Watch List notes:

STEVENS, Thomas, The First Touch, Rugby memorabilia woven in pure silk, Stevengraph, Coventry, England, c1870, an astonishingly detailed & intricately embroidered silk rugby piece, depicting a player, ball tucked under his arm, streaking to the goal at the left, leaving opposing team literally in the dust, the players are dressed in breeches and caps, the team about to score in the yellow shirts and their opponents are in blue shirts, mounted on a period mount with the title stamped below the silk piece, with a printed advertisement for Thomas Stevens on verso. Rare find and very fine.

Ex M.E.Freehill Collection.