God Speed the Plough – no Birds

“God Speed the Plough” STG 168(a) by Thomas Stevens. This comes in two variants, with and without a flock of birds. It is a 4* rarity in the Sprake/Darby reference being the later version without the birds. This is a fine copy, the silk being well coloured and the mount in good condition. The picture was used as a book mark. The mount is unexpected. It is of the E1 leather textured variety, dating it to 1893-9. Therefore the material and physical execution of the mount is original, but the title is not. It is handwritten in fancy script, and is comparable with that on the site “The Present Time”, but this time the title is correct. The original frame bears the label “Leveton & Sons, Est 1887, 11 Orford Place Norwich”. This company moved to this location in 1903. This silk is a C20th production, 1902 onwards. So the silk was probably sold mounted but untitled and then framed in Norfolk, and the title added. Since Stevens sold to Stationers (such as Carter) this would be a reasonable explanation. There is no trade label.