108 Steps (1973)

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Woven on silk:
 
 

view up the hill towards St. Michael's Church Macclesfield, showing the 108 steps           S. A. HORSLEY 1973

Printed on card:
 
 

108 Steps, Macclesfield
 
 

Of Card mount: cm deep by cm wide
Of Silk picture: 12.0cm deep by 19.5cm wide

There is no indication as to who wove this silk picture. The signature on the silk though, of S. A. HORSLEY, and date 1973, defines it as being by CARTWRIGHT & SHELDON. Below is a close up of the woven signature:
 

 

Lewis Cowen, in his book Macclesfield Woven Silk Pictures comments that this picture was commissioned in 1973 by a local company, " Tie Specialists ". It was designed by Sidney Horsley, and unusually, worked in black and white silk.

Care though should be taken with this picture. The original CARTWRIGHT & SHELDON versions are mounted in a stiff card mount. The company of SPURCROFT re-woven this picture, including the Horsley signature and date, and there is no discernible difference. The Spurcroft version though is mounted in a heavy grade card mount (being 3mm thick!), measuring 33.1mm wide by 26.6mm deep.

It would seem that this picture was originally mounted in a fold over cover, the inside of which had a printed legend describing the scene:

" The 108 Steps are probably one of the earliest pathways
in the town of Macclesfield. They rise steeply from the
low-lying Waters Green to the ancient Parish Church
and Market Place. "