Stevengraph Triple with

All the Stevens combinations (two or more pictures in the same mount) are high up the rarity rating in all the reference books. It is speculated that these may have been assembled by an enterprising agent or retailer (see Godden 73 Multi-Subject Pictures page 209), but what is certain is their extreme rarity. They generally carry no identification for Stevens, no printed title and no trade label. However, a title of “The Past and The Present” with additional wording is sometimes found as it was used as an advertisement for LNER Co. There is one exception, that being identified by Godden (page 210) that relates to an item in the possession of Sprake that had writing in silver. This one is so presented, with the titles PAST and PRESENT, GEORGE STEPHENSON, and a credit to the bottom left “Woven in silk by Thomas Stevens Coventry) Ltd., all in silver. Given the only recorded version so presented being owned by Sprake it is a strong possibility that this might have been it. In his reference book (page 91) Sprake mentions this very item and allocates “STG 206” to it. This is of exquisite quality in colouring and mount condition, as well as rarity. It consists of “The Good Old Days” (STG 188, with the woven in rural background) on the left, “George Stephenson” (STG 79, oval) in the centre, and “The Present Time” (STG 198a, 6 carriages, driver leaning out) on the right. It is a strange that the engines in the latter all relate to LNWR when this combo had been used to advertise LNER!.