by Geoffrey Godden:
Godden does not list this silk, although he includes a picture of IMAGE B within the Stevens Presentation Volume (page 36 of his book).
Other comments:
Neither of these silks have the Stevens name on them.
Below are two smaller image versions of the main IMAGE B above. Both these smaller images are shown with the stiff backing paper to which they were originally attached. Both silk bookmarks themselves are identical, but the image to the left has the STEVENS name printed on the paper, whilst the one on the right has slightly different words, but no makers name.
From research conducted by past members of the Stevengraph Collectors Association, we believe that J.J. Mannion exhibited at the same Exposition as Stevens, and probably had a loom working too. It is however believed that Mannion's loom was actually using Stevens cards, and might have actually been supplied by Stevens.
The research also suggested that the stiff backing papers with the words " SOUVENIR WOVEN AT THE . . ." were identified as having been made by Stevens. Those papers however with the words " SOUVENIR OF DISCOVERY . . ." were attributed to Mannion.
As can be seen, this research analysis applies to the two small images below. As however the actual silks are identical, it is not possible to say whether Stevens made the IMAGE B bookmark.
Whilst IMAGE B is identified as of either Stevens', or his agent Mannion's, manufacture, the same cannot be said of IMAGE A. Whilst the design and wording are identical, the printing font used in the wording beneath the image of the men landing, and the layout of the words " THE SANTA MARIA " at the bottom of the bookmark are both different.
Does this mean that IMAGE A on the left is a variant produced by the same weaver? Or is it produced by a different weaver?
As an aside, also recorded on this site is a silk bookmark almost identical to IMAGE B. The only difference being that in the wording below the image of the men landing, " COLUMBUS " has the letter " L " missing in the alternative version (recorded as sb559). It would seem that this alternative was perhaps an earlier version of the bookmark, and once the spelling error was discovered, it was re-issued as the more common version above.
FINAL NOTE: that all these different bookmarks, whilst of the same design and layout, all have different tops.
One has a single blue line at the very top (Image A).
One has a red, white and blue rope effect top (Image B).
The two versions associated with backing papers both have red, white and blue rectangles.
There are other Souvenir bookmarks recorded on this site, some with the Stevens backing paper. All three different designs of top occur on these other bookmarks, and it is evident Stevens did not use just one design.
