Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
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  ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH 13 HAND-SEWN STARS IN A 3-2-3-2-3 CONFIGURATION, IN AN EXTREMELY SCARCE, SMALL SIZE FOR THE PERIOD, 1876 CENTENNIAL ERA

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 36.5" x 48.5"
Flag Size (H x L): 24.25" x 37"
Description....:
13 HAND-SEWN STARS IN A 3-2-3-2-3 CONFIGURATION, IN AN EXTREMELY SCARCE, SMALL SIZE FOR THE PERIOD, 1876 CENTENNIAL ERA:

13 Star American national flag, either made in celebration of the nation's centennial of independence in 1876 or perhaps for use on a small boat during the same period. The hand-sewn cotton stars are arranged in staggered lineal rows in counts of 3-2-3-2-3, which is the most common configuration found in 19th century flags with 13 stars. In most cases the 3-2-3-2-3 design can also be viewed as a diamond of stars, with a star in each corner and a star in the very center. It can also be interpreted as a combination of the crosses of St. Andrew and St. George, which some experts feel could have been the design of the very first American flag, serving as a link between this star pattern and the British Union Jack. The pattern also corresponds with the drawings of New Jersey Senator Francis Hopkinson, a member of the Second Continental Congress and signer of the Declaration of Independence, who is credited with having played the most significant role in the original design of the American national flag.

The stars of the flag are hand-sewn, made of cotton and are double-appliqued (applied to both sides of the flag), while the canton and the stripes are made of wool bunting, joined with treadle stitching. There is a twill cotton header with two brass grommets for hoisting. This manner of construction is very typical of the 1876 era. By this time most all stripes were treadle-sewn, yet stars were generally appliqued by hand.

A significant part of this flag's appeal is its extremely small size when compared to others with sewn construction that were made prior to the 1890's. Today, in the 21st century, a flag measuring between three and four feet in length is common, but prior to the last decade of the 19th century, this flag is extremely small when compared to its counterparts. Printed parade flags were generally three feet long or smaller, but flags with sewn construction were generally eight feet long and larger. This is because flags needed to be seen from a distance to be effective in their purpose as signals. Today's use of the Stars & Stripes is more often decorative the general display of patriotism. In the 19th century, however, even those flags made for decorative purpose were often huge by today's standards. Because the average 19th century sewn flag is difficult to frame and display in an indoor setting, most collectors prefer printed flags and smaller sewn flags, like this one.

Why 13 Stars? The U.S. Navy had long been using 13 stars on ensigns made for small boats, because they wished the stars to be easily discerned at a distance. This was the original number of stars on the American flag, representing the number of original colonies. As the number of stars grew with the addition of new states, two circumstances occurred. One, it became more and more difficult to fit stars on a small flag and two, it became more difficult to view them from afar as individual objects.

For all practical purposes, commercial flag-makers simply didn't produce flags with pieced-and-sewn construction that were 3 to 4 feet in length before the 1890's. But private use of the Stars & Stripes grew with the passage of time, which led to the need for flags of a more manageable scale that would endure long-term use. When small flags were produced, flag-makers often applied the same logic as the Navy, selecting the 13 star count, rather than the full complement of stars, for the sake of ease and visibility. Any American national flag that has previously been official, remains so today according to the flag acts, so 13 star flags were, and still are, official flags of the United States.

13 star flags have been used throughout our nation's history for a variety of purposes. In addition to their use on small scale flags, 13 star flags were used by politicians when campaigning for office, carried by soldiers during the Mexican and Civil Wars, and made for patriotic events such as the 1876 celebration of our nation's centennial and annual observance of Independence Day. The Navy's use of the 13 star count on small boats officially ended in 1916 following an executive order of President Woodrow Wilson.

Mounting: The flag has been hand-stitched to 100% silk organza for support on every seam. It was then hand-sewn to a background of 100% cotton twill, black in color. The cotton 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 then placed in a contemporary, French-made, gilded molding of the highest quality. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic.

Condition: The small amount of wear present is indicative of extended use. There are areas with minor tears and fabric loss, including some separation of the canton from the hoist at the top. There is very minor foxing and staining. The flag survives in an excellent state for a wool flag of this period. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age gracefully.
Collector Level: Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: 13
Earliest Date of Origin: 1870
Latest Date of Origin: 1880
State/Affiliation: 13 Original Colonies
War Association: 1866-1890 Indian Wars
Price: SOLD
 

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