Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
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  ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH 28 STARS, REFLECTS THE ADDITION OF TEXAS TO THE UNION AS THE 28TH STATE IN 1845; ONE OF THE RAREST STAR COUNTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY, OFFICIAL FOR JUST ONE YEAR (1845-46), MEXICAN WAR ERA

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): Approx. 76" x 123.5"
Flag Size (H x L): 65.5" x 113" (unfurled 139")
Description....:
American national flags with 28 stars, made at the time when Texas gained statehood, are among the most rare and desirable of the 19th century. Very few period examples exist in any form, and most major collections of early flags that have not included one.

Part of the reason why 28 star flags are so rare is the early date. Another is the manner of use of the Stars & Stripes in this early period. Of equal importance is the fact that the star count was official for only one year.

Texas became the 28th state on December 29th, 1845. After the Third Flag Act (1818), stars were officially added to the American flag on the 4th of July following a state's addition. This meant that the 28th star would theoretically have been added on July 4th, 1846. Because the makers of flags both private and public cared little for the acts of Congress, however, the 28th star would have been added by most makers at the time of the addition of the state. Some may have perhaps even added it shortly beforehand, in anticipation of the event. The practice of making anticipatory flags was popular in early America when the nation was eager for expansion.

Iowa became the 29th state just one day shy of a year following Texas' addition, on December 28th, 1846. While the 29th star was not officially added until July 4th, 1847, most flag-makers would have once again added it on or before Iowa's addition. So the production of 28 star flags had a window of approximately one year in length, which meant that it was one of the shortest lasting star counts in American history.

Another reason why 28 star flags are so scarce is that they were produced during a time before the Stars & Stripes was in widespread use. Flags made prior to the Civil War are extremely rare, comprising less than one percent of 19th century flags that have survived into the 21st century. Prior to the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in 1861, the Stars & Stripes 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 didn't often fly from carriages and horses. Places of business rarely hung flags in their windows. The only consistent private use prior to 1861 seems to have accompanied political campaigning.

Even the military did not use the national flag in a manner that most people might think. Most people are surprised to learn that the infantry wasn't authorized to carry the Stars & Stripes until well into the 19th century. The foremost purpose before the Civil War (1861-65) was to identify ships on the open seas. While the flag was used to mark garrisons and government buildings, the flags of ground forces were limited to the those of their own regiment and a perhaps a federal standard (a blue or buff yellow flag bearing the arms of the United States). Artillery units were the first to be afforded the privilege in 1834. Infantry followed in 1841, but cavalry didn’t carry it until 1862, and even then it remained unauthorized, not formally adopted for Cavalry units until the 19th century. The first war during which the Stars & Stripes was officially carried was the Mexican War (1846-48). In more than 20 years of aggressive buying and research, I have encountered just a tiny handful of American national flags, either in museum collections or privately held, produced in an obvious military style, that are period to this 2-year time frame.

If rarity is one driver of desirability, relevance to a significant population of capable, patriotic collectors is another. Before 1836, Mexico considered Texas part of its own territory. In that year a revolution was launched that resulted in independence. For the next nine years the Republic of Texas was a nation unto itself and selected its own president.

Texas statehood, in 1845, was immediately followed by war with Mexico, which contested its ownership. The war was short, beginning in 1846, concluding in 1847, and consummated by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo on February 2nd, 1848.

  In addition to comprising the largest body of land within the contiguous 48 states, the circumstance of Texas having been an independent entity was unique until Hawaii joined the Union 114 years later. This is one reason why Texas patriotism has remained so keen. It is also a state where great wealth was amassed from American capitalism in land-driven enterprises, such as ranching and oil. Success in these businesses and hard work in industries such as ranching, played their own role in the development of independent-minded men and women, a significant portion of whom are proud to be Texans first and Americans second. Many are fascinated with the history of the Republic, its role as part of the American South, and the combined heritage of Texas and America together. All of the above plays a role in the desirability of Texas-related material.

The number of surviving 28 star flags is tiny, certainly fewer than 12. While the first, small, printed parade flags surfaced during the period in which we had 26 states (1837-1844), just one printed flag is presently known in the 28 star count that may date to the 1845-46 period. All other known examples made during this very brief time frame are of pieced-and-sewn construction.

Though this flag retains no specific history of use, the flag was found in a house in Maine and the most probable use was at sea. This was the primary function of the American national flag pre-1861, and, measuring approximately 5.5’ on the hoist by 13.5’ on the fly, both the elongated profile and the length of the flag fall into the realm of what I would expect of a 19th century nautical ensign, flown on a reasonably large craft.

Maine was an extremely important location for ship building in early America. The very first wooden ship produced, in what would become the United States, was actually built there in 1607, about 10 or so miles north of the mouth of the Kennebec River, in what would eventually become the City of Bath. This occurred in conjunction with the short-lived Popham Colony, founded at the same time as the far more famous one in Jamestown, Virginia. By the 1740’s, shipbuilding in Bath had become an established industry, and by the 1850’s, it had become the 5th largest American port. Nicknamed the “City of Ships,” there would eventually be more than 22 shipyards in operation here, producing about twenty-five percent of America’s wooden vessels.

The flag that is the subject of this narrative is entirely hand-sewn throughout. The stars of the flag are arranged in 4 rows of 7. Made of cotton, they are hand-sewn, and single-appliquéd. This means that they were applied to one side of the canton, the blue fabric was cut away from behind each star, folded over, then under-hemmed, so that one star could be viewed on both sides of the flag. I always find single-appliquéd stars more interesting, not only because they are evidence of a more difficult level of seam-work and stitching, but also because they are more visually intriguing. Two visible rows of hand-stitching, instead of one, emphasize their hand-sewn construction. This is one reason why flags with single-appliquéd stars often appeal to connoisseurs of early American textiles.

Note how the profile of the stars are rather starfish-like, with fat profiles. When viewed on the obverse (front), these are consistently oriented so that they are canted to the right, with one arm directed in roughly the 1:00 position. Both of these features add visual interest to the presentation, as does the Prussian blue color of the canton.

Both the canton and stripes of the flag are made of wool bunting, of a notably early variety, with a loose, open weave, more indicative to the 1st quarter of the 19th century and prior, and distinctly different than later varieties. All of the seam work was accomplished with hand-sewing. There is a homespun cotton or linen binding along the hoist, pieced in two segments, with a single, hand-sewn, whip-stitched grommet at the top and bottom.

Because wool bunting was generally available in a maximum width of 18 inches, the canton is pieced from two lengths of fabric. The second red stripe is also pieced, though in this case the reason simply reflects an effort to conserve scarce resources.

In concise summary, this is one of the rarest 19th century flags that one may encounter, with one of the most desirable star counts, reflecting the addition of a large, prosperous, and seriously patriotic state, with attractive colors, hand-sewn construction, and beautiful fabrics.

Mounting: The flag was mounted and framed within our own conservation department, which is led by expert staff. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and have framed thousands of examples.

The striped field was folded onto itself in a 3-dimensional fashion, inserting mylar (archival) to maintain the shape of the roll of the fabric. The background is 100% cotton twill, black in color, that was washed and treated for color-fastness. The mount was placed in a black-painted, solid mahogany molding, with a deep, shadowbox profile. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas).

Condition: There is a closed, lateral tear in the canton that spans between the first and second star in the first row. There is an area of modest to moderate mothing in the canton between the 2nd and 3rd columns of stars, around and just south of the center seam. There is a modest are of the same in the 4th white stripe, below the canton, and there is very minor mothing elsewhere, in limited areas. There is extremely minor soiling in limited areas. The overall condition is absolutely remarkable for any antique wool flag of this scale, particularly one that dates to the pre-Civil War era.
Collector Level: Flags for the truest Patriots. My best offerings
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: 28
Earliest Date of Origin: 1845
Latest Date of Origin: 1846
State/Affiliation: Texas
War Association: 1777-1860 Pre-Civil War
Price: SOLD
 

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