Centennial Exposition

 

(ribbon attributed to STEVENS)

 

(ribbon attributed to MANNION)

Words:
{no words woven on silk}
 

image of the site of the
Centennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Central States

 
 

23.0cm long by 6.4cm wide

 

The silks above are actually un-mounted picture silks, recorded as st68: Centennial Exposition of the Ohio Valley and Central States, Cincinnati 1888, and not bookmarks at all.
It would seem that visitors to the Exposition were able to buy un-mounted copies of the picture silk, and have them attached to stiff backing paper as if they were bookmarks.

There are two images above, and there is an analysis on the picture page of the differences between these two images. The conclusion there is that the silk attached to the stiff backing paper is attributed to STEVENS, whilst the totally loose silk is attributed to Mannion. It will be noted there is considerably more of the building displayed to the left on the Mannion silk.

Of particular interest is the wording printed on that backing paper of the STEVENS version:

WOVEN IN PURE SILK
BY
STEVENGRAPH MFG. CO.
J. J. MANNION & CO., Sole Props
CINCINNATI, O.

Taken at face value, this printing would reinforce that Stevens and Mannion worked together. However, whilst it is commonly believed that Mannion used a loom supplied by Stevens with the same cards as Stevens, the difference in the woven silk noted above would mean they actually had different cards controlling the weaving.