Right Hon. W.E. GLADSTONE, M.P.

Woven on Silk:-
 

Printed at top of card:-
TRIED, TRUSTED, TRUE

Printed at bottom of card:-
W.H GRANT & Co, MANUFACTURER, FOLESHILL, COVENTRY
 
WOVEN IN PURE SILK
 
Right Hon. W.E. Gladstone, M.P.

Card-mount:
cm deep by cm wide

silk:
11 cm high by 6 cm wide

by Geoffrey Godden:
This early Grant silk, which was first issued in 1885, bears the Grant name and address printed on the card-mount, below the portrait. Some examples have an outline of Gladstone's career printed on the back-label; others have the normal label listing the available silks.

The portraits of Gladstone are of two main types with slight variations - mainly in the colouring of the flowers below the silk (which are completely missing on some early examples) - and may be found in two sizes.

The standard version (§1036) is shown on go200.

The earlier black-and-white version (§1036a) is of small size, some 3¼ inches high, and the printed title on the card-mount reads 'Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, Esq., M.P.' [see go212 on this site].
With some examples of this rare small-size silk, Mr Gladstone is shown facing half right (§1036b) {see go216}, not the usual half left.

The Stevens firm also produced portrait silks depicting Gladstone.

 

Other comments: