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  26 STAR AMERICAN NATIONAL FLAG, ENTIRELY HAND-SEWN AND MADE OF SILK, WITH EMBROIDERED STARS ARRANGED IN THE FORM OF A WHIMSICAL GREAT STAR PATTERN. AN EXTRAORDINARY EXAMPLE IN A RARE, SMALL SIZE, MICHIGAN STATEHOOD, 1837-1845

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): Approx. 41" x 53"
Flag Size (H x L): 30" x 42"
Description....:
26 STAR AMERICAN NATIONAL FLAG, ENTIRELY HAND-SEWN AND MADE OF SILK, WITH EMBROIDERED STARS ARRANGED IN THE FORM OF A WHIMSICAL GREAT STAR PATTERN. AN EXTRAORDINARY EXAMPLE IN A RARE, SMALL SIZE, MICHIGAN STATEHOOD, 1837-1845:

This exceptional, early flag, with 26 stars, is extraordinary for several reasons. One is its construction, which is pieced of silk taffeta, with embroidered stars, and is entirely hand-sewn with great precision. Two is the very small size of the flag, which is unusual for the 19th century and is especially so in flags made prior to the Civil War (1861-65). In fact, this is the smallest 26 star flag with sewn construction that I have ever encountered. And three is its star configuration, which appears in a variation of what is known as the "Great Star", a large star made out of smaller stars.

The 26 star flag became official on July 4th, 1837, after the addition of Michigan. It remained so until the addition of the 27th state in 1845.

The flag came with verbal provenance that relates to a Brooklyn , NY fire company. It is said to have been made by the lady friends of (Brooklyn) NY Volunteer Hose Co. No. 26, better known as the 'Van Buren' or 'Rutgers' Company. The story goes that it was flown in civic parades from the Company's elaborately gilded red Van Ness hand-engine, which sported depictions of sea horses and an equestrian image of George Washington along with the Company's motto, "The Noblest Motive is the Public Good." This is just the kind of flag that such an entity might have carried in parades at the time. Use of the Stars & Stripes at this early date was largely limited to the military and to ships, both private and public, however, so the proposed purpose is a bit unusual in my experience, but none-the-less plausible.

Among flag collectors, the Great Star configuration is the Rolls Royce of all 19th century geometric patterns. It probably came about shortly before 1818, when Congressman Peter Wendover of New York requested that Captain Samuel Reid, a War of 1812 Naval hero, help to create a new design that would become the third official format of the Stars & Stripes. The primary concern of ship captains was that the signal remained easily recognized on the open seas. Reid's concept of placing all the stars in a star-shaped pattern would have kept the constellation in roughly the same format as the number of states grew and more stars were added, in a distinct design that could be quickly identified through a spyglass. Though his proposal was rejected by President Monroe, due to the increased cost of arranging the stars in this manner, the Great Star was produced by anyone willing to make it. Its rarity today, along with its beauty, has driven its desirability among collectors.

During the 19th century, cloth flags with sewn construction (as opposed to printed) were typically between 8 and 20 feet in length. This is because they were important in their use as signals and needed to be seen from a great distance to be effective. Garrison flags were often 35 or 45 feet. A small flag was 6 feet in length and production of flags smaller than this was extremely limited. Even infantry battle flags were approximately 6 by 6.5 feet, about the size of an average quilt of the same period. As time passed, circumstances changed and flags took on more of a decorative purpose and were displayed for general patriotism. In the 1890's it became popular to fly 13 star flags on pleasure yachts. These were the first commercial flags of sewn construction that were mass-produced for non-military purpose and which commonly measured just 2 x 3 or 2.5 x 4 feet. Production of these flags continued into the 1920's, yet during that same period, flags were not normally produced in such a small size in the full star count. In fact, such flags are extremely rare, even at such a late date. Five-foot examples exist, though they are scarce, but it was not until well into the 48 star period that flags in the full star count, with sewn construction, were regularly made in such a small size. Because collectors prefer to frame and display flags in an indoor setting, small, sewn flags are highly desired.

Construction: Hand-sewn silk taffeta stripes and canton with stars hand-embroidered from silk floss and a coarse linen sleeve with hand-sewn grommets. Two early cotton rope loops are present in the last grommet.

Mounting: This is a pressure mount between 100% cotton and u.v. protective acrylic. Some stitching was used along the hoist for additional support. The background fabric was washed to reduce excess dye. An acid-free agent was added to the wash to further set the dye and the fabric was heat-treated for the same purpose. The mount was placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed, Italian molding.

Condition: There are minor to moderate losses in the silk fabric. Beginning sometime in the 1820-1850 period, silk was sometimes weighted with mineral salts to increase its weight. It began to be sold by the pound instead of by length, so merchants did what they could to tip the scales in their favor. This fact sometimes results in deterioration over time and it is certainly a important reason why so few early, non-naval, military flags survived, most of which were made of silk. Considering its weighted silk construction, the condition of this particular flag is excellent for the period.
Collector Level: Flags for the truest Patriots. My best offerings
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: 26
Earliest Date of Origin: 1837
Latest Date of Origin: 1845
State/Affiliation: Michigan
War Association: 1777-1860 Pre-Civil War
Price: SOLD
 

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