{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O78055"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78055/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM8699/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM8699/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM8699","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O78055/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O78055","accessionNumber":"CIRC.350-1976","objectType":"Stevengraph","titles":[{"title":"The First Train","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"This 'stevengraph,' showing <i>The First Train</i>, was one of a series of woven pictures produced by Thomas Stevens in Coventry. On the reverse of the mount is a trade label printed in 1886. Thomas Stevens learned the art of ribbon weaving with the Coventry firm of Pears & Franklin. In 1854 he set up his own business in Queen Street, Coventry. He began weaving plain and fancy ribbons, but was soon experimenting with the development of the jacquard loom to produce pictures. With a general collapse in the British silk trade in the 1860s Stevens continued to produce pictures (which he called 'stevengraphs'). However, although he took out a number of patents, none of these was for a picture.\r\n\r\nStevengraphs were woven to suit a wide audience. They ranged from small examples selling  at 6d to large ones that sold for much as 15s. In no time Stevens had created an entirely new market through booksellers and stationers, as opposed to selling to the drapery trade, as most producers in Coventry had always done. Stevengraphs depict many subjects, including portraits, local scenes, British and foreign royalty, famous buildings, historic events, classical subjects, sports scenes, nursery rhymes and locomotion.  This example depicts George Stevenson's 'Locomotive No.1' in 1825 on the first public railway in the world from Stockton to Darlington.","physicalDescription":"Stevengraph picture of Jacquard-woven silk and mounted on card. With a picture of George Stephenson's 'Locomotion No. 1 ' en route from Stockton to Darlington in 1825. The engine with four linked driving wheels and parallel motion is hauling a tender and three trucks. The engine is woven in black, blue and green silk and the trucks have red wheels. On the mount is printed 'WOVEN IN SILK BY THOMAS STEVENS, INVENTOR AND MANUFACTURER, COVENTRY AND LONDON, (REGISTERED.)' and 'The First Train'. On the reverse of the green mount is a trade label printed in 1886.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Thomas Stevens","id":"A8888"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"},{"text":"card","id":"x30344"}],"techniques":[{"text":"jacquard weaving","id":"x40508"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Jacquard-woven silk, mounted on card","categories":[{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"},{"text":"Trade cards","id":"THES48882"},{"text":"Accessories","id":"THES48998"},{"text":"Transport","id":"THES48881"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2006AM8699"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"NTHC","id":"THES49551"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Stevengraph","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Coventry","id":"x32527"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1886-1902","earliest":"1886-01-01","latest":"1902-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"13.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"20.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"5.375","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"mount","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"8.125","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"mount","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 19/01/1999 by sf","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'WOVEN IN SILK BY THOMAS STEVENS, INVENTOR AND MANUFACTURER, COVENTRY AND LONDON, (REGISTERED.)'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Printed on the mount"},{"content":"'The First Train.'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Printed on the mount"}],"objectHistory":"Woven in Coventry, West Midlands, by Thomas Stevens (born in Foleshill, near Coventry, West Midlands, 1829, died in London, 1888)\n\nThe original card mounts show the title of the Stevengraphs plus details of materials and manufacturer","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Stevengraph picture 'The First Train' of Jacquard-woven silk and mounted on card, made by Thomas Stevens, Coventry, 1886-1902","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"The First Train (The Stockton to Darlington Railway)\r\nJacquard woven ribbon made by Thomas Stevens of Coventry, 1886. Stevens and other ribbon manufacturers threatened by competition from imported French ribbons after Cobden's Free Trade Treaty with France of 1860 began to make picture ribbons, book-markers etc, which became very popular. The fine definition possible on the jacquard enabled the effects of engraving to be reproduced. Circ. 350-1976","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}},{"text":"British Galleries:\nTHREE 'STEVENGRAPHS'<br>\nStevengraphs are woven pictures produced by the jacquard weaving technology. They illustrate the abillity of a jacquard loom to execute complex pictorial designs. Such pictures were developed by Thomas Stevens and sold as souvenirs or mementoes in a similar way to engravings.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}},{"text":"Vase\nPilkingtons Tile and Pottery Co. Ltd?, Clifton Junction, near Manchester, England\n \nCirc.350-1976","date":{"text":"23/05/2008","earliest":"2008-05-23","latest":"2008-05-23"}}],"partNumbers":["CIRC.350-1976"],"accessionNumberNum":"350","accessionNumberPrefix":"CIRC","accessionYear":1976,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2025PG4714","2019LT8154","2023NR3910"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-07-14","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}