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RARE Antique Thomas Stevens Stevengraph Cleveland Mrs Cleveland Silk Pair Cards
Circa 1885–1890
DESCRIPTION
Offered for sale is a RARE antique pair of Thomas Stevens Stevengraph woven silk portrait cards featuring President Grover Cleveland and Mrs. Cleveland.
These fascinating Victorian-era collectibles combine finely woven silk portraits with educational, patriotic reference information and manufacturer advertising for Victorian Stevengraphs (woven silk pictures).
The reverse of each card provides a remarkable glimpse into the type of historical and cultural information that accompanied these silk-woven portraits.
LEFT CARD — MRS. CLEVELANDAmerican Anthems
The reverse of the Mrs. Cleveland card functions as an educational and patriotic reference sheet.
Lyrics:
The card features two classic American patriotic songs arranged in side-by-side columns:
- “America” — beginning with “My country 'tis of thee...”
- “The Star-Spangled Banner” — beginning with “Oh! say, can you see...”
Catalog Blurb:
Beneath the lyrics is a condensed promotional paragraph advertising “The New Series of Silk-Woven Portraits (Woven in colours)”, listing historical figures and celebrities available in the series, including Queen Victoria, Buffalo Bill, Grover Cleveland, and boxer John L. Sullivan.
RIGHT CARD — PRESIDENT CLEVELAND
U.S. Historical & Military Almanacs
The reverse of the President Cleveland card contains detailed historical and military reference information.
Presidents of the United States:
A detailed reference table listing early Presidents through Grover Cleveland, including:
- Native state
- Ancestry
- Birth year
- Age at inauguration
- Years served
- Political party
- Place of death
Generals Commanding the United States Army:
A chronological roster tracking commanding generals from George Washington through Philip Sheridan, including their dates in command.
Wars of the United States:
A statistical reference table covering major American conflicts, including:
- Dates of the conflicts
- Regular Army troop numbers
- Militia/volunteer troop numbers
- Total troop deployments
Catalog Blurb:
The card also contains the same fine-print promotional checklist of silk-woven portraits found on the Mrs. Cleveland card, advertising “The New Series of Silk-Woven Portraits (Woven in colours).”
THOMAS STEVENS PUBLISHER / MANUFACTURER IMPRINT
Both cards prominently display the Thomas Stevens imprint across the bottom margin in bold serif lettering:
“THOMAS STEVENS, Sole Inventor & Manufacturer, STEVENGRAPH WORKS, COVENTRY, ENGLAND.”
This imprint identifies the maker associated with these Victorian Stevengraph woven silk pictures.
CONDITION
Antique / Preowned Condition
Due to the age of these cards, both cards and the woven silk portraits show age-related wear, including light, natural antique toning with faint scattered foxing and minor edge/corner wear consistent with age.
The Mrs. Cleveland card has a crack on both sides of the card.
Important: The cracks do not affect the woven silk portrait of Mrs. Cleveland. The silk portrait remains intact.
COLLECTOR'S ITEM
This unusual pair would be of interest to collectors of:
- Thomas Stevens Stevengraphs
- Antique woven silk
- Victorian textiles
- Presidential memorabilia
- Grover Cleveland memorabilia
- American history
- Antique advertising
- Historical ephemera
The combination of the Cleveland and Mrs. Cleveland woven silk portraits, the extensive educational information on the backs, the patriotic song lyrics, and the Thomas Stevens Stevengraph Works, Coventry, England imprint makes this an especially interesting antique collectible.
RARITY
RARE COLLECTIBLE PAIR
This particular two-card Cleveland and Mrs. Cleveland combination appears to be uncommon in currently searchable online marketplace and sale listings. Comparable Thomas Stevens Stevengraph Cleveland pieces are documented, but examples of this particular pair are not frequently encountered.
Please note that “RARE” describes the apparent scarcity of this particular combination and is not intended to claim that these are the only surviving examples.
Please review all photographs carefully and consider the disclosed condition of the Mrs. Cleveland card before purchasing.
CARD DIMENSIONS
Height: 7 1/8"
Width: 5 3/8"
Dimensions are approximate. Please refer to photos for additional details.
Shipping:
Includes insurance and signature confirmation for added protection during transit.
Please review all photographs carefully and consider the disclosed condition of the Mrs. Cleveland card before purchasing.
