| 13 STAR ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG, MADE OF FINE SILK, WITH AN OVAL VERSION OF WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE 3RD MARYLAND PATTERN AND A LARGE CENTER STAR, IN AN EXTRAORDINARILY TINY SIZE AMONG FLAGS WITH SEWN CONSTRUCTION; FOUND IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS, MADE SOMETIME BETWEEN THE 1850’s AND THE CIVIL WAR (1861-65), LIKELY FOR A MILITIA OR VOLUNTEER UNIT, OR AN OFFICER THEREOF; ILLUSTRATED IN “THE STARS & THE STRIPES: FABRIC OF THE AMERICAN SPIRIT” BY RICHARD PIERCE, 2005 |
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| Web ID: | 13d-821 |
| Available: | In Stock |
| Frame Size (H x L): | 26.5" x 36.25" |
| Flag Size (H x L): | 16.5" x 26.5" |
| Description: | |
| 13 star American national flag of extraordinarily quality and in an exceptionally tiny size among its counterparts with pieced-and-sewn construction. Made sometime between approximately the 1850’s and the Civil War (1861-65), the flag was discovered in a Western Massachusetts estate. and entirely hand-sewn throughout, the canton, stripes, and the stars are all made of fine silk taffeta. Applied with great precision, the stars of the flag are arranged in an oval version of what is known as the 3rd Maryland pattern and are single-appliquéd. This means that they were applied to one side of the blue fabric, which was carefully trimmed from behind, folded over and under-hemmed, so that one star could be viewed on both sides. I have always found 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. The two visible rows of hand-stitching provide attractive visual qualities, emphasizing the hand-sewn construction. Note the orientation of the stars themselves, all of which are positioned so that one point is directed outward from the center of the canton, save the large center star, which has one are directed upward. Also note the brilliant, cobalt / royal blue color, that contrasts beautifully with the scarlet red stripes. There is a narrow cotton binding along the hoist with 2 tiny brass grommets, one each at the top and bottom, along which “2 ft.” is hand-inscribed in penciled script to indicate the length on the fly, in feet. The first patent for grommets was obtained by E.H. Penfield in 1848. Because Penfield’s specifications were actually recorded as an improvement to existing grommet designs, so his were apparently not the first. Another patent was taken by J. Allender in 1854, and three more were recorded before 1870. While grommets existed pre-war, they are practically never encountered in flag-making prior to 1861, after which time they actually become very common in the flag-making industry. The grommets on the 3rd Maryland pattern flag that is the subject of this narrative, are especially unusual due to their tiny size and weight. I have almost never attributed brass grommets to a pre-Civil War flag, and I can think of only two other instances where I felt comfortable asserting the possibility. Nearly unique in my experience with 19th century grommets, their scarcity, along with the flag’s other attributes, including its star pattern and the oval variation of it, the silk construction, the condition of the silk itself, which appears to be unweighted, the hand-sewing throughout and the precision with which that was done, and the presence of the single appliqué work, all lend to the reason why a pre-1861 date may be considered in this particular instance. One possible purpose of the flag would have been use by a state or local militia unit, or perhaps by a volunteer Civil War unit, privately outfitted, to serve as a flank marker, camp colors, or general guide flag. Another likely possibility would have been for presentation to an officer, as a gift and/or for general patriotic display outside his tent or other quarters. Since there was no official star configuration until the 20th century (1912 specifically, beginning with the 48 star count), the stars on 13 star flags may appear in any one of a host of configurations. On this particular example they are arranged in an oval wreath of 12 with a single center star. This basic configuration, whether oval or circular, has come to be known as the 3rd Maryland pattern. 13 star flags have been flown throughout our nation’s history for a variety of purposes. They were hoisted at patriotic events, including Lafayette’s visit in 1824-25, the celebration of the centennial of American independence in 1876, and the sesquicentennial in 1926. They were displayed during the Civil War, to reference past struggles for liberty and were used by 19th century politicians while campaigning for the same reason. As the number of stars grew with the addition of new states, it became more and more difficult to fit their full complement on a small flag. The stars would, by necessity, have to become smaller, which made it more and more difficult to view them from a distance as individual objects. The fear was that too many of them close together would become as one white mass and distort the ability to identify American ships on the open seas. Keeping the count low allowed for better visibility. For this reason, the U.S. Navy flew 13 star flags on small