Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
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  38 STARS IN AN EXTREMELY RARE LINEAL CONFIGURATION WITH 4 TINY STARS EMBEDDED IN THE PATTERN, EITHER MADE BETWEEN 1876-1889 (COLORADO STATEHOOD) OR PERHAPS IN THE 34 STAR PERIOD (1861-63), WITH 4 SMALL STARS FOR THE REMAINING TERRITORIES

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 30.75" x 38.25"
Flag Size (H x L): 20" x 27.5"
Description....:
38 STARS IN AN EXTREMELY RARE LINEAL CONFIGURATION THAT HAS 4 TINY STARS EMBEDDED IN THE PATTERN, EITHER MADE BETWEEN 1876-1889, REPRESENTING COLORADO STATEHOOD, OR PERHAPS IN THE 34 STAR PERIOD (1861-63), WITH ITS 4 SMALL STARS REPRESENTING THE 4 REMAINING TERRITORIES:

38 star American national parade flag, printed on coarse, glazed cotton. The stars are arranged in a very rare square medallion that consists of two consecutive squares of stars that surround an unusual center grouping. Note how all of the stars along the borders are the same size and that all are canted slightly to one side on their vertical axis. The center stars, by contrast, are arranged in two groups of three, the points of which face one-another like knights on a chess board. Each group has a larger center star (the same size as those on the perimeter), flanked by two smaller stars, one on either side. Note how the six center stars do not line up with those beside them, and that because of their placement, a slight gap was created in the center of the square canton.

I have explored several theories about the use of the smaller stars, but none provides a certain answer. The most plausible among them is that the flag was made in an earlier period, so that the 4 small stars were anticipatory, meaning that they represented territories that had not yet become states. If this is true, then these flags may have 34 stars to represent the official states, plus 4 smaller ones for the 4 remaining territories that existed in 1860, including Washington, Nebraska, Utah and New Mexico, the land masses of which were eventually divided into a larger number of individual territories and states.

This isn't the only known 38 star design that employs 4 little stars among a field of larger ones. A very similar variety exists in roughly the same size, printed on silk instead of cotton. Its stars are arranged differently, but there are also 4 small ones placed roughly in the center of a lineal field. Yet another variety exists in which there are 4 small stars outside the basic pattern. The overall design of this flag, printed on cotton, may represent a beehive. All of the above are extremely rare, which does suggest an earlier date, as does the particular shade of blue in the glazed cotton variety, which has the same overtones as some of the blue pigment I have seen in Civil War period parade flags.

None of this evidence is conclusive, however. In fact, the fabrics in the gold-fringed variety are more akin to that I have seen in later, 37 star, silk, parade flags with silk fringe than they are to war-period parade flags with silk fringe. An even more perplexing question is raised by the existence of a 38 star variety that has 6 tiny stars, instead of 4, buried in a lineal field of larger ones. This style is certainly period to 1876, based on its colors and fabric, and so cannot be explained by the same theory.

Whatever their purpose, this very rare group of flags that have little stars set firmly apart within lineal configurations are a great curiosity. I consider them very important objects in flag collecting. Further, there are only a couple of known parade flags in the glazed cotton style with 4 small stars. I know of fewer than five in total.

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 flag has been hand-stitched to a background of 100% cotton twill, black in color. The black fabric was washed to remove 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 flag was then placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding. The front is U.V. protective acrylic.

Condition: There is very minor dye loss throughout. There is minor fabric breakdown with associated loss between the 9th and 10th stripes, at the extreme fly end. There are 3 minor splits along the hoist end. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use.
Collector Level: Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything
Flag Type: Parade flag
Star Count: 38
Earliest Date of Origin: 1861
Latest Date of Origin: 1889
State/Affiliation: Colorado
War Association: 1861-1865 Civil War
Price: SOLD
 

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