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  13 STAR FLAG WITH A CALICO CANTON RESTING ON THE WAR STRIPE, 1876 CENTENNIAL

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): n/a
Flag Size (H x L): 67" x 173"
Description....:
13 STAR FLAG WITH A CALICO CANTON RESTING ON THE WAR STRIPE, 1876 CENTENNIAL:

13 Star American National Flag, likely made in celebration of the Nation's Centennial of Independence in 1876. The hand-sewn stars, aligned in various vertical positions, are double-appliqued on a canton made of blue calico cotton. Calico fabrics are seldom seen in the making of American flags, and their presence is extremely interesting. There is little doubt that this is a make-do characteristic and represents lack of adequate fabric. The sleeve is also a make-do, constructed of several pieces of red, white, & blue striped mattress ticking. The length of the flag is greatly exaggerated with respect to its height measurement, and the canton is roughly square in shape. All of these unusual characteristics are greatly desired by flag collectors that seek designs with great folk art attributes.

Another peculiar trait lies in the presence of only 9 stripes. Several examples of American flags exist with counts both fewer or greater than 13 stripes, and there are several reasons behind their design, not all of which are known. Those made during or shortly after the Civil War and bearing 7 or 11 stripes may have some ties to the Confederacy, which grew from 7 to 11 states during wartime. It is suspected that sanctuary may have existed for southerners at the sites where such flags were flown. But the reason for 9 stripes is less clear, especially because there are some 9-stripe flags that clearly date prior to 1861. Lack of adequate materials is a likely explanation for anything made less than optimally in early America, when travelling a few miles was no small undertaking. Another hypothesis relates to the flag used by the Sons of Liberty in the colonial period, which had 9 red and white stripes and represented the 9 colonies that supported the Stamp Act. Commemorative respect for this group and their role in American Independence and idealism may explain some American National flags with 9 stripes. Still another theory is that the 9th state to succeed from the Union, Tennessee, might be represented in concurrent and post-Civil War designs. But whatever the reason, flags made with fewer stripes beg for further research and continue to intrigue flag historians.

Finally, note that the canton rests on a red (as opposed to a white) stripe. Some flag historians refer to this as the "blood" or "war" stripe, suggesting that the flag was sometimes constructed in this manner when the nation was at war. While the Indian Wars were ongoing through the period of this flag's making, it is more likely that the placement of the canton on a red stripe was unintentional. In any event, this is a very rare trait.

Construction: The flag is made entirely of cotton. The stars are hand-sewn, while the stripes, canton, and sleeve are treadle-sewn.

Mounting: A cotton sleeve has been hand-stitched to the back of the flag along its top edge, so that it may be hung horizontally on a metal rod with even weight distribution. For an additional cost, the flag can be stitched to 100% cotton, and mounted on archival materials over a wooden strainer. It can also be encased in an acrylic museum box or framed in a traditional manner. Note that the flag can be reduced to as little as 1/3 its actual length with rippled folding of the stripe area beyond the canton.

Condition: The fabric is more than 99% intact. There are two 1.5 inch tears in the bottom red stripe with old repairs, and there is a irregular 2" x 7" area in the same stripe with fabric loss. There is a 2.5" repaired tear in the first red stripe, and there are very minor holes at the top and bottom of the fly end. There is moderate water staining in the stripe area. This can be either be displayed or completely concealed if the flag is folded. There is water staining in some of the stars. Overall condition for such a huge flag is exceptional.
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:
Price: No
 

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