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  38 STARS, COLORADO STATEHOOD, 1876-1889, WITH ESPECIALLY LARGE STARS AND STRONG COLORATION

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 35" x 26.75"
Flag Size (H x L): check back soon
Description....:
38 STARS, COLORADO STATEHOOD, 1876-1889, WITH ESPECIALLY LARGE STARS AND STRONG COLORATION:

38 star American national parade flag, printed on coarse, glazed cotton. The stars are arranged in justified rows of 7-6-6-6-7. In 38 star flags this results in a secondary pattern that I commonly call a "box-in-a-box-in-a-box", because of the three consecutive squares of stars, the outermost of which is slightly flared at the corners. Note how the stars of the flag point in various directions on their vertical axis. This is necessary because the stars are rather large and their arms need to fit in-between one-another in order to fit within the confines of the Navy blue canton. Also note the strong color of the pigment used to print the stripes, which colored with matter. Matter has a red-orange hue, which is why the shade of red leans strongly toward orange. Together these traits lend bold visual quality to the overall design.

The 38th state, Colorado, received its statehood on August 1st, 1876. This was the year of our nation's centennial of independence from Great Britain. Although 37 was the official star count for the American flag in 1876, flag-making was a competitive venture, and no one wanted to be making 37 star flags when others were making 38's. It is for this reason that 38 and 13 stars (to represent the original 13 colonies) are the two star counts most often seen at the Centennial International Exposition, the six-month long, World's Fair event, held in Philadelphia in honor of the anniversary. The 38 star flag became official in 1877 and was generally used until the addition of the Dakotas in 1889.

Mounting: The solid walnut frame has great early surface and a gilded liner and dates to the period between 1860 and 1880. The flag has been placed in its correct vertical position, with the canton in the upper left. It has been hand-sewn to a background of 100% cotton twill, black in color, which 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. Spacers keep the textile away from the glass, which is U.V. protective.

Condition: There is minor foxing and staining, especially along the fly end. There is a moderate split at the fly end between the 3rd and 4th stripes. There is one tiny hole in the stripe field and a couple of tiny holes along the hoist end from where metal tacks were used to affix the flag to a wooden staff. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use.
Collector Level: Intermediate-Level Collectors and Special Gifts
Flag Type: Parade flag
Star Count: 38
Earliest Date of Origin: 1876
Latest Date of Origin: 1889
State/Affiliation: Colorado
War Association: 1866-1890 Indian Wars
Price: SOLD
 

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