Antique Stevengraph of Lady Godiva

Description

Amazing silk Stevengraph of the procession of Lady Godiva. The Lady rides a white horse in the center of a … more Amazing silk Stevengraph of the procession of Lady Godiva. The Lady rides a white horse in the center of a long, guarded parade. Image size 2" x 5.25", overall with frame 6.25" x 10"

In the mid-19th century the town of Coventry, England, was the center of a ribbon weaving industry. In 1860 the Cobden–Chevalier Treaty was signed; this free trade treaty introduced new competition into the industry, leading to a collapse in the local economy.

Thomas Stevens, a local weaver, responded by adapting the Jacquard looms used in Coventry to weave colorful pictures from silk. By 1862, Stevens could produce four different designs and by the late 1880s this had grown to over 900; they became known as "Stevengraphs", after their maker. Many of these designs were used to produce bookmarks, while others were used to make greeting cards and other silk objects less