"A Specimen of the Darwinian race" and "A native trimming his beard" . Two illustrated cotton mats

Two round white cotton mats with silk fringes (190mm in diameter). In the centre of each mat is a drawing. The first shows a simian, heavily bearded man carrying a large folio volume under his arm and removing his top hat. The frame around the image is in the form of a heraldic garter on which is written "A specimen of the Darwinian race". 
The other mat has a drawing of a naval officer (in contemporary tail-coat) standing in front of a shaving mirror brandishing a cut-throat razor. Written on the garter is "A native trimming his beard". The officer bears a striking resemblance to John Lort Stokes who was Darwin's cabin companion on the first voyage of The Beagle.
These mats appear to be unrecorded and unique. We have found no trace of anything similar nor can we, with any confidence, suggest a maker. If the naval officer is John Stokes then this does offer the tantalising possibility of someone close to Darwin himself - after all, Darwin would have seen Stokes shave. The mats came from the collection of Eric Korn, the legendary bookseller, scientist, polymath and expert on Darwin. He was unable to discover their maker which makes us feel a bit better.