| 13 STAR ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH HAND-SEWN STARS IN AN EXTREMELY NARROW PRESENTATION OF A 3-2-3-2-3 ARRANGEMENT ON A CANTON THAT DOESN’T FOLLOW SUIT, LEAVING WIDE EXPANSES OF BLUE WOOL BUNTING ABOVE AND BELOW; MADE IN THE ERA OF THE 1876 CENTENNIAL OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE, POSSIBLY AS A U.S. NAVY SMALL BOAT ENSIGN |
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| Web ID: | 13j-1705 |
| Available: | In Stock |
| Frame Size (H x L): | 57.25" x 82.5" |
| Flag Size (H x L): | 45.5" x 70" |
| Description: | |
| 13 star American national flag, made in the era of the 1876 centennial of American independence. The stars are hand-sewn, made of cotton, and double-appliquéd (applied to both sides). The canton and stripes are made of wool bunting that has been pieced and hemmed with treadle stitching. Both the fly and hoist ends have been hemmed in the same manner, with the latter folded over onto itself, in such a way that the latter is exposed on the obverse of the flag, on the interior edge of the sailcloth canvas binding that was applied and bound with treadle stitching. The stars are arranged in lineal rows of 3-2-3-2-3, but in a very peculiar and graphically intriguing manner. Note how these were pressed into a surprisingly narrow, horizontally aligned regimen, in such a way that a wide expanse of blue was left both above and below within a traditionally-shaped, navy blue canton that doesn’t conform to what’s inside. In most cases the 3-2-3-2-3 design can also be viewed as a diamond of stars, with a star in each corner and a star in the very center, or as a combination of the crosses of St. Andrew and St. George, which some feel could have been the design of the very first American flag and may identify a link between this star configuration and the British Union Jack. Here, with the configuration so compressed, these two secondary patterns can still be seen, but are a bit harder to visualize. The 3-2-3-2-3 pattern is often attributed--erroneously in my opinion--to New Jersey Senator Francis Hopkinson, a member of the Second Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence, who is credited with having played the most significant role in the original design of the American national flag. Hopkinson's original drawings for the design of the flag have not survived and his other depictions of 13 star arrangements for other devices are inconsistent. A secondary design that does curiously appear more clearly on this particular flag, than it does in most 3-2-3-2-3 formations, is a circle of 6 stars with a single, center star, flanked to each side by columns of 3 stars. 13 star flags have been flown throughout our nation’s history for a variety of purposes, both practical and utilitarian. The U.S. Navy flew 13 star flags not only in the Revolutionary and early Federal periods, following the First Flag Act of June 14th, 1777, but throughout much or all of the 19th century, particularly the second half. As the total number of states increased, and subsequently the number of stars on our nation’s flag, the Navy often maintained various counts, lower than the actual, especially on smaller flags, to ensure that the stars themselves would be easier to discern at a distance. Primarily these “small boat ensigns,” as they are called, displayed 13 stars to reflect the original 13 colonies. Flag experts disagree about precisely when the Navy began to employ this practice. Some feel that the use of 13 star flags never stopped, which seems to be supported by depictions of ships in period artwork. Less consistent prior to the Civil War, but more-so afterwards, the tradition continued until 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson wrote an Executive Order that ended the Navy’s use of 13 star flags in favor of small flags in the full star count. The 3-2-3-2-3 pattern began to appear on U.S. Navy small boat flags in the closing years of the Civil War, in or around 1864. U.S. Navy regulations of 1870, effective until updated in 1882, specified small boat ensigns in 5 different sizes, one of which was 3.7 feet on the hoist by 7 on the fly, designated as a “No. 12.” At approx. 3.79 feet on the hoist, this particular flag was likely produced for that function. The Navy made its own flags, sometimes in house, but often subcontracted to wives, sisters, and mothers of seamen, which lent to some irregularity. This would explain the oddly narrow arrangement of the otherwise expected star design. The folding of the wool bunting with an exposed edge, along the fly, is indicative of Navy construction. The size of the stars and the fact that they point in varied directions are precisely what I would expect in this period. At 5.8 feet on the fly, I strongly suggest that it was originally longer, then properly turned back and re-bound during its original course of use. Beyond the factors just described, this supposition is further supported by the piecing of the 7th stripe, comprised of one long segment, plus an extremely small one at the fly. Although U.S. Navy flags often display stripes constructed from multiple segments of fabric, it's unusual to see such a tiny fragment at the end of a center stripe especially. Navy flags of this scale, in this particular time frame, generally employed a single brass grommet at the top and bottom of the hoist. Evidence that this flag once had them is present around the edges of small holes, in the expected locations, through which small lengths of hemp rope were at some point added. More Information on 13 Star Flags in Early America In addition to their use on U.S. Navy ships, some private ships flew 13 star examples throughout the 19th century. 13 star flags were hoisted at all manner of patriotic events, including Lafayette’s return visit and tour of America in 1824-25, the 1876 centennial of American independence, and celebrations of Independence Day. They were displayed during the Civil War, to reference past struggles for American liberty, and were used by 19th century politicians in political campaigning for the same reason. The use of yachting ensigns with a wreath of 13 stars, surrounding a fouled anchor, which allowed pleasure boats to bypass customs between 1848 and 1980, persists today without an official purpose. Because any American flag that has previously been official remains so according to the flag acts, it remains perfectly acceptable to fly 13 star flags today by way of congressional law. Throughout history, and even today, they are boldly displayed at every presidential inauguration. Mounting: For 25 years we have maintained a specialized department for this purpose. Our lead conservator holds a master's degree in textile conservation from one of the nation’s top university programs. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and related textiles and have preserved thousands of examples. The flag has been hand-stitched throughout to a supportive fabric (flat-lined). It was then hand-stitched to a background of 100% cotton, black in color, that was washed and treated for colorfastness. The mount was then placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Condition: The flag was obviously flown for an extended period and displays wear in accordance with this fact. There are modest to moderate losses along the fly end, particularly most notable the most notable of which occur at the end of the third 5th, 7th, 8th, 10th, and 13th stripes There are moderate to significant darning repairs in several locations within the canton, accompanied by minor to moderate instances of the same in the 4th – 6th white stripes. Fabric of similar coloration was placed behind the flag throughout, for masking purposes. Brass grommets would have at one time been present at the top and bottom of the binding, later removed (undoubtedly by someone who did not understand early flags, under the false supposition that it would not have originally had them—a common occurrence). Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use. |
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| Video: | |
| Collector Level: | Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything |
| Flag Type: | Sewn flag |
| Star Count: | 13 |
| Earliest Date of Origin: | 1870 |
| Latest Date of Origin: | 1880 |
| State/Affiliation: | 13 Original Colonies |
| War Association: | 1866-1890 Indian Wars |
| Price: | Please call (717) 676-0545 or (717) 502-1281 |
| E-mail: | info@jeffbridgman.com |
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