boats. Some private ship owners mirrored this practice and flew 13 star flags during the same period as the Navy. Flag experts disagree about precisely when the Navy began to revert to 13 stars and other low counts. Some feel that the use of 13 star flags never stopped, which seems to be supported by depictions of ships in period artwork. This was, of course, the original number of stars on the first American national flag, by way of the First Flag Act of 1777, and equal to the number of original colonies that became states. Any American flag that has previously been official remains so according to the flag acts, so it remains perfectly acceptable to fly 13 star flags today by way of congressional law. The name 3rd Maryland comes from a flag that resides at the Maryland State Capitol in Annapolis, long thought to have been present with General Daniel Morgan at the Battle of Cowpens in 1781. According to legend, the flag was supposed to have been carried by Color Sergeant William Batchelor of the Maryland Light Infantry and was donated to the State of Maryland by Batchelor's descendants. The story was disproved in the 1970's, however, following an examination by the late flag expert Grace Rogers Cooper of the Smithsonian. She discovered that the Cowpens flag was, at the earliest, of Mexican War vintage (1846-48). Despite the lack of direct association with the reputed regiment, many flag collectors and enthusiasts embraced the name "3rd Maryland" and it stuck to the design. The term actually received some legitimacy through the existence of a similar flag, in the collection of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of History & Technology, with verified Maryland provenance. This was carried by the Maryland and District of Columbia Battalion of Volunteers during the Mexican War. While the configuration is known to be an early one, as evidenced by 18th century illustrations, this star pattern is most often encountered among surviving flags that date to the mid-19th century, roughly within the Mexican War to Civil War time frame (1846-1865). For some reason it seems to have not been quite as popular during our nation's 100-year anniversary, in 1876, though some examples of that period are known, but was then revived in small scale, commercially-produced flags made during the 1890-1920's time frame, with the various types of machine-sewn construction indicative of that period. At just 16.5” on the hoist by 26.5” on the fly, the size of the flag is absolutely tiny among its 19th century counterparts with sewn construction. Prior to 1890, most sewn flags were 8 feet long and larger. Even infantry battle flags were 6 x 6.5 feet, about the size of a small quilt made for the bed of an adult. Flags were generally huge because they needed to be in order to be effective in their function as signals. While smaller sewn flags did exist pre-1890, the smaller they are, the more unusual they are today and with the reduction of each foot, their scarcity increases exponentially. Almost nothing that survives among pieced-and-sewn American national flags of this period was as small as this example, and I consider it one of the most extraordinary I ever had the privilege to acquire. Provenance: Many years ago I sold this flag to my good friend Richard Pierce. It is illustrated on page 64 of his book: "The Stars & The Stripes: Fabric of the American Spirit" (J. Richard Pierce, 2005). Mounting: We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and related textiles and have preserved thousands of examples. For 25 years we have maintained a specialized department for this purpose. Our lead conservator holds a master's degree in textile conservation from one of the nation’s top programs. The antique American molding dates to the period between 1840 and 1870, has inflection profile, and a paint-decorated surface with a hand-gilded inner lip. The flag has been hand-stitched to 100% cotton, black in color, that was washed and treated for colorfastness. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Condition: Exceptional for a silk flag of the 19th century. There is minor fabric breakdown in the upper hoist-end corner of the canton and in the last red stripe at the hoist end, both from obvious use, with minor associated loss. There are several vertical splits and/or slight folds with near splits in the white stripes, none with any measurable associated loss worth noting, accompanied by two tiny horizontal splits with extremely minor loss in the center red stripe, just beyond the canton. There are minor stains in the last two white stripes and extremely minor soiling elsewhere, and a few tiny flecks of staining. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use. |
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| Video: | |
| Collector Level: | Flags for the truest Patriots. My best offerings |
| Flag Type: | |
| Star Count: | 13 |
| Earliest Date of Origin: | 1850 |
| Latest Date of Origin: | 1865 |
| State/Affiliation: | 13 Original Colonies |
| War Association: | 1861-1865 Civil War |
| Price: | Please call (717) 676-0545 or (717) 502-1281 |
| E-mail: | info@jeffbridgman.com |
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