Grant Silk Woven Portrait

by Godden:

A summary of Baden-Powell's career is given on so 72 where the Stevens portrait silk of this Boer War hero is reviewed.

The Grant version first appears under the title 'Empire Makers', a series which also includes Field-Marshal Lord Roberts, General Sir Redvers Buller, and Lord Kitchener of Khartoum - all issued in about 1900.

There is no credit to Grant on the front of the card-mount or on the special 'Soldiers of the Queen' printed back-label which is normally found with these Boer War portrait silks.

The Grant silk was registered as number 355195 at the Patent Office on 24 March 1900 - slightly before the Stevens version was registered.

The early examples have on the card-mount the printed title 'Colonel Baden Powell' (above). However, he was promoted to Major-General in May 1900, and the later mounts (go 34) bear the amended rank 'Major-General Baden Powell'. Later runs of the post-May 1900 silks have the name of the fancy art type (go 40), not in the early plain type, and the general title 'Empire Makers' is not printed on the card-mount. I have seen examples of these later silks with the wording 'Made in Switzerland' stamped on the back of the card-mount.

Other comments:
The 'EMPIRE MAKERS' silks comprise:

Field Marshal Lord Roberts, V.C. [go204 on this site]

General Sir Redvers Buller, V.C. [go66 on this site]

Lord Kitchener of Khartoum. [go164 on this site]

Baden-Powell [image above]

rear printed lable for this Grant silk portrait

rear printed label for this Grant silk portrait.

There is also a silk of Major-General Baden Powell, not recorded by Godden, listed as go 36 on this site. It differs in two respects to the silk above:-

Firstly, the card mount has the general title 'Empire Defenders', and

Secondly, the ribbon drapped across the flag has the words 'HERO OF MAFEKING', whilst those listed above have the words 'FOR THE FLAG'.

Reference Number:-	Godden Number:-	Sprake Number:-
go 32	924	Sprake did not list any Grants

Words:	Woven on Silk:- ribbon with words:- FOR THE FLAG Printed at top of card:- EMPIRE MAKERS. Printed at bottom of card:- WOVEN IN PURE SILK COLONEL BADEN POWELL, THE HEROIC DEFENDER OF MAFEKING. REGD. NO. 355195
Size:	Card-mount: cm deep by cm wide silk: cm high by cm wide
Comments:	by Godden: A summary of Baden-Powell's career is given on so 72 where the Stevens portrait silk of this Boer War hero is reviewed. The Grant version first appears under the title 'Empire Makers', a series which also includes Field-Marshal Lord Roberts, General Sir Redvers Buller, and Lord Kitchener of Khartoum - all issued in about 1900. There is no credit to Grant on the front of the card-mount or on the special 'Soldiers of the Queen' printed back-label which is normally found with these Boer War portrait silks. The Grant silk was registered as number 355195 at the Patent Office on 24 March 1900 - slightly before the Stevens version was registered. The early examples have on the card-mount the printed title 'Colonel Baden Powell' (above). However, he was promoted to Major-General in May 1900, and the later mounts (go 34) bear the amended rank 'Major-General Baden Powell'. Later runs of the post-May 1900 silks have the name of the fancy art type (go 40), not in the early plain type, and the general title 'Empire Makers' is not printed on the card-mount. I have seen examples of these later silks with the wording 'Made in Switzerland' stamped on the back of the card-mount. Other comments: The 'EMPIRE MAKERS' silks comprise: Field Marshal Lord Roberts, V.C. [go204 on this site] General Sir Redvers Buller, V.C. [go66 on this site] Lord Kitchener of Khartoum. [go164 on this site] Baden-Powell [image above] rear printed label for this Grant silk portrait. There is also a silk of Major-General Baden Powell, not recorded by Godden, listed as go 36 on this site. It differs in two respects to the silk above:- Firstly, the card mount has the general title 'Empire Defenders', and Secondly, the ribbon drapped across the flag has the words 'HERO OF MAFEKING', whilst those listed above have the words 'FOR THE FLAG'.

COLONEL BADEN POWELL