A Stevengraph bookmark

Found in one of the many old books in my grandfather’s house was this bookmark dating from 1876, celebrating the centennial of the United States. It’s a woven, pure silk bookmark, featuring George Washington, produced by the Thomas Stevens company of Coventry, England.

Thomas Stevens was a prominent producer of woven silk bookmarks during the Victorian era. He claimed to have produced 900 bookmark designs over his career. It comes as no surprise that collectors value these Stevengraph bookmarks and that a site exists chronicling each design, including the centennial design.

Were I to sell this bookmark–and I won’t–I might be able to fetch $40-50. Were it to include its original tassel and the backing board on which it was sold, I might be able to get significantly more.