Stevengraph of The Crystal Palace

“The Crystal Palace” (STG 131) by Thomas Stevens. This is a 2* rarity in the Sprake Darby reference, and shows the exterior of the building. The green gardens and flower beds in red and yellow are well preserved in the excellent example. The mount is in good condition and is a little unusual. It is  B5 variant, the Stevens credit being absent. This is rare indeed, and they fall in the period 1879-85. It is understood to reflect the desire of retailers to want customers to return to them rather than go to Stevens. The practice was soon discontinued, but it makes for an interesting item. There is no trade label on the back. This is an excellent example. Mount size is 21 cms wide x 13.5 cms high. The silk aperture is 14 cms x 6 cms.