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  38 TILTING STARS IN A LINEAL PATTERN, MADE BY HORSTMANN BROTHERS, PHILADELPHIA, 1876-1889, COLORADO STATEHOOD

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L):
Flag Size (H x L): 49" x 81"
Description....:
38 TILTING STARS IN A LINEAL PATTERN, MADE BY HORSTMANN BROTHERS, PHILADELPHIA, 1876-1889, COLORADO STATEHOOD:

38 star American National flag, made by Horstmann Brothers in Philadelphia. A black stencil near the top of the hoist reads: "Horstmann, Phila." Another near the bottom indicates the measurements "4 x 7 Ft.". The presence of maker's marks on 19th century flags is unusual and so is always interesting. The words "Cooper St. Camden" are hand-written adjacent to the stencil. This refers to Camden, New Jersey, which is across the river from Philadelphia, and it can be presumed that the flag was used there in some capacity.

The stars of the flag are made of cotton, hand-sewn, and double-appliqued (applied to both sides of the flag). They are arranged in justified rows of 8-7-8-7-8, which is a typical pattern, but note how their position varies, with all stars tilted with one point in either the 11:00 or 1:00 position, alternating from one row to the next.

The canton and stripes of the flag are made of wool bunting that has been pieced with treadle stitching. The choice of fabrics and stitching methods is characteristic of the period and typical of most flags made for outdoor use. A sailcloth canvas binding was treadle-sewn to the hoist and there are 3 brass grommets.

The 38th state, Colorado, received its statehood on August 1st, 1876. This was the year of our nation's 100-year anniversary of independence. 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, held in Philadelphia in honor of the event. The 38 star flag became official in 1877 and was generally used until the addition of the Dakotas in 1889.

A Brief History of the Horstmann Company:

William H. Horstmann (1785-1850) was the founder of what would become a major military outfitter in both Philadelphia and New York City. A solider and fourth-generation passementier (textile weaver), he emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1816 and settled in the Germantown area of Philadelphia, where there was a significant concentration of textile manufacture. There he married the daughter of the most successful lace manufacturing firm, and started his own business in coach lace and military goods at the corner of 59 North 3rd Street. He imported looms from Germany and elsewhere and maintained a regular trade with his family in Europe. The company grew exponentially in size and had many addresses over its years of operation. In 1828, the William H. Horstmann Military Store opened. In 1843 it became William H. Horstmann & Sons Military Store, and in 1859 it was taken over by sons, Sigmund H. and William J., and began to operate as Horstmann Bros. & Co. The company manufactured its own goods, including flags, swords, drums, insignia, and many other items, and it subcontracted their manufacture as well, depending on financial sensibility. There were investors along the way, such as William S. Hassall and George Evans, who broke off and began their own large and successful firm. The Philadelphia locations closed in 1893. The New York branch opened in 1868 and closed its doors not long after WWII, in 1948.

Mounting: The flag has not yet been mounted or framed. We have a full-time conservation business and can undertake this task, if desired. Fabric of similar coloration can be placed behind the flag during the mounting process, which will make the losses effectively disappear.

Condition: There is minor overall oxidation, commensurate with age and use. There is very minor wear from use in the top, fly-end corner.
Collector Level: Intermediate-Level Collectors and Special Gifts
Flag Type: Sewn 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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