard.

 

             Lady Godiva series of four - Recto                                   Verso

                     Ye Lady Godiva of Coventre                           Ye Peeping Tom of Coventre

Lady Godiva exreact of poem by Tennyson             Coventry from Grey Friar's green

YE LADYE GODIVA OF COVENTRE [sic]
YE PEEPING TOM OF COVENTRE [sic]
GODIVA THE TALE
COVENTRY

Four images woven in silk on original embossed paper postcards, double sided to reveal post card inscription. Sent to Marion & Bertie Water, Vermont Ave, Toronto, Canada. Post marked Coventry July 1906.
The silk of all four of these Stevengraphs is in good condition. Attractively mounted as a set of four Stevengraphs, double matted, gold fillett, glazed, giltwood frame 21 ½ x 15 ½”
Ref. BP 1(204) /ALN/ o.anaa> EOL            PRICE CODE   C

Ye Ladye Godiva of Coventre
2 1/8 x 4 ¼”
A small view of Godgyfu, Lady Godiva riding naked through the streets of Coventry (ca.1040) with peeping Tom in an upper right hand window. “Then she rode forth, clothed on with chastity
She took the tax away and built herself and everlasting name” Tennyson.
Embossed card mount.

Ye Peeping Tom of Coventre
2 x 2”
Portrait of the voyeur wearing his tasseled bicorn hat who, according to the tale, went blind from his viewing of the naked wife of Leofric Earl of Mercia during her charitable ride through the streests of Coventry. Embossed card mount.

Godiva [Extract of the Poem]
1 ½ x 3 ¼”
Words adapted from the 1842 poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, embroidered with marginal title, the countess on horseback,Peeping Tom Cathedral spires, armorial shield. Embossed card mount.

Coventry
3 ½ x 2 5/8”
The pre-war view of Coventry from Grey Friar’s green. Embossed card mount.

Warwick Castle /
Coventry
(from Grey Friar's Green)

Mounted on original embossed cards. Double sided to reveal post card inscription. Sent to Marion & Bertie Water, Vermont Ave, Toronto, Canada. Post marked Coventry July 1906. Mounted together in green acid free mats, silver fillett, glazed, Silver wood frame.
14 ½ x 11 ½ Stevengraphs 1 ½ x 3 ¼ “ each
Ref. BP 2 (204) /LN/ o.anaa> DRL        PRICE CODE A

 

 

R. M. S. Lusitania

Cunard Line four funneled ‘Lusitania’ with sailing ship off her starboard bow. Mounted on original embossed card. Double sided to reveal post card inscription. Sent to Ada Water, 24 Vermont Ave, Toronto, Canada. Post marked Paquet bo[at] Queenston (Co. Cork Ireland) July 1906. Stevengraph double matted silver fillet, glazed, silver wood frame 10 x 11 5/8”
Ref. BP 3 (204) /VL/ o.anaa> DOL      PRICE CODE B

                                  Detail                                                       Verso