Charley Mitchell

C. MITCHELL


Reference Number:- Sprake Number:- Godden Number:-
so 392 STG81 129
 
Words:
Woven on silk:-
 
 
 

Printed at bottom of card-mount:-
WOVEN IN PURE SILK BY T. STEVENS, COVENTRY. 
 
C.MITCHELL. 
 

Size:
Card-mount:
cm deep by cm wide

silk:
cm high by cm wide

Comments:
by Sprake:
 

by Godden:
Charles Mitchell, born in 1856 in Birmingham, had the rare distinction of holding the great John L. Sullivan to a draw, in a fight of 39 rounds, in March 1888. He was often called the 'Adonis of the ring'. After winning a fight while weighing only 10 stone 10 lbs. [150 lbs - 68kg], he was taken on a tour of America and quickly won international renown.

The rare Stevens silk depicting Charles Mitchell shows the young-looking boxer standing, facing right, in fighting pose with bare fists. The picture differs from those showing the other Victorian boxers in that no ring is shown. The title is in the rustic-style type reserved for the series of boxer-silks. It was first listed on label 23+34a of 1888. The back-label is often of story type, and the first version relates to a period between July 1887 and 12 March 1888: 'Mitchell is now matched to fight John L. Sullivan . . . on 12 March 1888.' 

Other comments:
On the reverse there is extensive text about Charley Mitchell's life, starting with his date of birth on 5th November 1856 in Birmingham, England, and ending with the pending fight on 12 March 1888, with John L. Sullivan. By implication, the original design was before this final date. 

Actual back label to Charley Mitchell   Back label to Charley Mitchell


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This page was created on 1 February 2000
new image added 22 January 2006

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