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  38 STARS IN AN UNUSUAL "HEART MEDALLION" , COLORADO STATEHOOD, 1876

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 21.75" X 28"
Flag Size (H x L): 12" X 18.25"
Description....:
38 STARS IN A VERY RARE AND UNUSUAL "HEART MEDALLION", COLORADO STATEHOOD, 1876-1889:

33 star American parade flag, printed on glazed cotton, with an extremely rare and unusual configuration of stars that I have named a "heart medallion", both for lack of any previous term and because of a parallel that can be drawn between this and similar patterns found in other star counts, probably made by the same manufacturer.

Most medallion designs made during and after the Civil War have a series of circular wreaths, but this variety does not. It has a star in each corner of the blue canton, incide which is a large circular wreath. There is a star in the very center, which is surrounded by five more stars that form a pentagon. But the rest of the central pattern is hard to interpret.

Now I am going to have to ask you to indulge me for a moment while I explain what will at first seem to be a stretch of the imagination. If you ignore the star in each corner, then eliminate the topmost three stars, a large heart shape can be seen, formed by the remainder of the stars. An elongated, vertical heart shape can also be seen in the center, with three stars on each side of it. It is possible that these groups of three stars represent something, such as the holy trinity. Such suggestions would really seem strange if the design wasn't closely related to other printed flags with 31 and 33 stars. Though what I am describing is only a theory, their collective existence proves beyond doubt that there was some purpose in the arrangement. Although they differ from one-another slightly, two hearts can be seen in each example.

One similar "heart medallion" style was used in a flag made for the political campaign of Breckenridge and Lane in 1860 (later recycled as a Lincoln and Johnson campaign flag in 1864). It has a star in each corner, a large center star, and three stars above the two hearts. It also has a single star on each side of the tall, thin heart. Another style, used in the John Bell campaign of 1860, has two fat hearts instead of a fat outer heart and a thin inner heart. It has two stars in each corner, a large center star, and a single star above the two consecutive hearts. These are two of several notable examples.

The 38th state, Colorado, received its statehood on August 1st, 1876. This was just 28 days after the official centennial celebration, which took place on July 4th. Although 37 was the official star count in 1876, flag-making was a competitive venture, and no one wanted to be making 37 star flags when others were making 38's. It is for this reason that 38 and 13 are the two star counts most often seen at the centennial celebration. The 38 star flag was generally used until 1889, when four new states joined the Union.

Provenance: Ex-Richard Pierce collection.

Mounting: The flag has been hand-stitched to 100% cotton twill, black in color, that has been washed and treated to reduce and set the dye. It was then placed in a gilded frame that dates to the 1840-1870 period. Spacers keep the textile away from the glass, which is u.v. protective.

Condition: There is minor fading and dye loss, accompanied by minor foxing and staining, but the flag survives in an excellent state of preservation, especially for such a rare example.
Collector Level: Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything
Flag Type: Parade flag
Star Count: 38
Earliest Date of Origin: 1876
Latest Date of Origin: 1889
State/Affiliation: Colorado
War Association: 1866-1889 Indian Wars
Price: Sold
 

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