George Washington bookmark   Save
Ohio History Connection Museum Collections
Description: Stevengraph bookmark with image of U.S. President George Washington, ca. 1862-1889. Thomas Stevens, a weaver in Coventry, England, used a mechanically operated jacquard loom to weave intricate, three-dimensional patterns in silk. The design was actually part of the weave; it was not painted or dyed on the silk Stevens called these creations "stevengraphs." Among the first products his company produced were silk bookmarks (in 1862). This bookmark features a bust of George Washington inside an half-oval border on which is woven in red the words "Father of Our Country." Other symbols in the design include an American bald eagle, green laurel leaves, a cannon and shot, flags, and a pedestal inscribed with the words "The first in peace, the first in war, the first in the hearts of his countrymen." A dark red tassel decorates the bookmark's tip. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05910
Subjects: Bookmarks; Stevengraph pure silk woven pictures; Jacquard weaving; Stevens, Thomas, 1828-1888; Washington, George, 1732-1799
Places: Coventry (England)