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  26 STARS IN THE "GREAT STAR" CONFIGURATION, ENTIRELY HAND-SEWN, PRE-CIVIL WAR, MICHIGAN STATEHOOD, 1837-1845

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L):
Flag Size (H x L): 83" x 122"
Description....:
26 STARS IN THE "GREAT STAR" CONFIGURATION, ENTIRELY HAND-SEWN, PRE-CIVIL WAR, MICHIGAN STATEHOOD, 1837-1845:

26 star American national flag, made of wool bunting and entirely hand-sewn. An especially example with beautiful graphics, note how the stars are arranged in what is known as the "Great Star" pattern; a large star made out of smaller stars. Note the strong folk qualities found in this particular Great Star variation, in which the pointy, extended arms of the star-shaped perimeter surround a single, small, center star. Also note how the flattened points of the stars themselves give them a more primitive appearance, which is certainly fitting for such an early example.

The 26 star flag became official on July 4th, 1837, following the addition of the State of Michigan, and remained so until after the addition of the 27th state (Florida) in 1845. Flags made prior to the Civil War are very rare, comprising less than one percent of 19th century flags that exist in the 21st century. This is partly because, prior to the Centennial, our flag 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 did not often fly from carriages and horses. Places of business rarely hung flags in their windows. Use of the Stars & Stripes for these purposes began to rise swiftly during the patriotism that surrounded the Civil War, but civilian use of the flag was not widespread until 1876.

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 took place that most U.S. ground forces even bothered to carry the national flag.

Among collectors, the Great Star is the most coveted of the geometric designs. It probably came about shortly after the War of 1812, when Congressman Peter Wendover, of New York, requested that Captain Samuel Reid, a War of 1812 naval hero, seek to create a new design that would become the third official format of the Stars & Stripes. A recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Reid became harbor master of New York following the war. During his lifetime, he created many innovations in signal use, including a system that could actually send messages from New York to New Orleans by sea in just two hours.

Use as a Naval signal had been the primary reason for the creation of an American national flag in 1777, but since there was no official star design, the appearance of our flag varied greatly. Reid and Wendover's primary concerns centered on consistency and ease of recognition. Their hope was that as more and more states joined the Union, and more and more stars were added to the flag, that it would remain easily identified on the open seas. So in 1818, Reid suggested to Congress that the number of stripes permanently return to 13 (reduced from 15) and that the stars be grouped into the shape of one large star.

Reid's proposal would have kept the star constellation in roughly the same format over time, in a pattern that could be quickly identified through a spyglass as the number of states grew. His concept for the stripes was ultimately accepted, but his advice on the star pattern was rejected by President James Monroe due to the increased cost of arranging the stars in what would become known as the "Great Star", "Great Flower", or "Great Luminary" pattern. Monroe probably didn't wish to impose this cost on either the government or civilians, so he suggested a simple pattern of justified rows. Never-the-less, the Great Star was produced by anyone willing to make it and its rarity today, along with its beauty, has driven the desirability of American flags with this configuration.

During the 19th century, cloth flags with sewn construction (as opposed to printed) were typically between 8 and 20 feet in length. Garrison flags were often 35 or 45 feet. At approximately 7 by 10 feet, this flag is typical for the period in its overall scale, though it was likely a ship's ensign, which means that it was almost certainly longer in length. Ship's flags were generally long and narrow, so that they could be turned back and hemmed as the fly end was sheared away by high winds encountered at sea.

Construction: The stripes and canton of the flag are made of wool bunting that has been pieced with hand-stitching. The stars are made of cotton, hand-sewn, and single-appliqued. This means that they were applied to one side of the canton, then the blue calico fabric was cut from behind each star, folded over, and under-hemmed, so that one appliqued star could be visible on both sides of the flag. While some persons have pointed to this as a means of conserving fabric and cutting corners (not having to sew another star to the other side), others suggest that the real purpose was to make the flag lighter in weight. I believe it to be a function of both of these goals and I always find single-appliqued stars more interesting, sometimes because they are more visually intriguing, and always because, when executed properly, they are firm evidence of an even more difficult level of seam-work and stitching. There is a hand-sewn sleeve along the hoist, made from either linen or hemp, with two whip-stitched grommets. A knotted fragment of hemp rope is still affixed to the grommet at the top of the hoist.

A word is written at the bottom of the hoist with a dip pen. This is unfortunately illegible, though it appears to possibly read "War". It was common during the 19th century for a person to mark a flag in this manner to indicate either ownership or the name of the ship on which the flag was used, but a word like "War" is an unlikely marking. In any event, the writing is in a 19th century hand is likely dates to the flag's original period of use.

Mounting: The flag has not yet been mounted.

Condition: There is minor mothing throughout, accompanied by minor fraying. The fly end has been turned back and re-hemmed as a proper means of mending losses sustained during the course of its use. This is an excellent state of preservation for such an early flag of this size and construction.
Collector Level: Flags for the truest Patriots. My best offerings
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: 26
Earliest Date of Origin: 1837
Latest Date of Origin: 1845
State/Affiliation: Massachusetts
War Association: 1777-1860 Pre-Civil War
Price: SOLD
 

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