Thomas Stevens Stevengraph Bookmarks Lot Set Friendship Christmas Birthday Gift For Sale

Three Thomas Stevens silk woven Jacquard bookmarks, Coventry, England, offered together as a natural suite: a Friendship verse, a Christmas greeting, and a Birthday Gift. Each is authenticated by 'T Stevens Coventry' woven on the reverse at the pointed end. The black Christmastide piece is particularly nice, great color, contrast, period verbiage.Stevens produced bookmarks from 1862 through to 1910. These sentimental ones were basically 1870-onward. This set is most likely 1880-1910 and may or may not have been kept together.

• Friendship (SB237) — Ivory ground; 'Friendship from a true friend' mixed floral bouquet in blue, green, orange, and white; verse: "How sweet the bonds of friendship are, when sanctified by love divine / No false appearances are there, in life and death they're still the same." Lower pointed tip with small repeat floral bouquet. 41 mm W x 132 mm L (approx. 1 5/8" x 5 1/4"). Darby No. 153; Godden No. 448*
• Christmas — "I Wish You A Merry Christmastide" (SB324) — Black ground; multicolor lettering; upper text: "I wish you a Merry Christmastide with plenty of good cheer'; central floral bouquet with red and white blooms on dark ground; 41 mm W x 160 mm L (approx. 1 5/8" x 6 1/4"). Darby/Godden: no-catalog*
• Birthday Gift (SB124) — Ivory ground; 'Birthday Gift' header in blue and red with gold scroll ornament; verse: "I hail this day with ev'ry pleasure, I wish thee blessing without measure / And may the years for thee in store yield greater joys than those before"; dark swallow in flight with floral spray; geometric pointed tip in red and green. 41 mm W x 156 mm L (approx. 1 5/8" x 6 1/8"). Darby: not recorded; Godden No. 381*

*Reference numbers cited from stevengraph-silks.com; not independently verified against the Sprake/Darby or Godden print catalogs.

• All three complete and structurally sound; no shredding or fiber loss anywhere. Selvedge edges intact on all sides; top and bottom hems folded and pressed flat as from original manufacture. Light fold marks throughout.
• Friendship: Moderate overall toning; light soiling on face; fold-over areas on reverse more noticeably soiled. A few micro-pinholes from broken threads, visible only in direct transmitted backlight, not apparent in normal display. Small blue thread stub at pointed tip, remnant of original tassel lead. Unrestored.
• Christmas: The strongest of the three — colors vivid on black ground with minimal fade; design detail crisp throughout. Small area of darkening at the top left red scalloped border. Very slight dye bleed onto one center flower and adjacent lettering; minor, expected in pieces of this age. Reverse clean and tidy; period price tag present on reverse, not removed or disturbed.
• Birthday Gift: Moderate overall toning; light soiling on face; fold-over areas on reverse more noticeably soiled. Fiber and weave intact throughout; no thread breaks. Unrestored.
• Unmounted, no glue residue, white backer in images included but not affixed.

Ships with front and rear acid-free tissue and backers in a rigid photo mailer. Typically ships within one business day. Rates to Alaska and Hawaii differ from continental US. International shipping available through 's Global Shipping Program.