1876 CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION PENNANT WITH A BLUE OVAL OF WHIMSICAL TEXT ON A GROUND OF RED & WHITE STRIPES:

This tapered swallowtail pennant was made for our nation's 100-year anniversary of independence in 1876.  There is a blue, oval-shaped cartouche in the center that contains the following text:

 1776

CENTENNIAL

1876

This appears on a background of brilliant, red-orange stripes on a white ground.

The banner is the only one I know of in this exact form.  Printed on coarse, glazed cotton, it is one of a variety of beautiful styles that are known to exist in similar format.  Most have borders of 38 stars.  Some are set on 3 large stripes or a background of solid color.  This is an unusual example with extraordinarily good graphics.

The series of pennants was very likely made by one of two companies:  either by the American Flag Company in New York, or by Annin & Company, which is also located in New York and is our nation's eldest flag-maker (the oldest that is still in business today).  This attribution is based on documented examples in "Threads of History" by Herbert Ridgeway Collins (1978, Smithsonian Press).  This is foremost text on political textiles.  Collins was a curator of political history at the Smithsonian.

Mounting:  The pennant has been hand-stitched to 100% cotton, black in color.  The background fabric has been 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 black painted, hand-gilded and distressed, contemporary Italian molding.  Spacers keep the textile away from the glass, which is u.v. protective.