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  13 STAR FLAG IN THE 3rd MARYLAND PATTERN, AN EXTRAORDINARY EXAMPLE WITH THE STRIPES STARTING AND ENDING ON WHITE AND A CORNFLOWER BLUE CANTON RESTING ON THE WAR STRIPE, PRE-CIVIL WAR, CA 1830-60

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L):
Flag Size (H x L): 83" x 135"
Description....:
13 STAR FLAG IN THE 3rd MARYLAND PATTERN, AN EXTRAORDINARY EXAMPLE WITH THE STRIPES STARTING AND ENDING ON WHITE AND A CORNFLOWER BLUE CANTON RESTING ON THE WAR STRIPE, LIKELY PRE-CIVIL WAR, CA 1810-1840:

We have made 13 star flags in America from 1777 to the present. The US Navy flew them on small boats until 1916. Private individuals flew them on yachts. Civil War soldiers carried them with an eye towards our past struggles for liberty and freedom. 13 star flags were produced for the 1876 centennial, the 1926 sesquicentennial, and countless patriotic events from the mid-19th century onward.

This particular flag is extraordinary because of both its early date and the fact that it exhibits a plethora of rare and interesting features that place it among the most unusual examples. Made during the first half of the 19th century, it falls among the earliest surviving American flags. Note how its 13 stripes start and finish with white instead of red. This layout of 7 white and 6 red stripes is occasionally seen in early illustrations, but almost never among surviving flags. Fewer than one-in-five-hundred, perhaps fewer than one-in-one-thousand, is probably a fair estimate of the frequency with which it occurs among 13 star examples. And in terms of date of manufacture, it falls within the earliest one percent.

The flag is made entirely of cotton and is entirely hand-sewn. Note how the canton rests on a red stripe. Some flag historians refer to this as the "blood stripe" or the "war stripe", suggesting the flag was constructed in this manner when the nation was at war. There is evidence that the Navy used this design feature on at least some of its flags made during the mid-19th century and sometimes the placement was merely by accident. Whatever the case may be, the war stripe feature is extremely scarce and highly desired in flag collecting.

The fat, starfish-shaped stars are arranged in a circular wreath of 12 with a large star in the very center. This basic configuration, whether oval or circular, has come to be known as the "3rd Maryland Pattern". The design is very desirable due to the scarcity of its use. The name 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. The flag was supposedly carried by Color Sergeant William Batchelor of the Maryland Light Infantry, and was donated to the State of Maryland by Batchelor's descendents. The name became somewhat of a misnomer in the 1970's, however, following an examination by the late Grace Rogers Cooper [Smithsonian Institute], who discovered that the Cowpens flag was, at the earliest, of Mexican War origin (1846-48).

Among flag collectors and enthusiasts, however, the name "3rd Maryland" stuck to the design. A similar flag, in the collection of the Smithsonian's National Museum of History & Technology, was carried by the Maryland and District of Columbia Battalion of Volunteers during the Mexican War. So the name does have known applicability to another Maryland regiment. While the pattern is most often seen among surviving examples that date to the mid-19th century, roughly within the Mexican War to Civil War time frame (1846-1865), illustrations show that it existed long before this time and it is certainly one of the earliest configurations. Some flag historians think that it may have been Betsy Ross's preferred pattern, later transformed into the perfect circle by mistaken family lore.

Pre-Civil War flags are almost always hand-sewn with an unusual degree of precision. They also tend to be unusual in several respects when compared to Civil War and post-war examples. This flag certainly meets those requirements.

Flags made prior to the Civil War are rare, comprising less than one percent of 19th century flags that survive in the 21st century. This is partly because our flag wasn't used in the same purposes in early America. Private individuals did not generally display the flag. Use of the Stars & Stripes for functions of general patriotism rose swiftly following the 1861 attack on Fort Sumter that spurred the Civil War (1861-65). This was the beginning of widespread civilian use, which then exploded in 1876 during the centennial of American independence.

Even the military did not use the flag in a manner that most people might think. The primary purpose before the Civil War was to mark ships on the open seas. While the flag was used to mark some garrisons, the flags of ground troops were often limited to the flag of their own regiment and a federal standard. Most people would be surprised to learn that the infantry wasn't authorized to carry the Stars & Stripes until 1837, and even then did not often exercise the right, because it was neither required nor customary. It was not until the Civil War that most U.S. ground forces carried the national flag.

Another interesting factor is the beautiful, cornflower blue canton, which probably faded from a slightly sharper, royal blue. And another is the small size of the canton with respect to the large field of stripes. This tends to be a Civil War and prior feature. It is interesting to note that until 1912, there were no official proportions, no official shades of red and blue, no official way to lay out the stripes, no official number of points for each star, and no official way to configure the stars in the blue Union.

The sum of so many rare and desirable features present in this textile result in a tremendous example, both graphically and intellectually, and place it firmly among the best that can be encountered in surviving flags of 19th century America.

Mounting: The flag has not yet been mounted. We employ a full-time conservation staff, so please feel free to inquire about mounting and framing.

Condition: There is obvious wear from persisted use that includes tear at the fly end from wind shear, breakdown at the top of the hoist where the flag was affixed to a staff, and minor holes elsewhere. There is minor to moderate foxing and staining throughout, accompanied by minor fading. many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use. The presentation is outstanding and the overall condition is excellent considering the early date, the size of the textile, and the fact that it was flown for an extended period.
Collector Level: Flags for the truest Patriots. My best offerings
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: 13
Earliest Date of Origin: 1810
Latest Date of Origin: 1840
State/Affiliation: Maryland
War Association: 1777-1860 Pre-Civil War
Price: SOLD
 

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