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  VERY RARE ABRAHAM LINCOLN MOURNING FLAG, PRINTED ON PAPER, 1865, MADE BY LYBRAND

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 7.75" x 8.75"
Flag Size (H x L): 3.75" x 4.5"
Description....:
VERY RARE ABRAHAM LINCOLN MOURNING FLAG, PRINTED ON PAPER, 1865, MADE BY "LYBRAND":

A series of 34 star paper parade flags like this one was made in mourning of Lincoln's death, immediately following his assassination in 1865. These were waved by children and adults alike, as services were held in memoriam and the funeral train made its procession back to Illinois. Printed in the stripes in black ink is the following text:

We Mourn!
Our Chief
Has Fallen.

Most paper flags have not survived to the present day, but those that do have unusual star configurations, like this one, which has 4 somewhat haphazard rows of 6 stars, followed by a row of 7, and ending in a widely spaced row of 3. There are five other known varieties of paper Lincoln mourning flags, four of which are probably from this series (though two of these differ in shape). Like the other examples, the stars of this one are set against a black canton instead of blue.

These flags were folded over a hat pin or a wooden staff and were either handed out at memorial services or could be purchased at a general store.

This rare little flag has a maker's mark in the bottom right corner that reads "Lybrand".

Mounting: The flag has been pressure-mounted between 100% cotton velvet and u.v. protective acrylic. It was then placed in a silver gilt molding that dates to the period between 1860 and 1880.
Collector Level: Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything
Flag Type: Parade flag
Star Count: 34
Earliest Date of Origin: 1865
Latest Date of Origin: 1865
State/Affiliation: Kansas
War Association: 1861-1865 Civil War
Price: Sold
 

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