Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
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  31 STARS, 1850-1858, CALIFORNIA STATEHOOD, RARE SNOWFLAKE MEDALLION

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): Approx. if Framed: Aluminum - 56" x 113", Wood: 60" x 117"
Flag Size (H x L): 50" x 107"
Description....:
31 STARS, PRE-CIVIL WAR (1850-1858), CALIFORNIA STATEHOOD , RARE "GREAT STAR-WITHIN-A-WREATH" or "SNOWFLAKE" MEDALLION CONFIGURATION: 31 star American national flag, entirely sewn of cotton bunting. The stars are configured in a beautiful variation of what is known as the Great Star configuration (a star made out of stars). In this particular case, the large, starfish-shaped star, with its elongated arms, is somewhat difficult to see. It is canted in the 1:00 position and there is an additional star between each arm at the outermost point. Because these outermost stars create a large, circular wreath, I sometimes refer to this design as a Great-Star-within-a-Wreath. This great-star-within-a-wreath pattern is seen on 31 star parade flags or hand-wavers (small printed cotton or silk flags) of the same period. The maker of this flag was almost certainly trying to copy one of these printed designs, but the spacing of the stars is a bit cluttered. For this reason, the term Snowflake Medallion is probably more fitting. Many medallion designs have concentric, circular wreaths of stars, but the snowflake medallion explodes outward with more widely spaced rings of stars and/or irregularly spaced stars, which resemble an exploding firework. That would certainly be an accurate description of the stars in this flag, no matter what its maker intended. Both the great star and the snowflake are coveted designs in flag collecting. California acquired statehood in 1850, immediately following the influx of the 49'ers during the California gold rush. Because of its newfound value in gold, California was quickly escorted into the Union. The 31 star flag became official in 1851 and remained so until 1858. Flags made prior to the Civil War are extremely rare, comprising less than one percent of 19th century flags that exist in the 21st century. This is partly because, prior to the Centennial, our flag was simply not used for most of the same purposes we employ it in today. Private individuals did not typically display the flag in their yards and on their porches. Parade flags did not often fly from carriages and horses. Places of business rarely hung flags in their windows. Use of the Stars and Stripes for these purposes began to rise swiftly during the patriotism that surrounded the Civil War, but civilian use of the flag was not widespread until 1876. History of the Great Star Pattern: Shortly after the War of 1812, American naval hero, Captain Samuel Reid, suggested to the president that the Great Star should be considered to become the first official star design. Reid's primary concern was that, as more and more states joined the Union, our flag needed to be kept recognizable on the open seas. Naval use was the primary reason for the American ensign in the first place, and Reid's proposal would have kept the star constellation in roughly the same form, and in an easily recognized design that could be quickly identified through a spyglass as the number of states grew. Sadly, Reid's proposal was rejected due to the increased cost of arranging the stars in this manner. Never-the-less, since there was no official star pattern, the Great Star was produced by anyone willing to make it. Its rarity today, along with its beauty, has driven the desirability of American flags with this configuration. ** SERIOUS INQUIRIES CALL FOR FULL DESCRIPTION AND FURTHER DETAILS PHOTOS: (1) Altered to show what the flag would roughly look like after mounting (2) The flag in its unaltered state (3) The star field on the obverse (front) (4) Vertical mount with folds, altered to show end result after mounting (5) Vertical mount with folds, unaltered (6) The star field on the reverse (seen in vertical mount)
Collector Level:
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: 31
Earliest Date of Origin: 1850
Latest Date of Origin: 1858
State/Affiliation: California
War Association: 1777-1860 Pre-Civil War
Price: No
 

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