Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
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  31 STARS AND 17 STRIPES, THE ONLY KNOWN EXAMPLE IN THIS STYLE WITH A "GREAT STAR" PATTERN THAT CONTAINS A GIGANTIC CENTER STAR AND 17 STRIPES, PROBABLY MADE WITH SOUTHERN SYMPATHIES, CANTON RESTING ON THE "BLOOD STRIPE", PRE-CIVIL WAR, CALIFORNIA STATEHOO

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 41" x 54"
Flag Size (H x L): 28" x 42"
Description....:
31 STARS AND 17 STRIPES, THE ONLY KNOWN EXAMPLE IN THIS STYLE WITH A "GREAT STAR" PATTERN THAT CONTAINS A GIGANTIC CENTER STAR AND 17 STRIPES, PROBABLY MADE WITH SOUTHERN SYMPATHIES, CANTON RESTING ON THE "BLOOD STRIPE", PRE-CIVIL WAR, CALIFORNIA STATEHOOD, 1850-1858:

This 31-star, 17-stripe American national parade flag, printed on cotton, presently survives as the only known example. Its stars are arranged in a pattern that can easily be categorized among the best that has surfaced in the hobby of flag collecting. The configuration consists of a series of 30 small stars that run the perimeter of one gigantic star, to create an important variant of what is known as the "Great Star". Also known as the "Great Luminary" or "Great Flower" pattern, the design is comprised of one large star, made up of smaller stars. Among flag collectors, The Great Star is the most coveted of the generic geometric patterns found among early examples. This particular arrangement even more desirable than most by a significant margin, because the circumstance of having a such an enormous star with a continuous border or much smaller stars is, so far as I am aware, unique to this flag.

California became the 31st state in 1850, ushered in on the heels of the 1849 Gold Rush. The 31 star flag became official on July 4th, 1851, and remained so until July 3rd, 1858. Flags made prior to the Civil War are 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, 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. Private use of the national flag rose swiftly during the patriotism that surrounded the Civil War, then exploded in 1876.

All of the above facts contribute a great deal to this extraordinary flag, but the most intellectually stimulating feature is actually contained in its 17 stripes. Except for the period between 1795 and 1818, the official stripe count on the American national flag has remained at 13 throughout its existence. Official counts of both stars and stripes went out the window, however, when the maker of a flag wished to send a political message. This was particularly true during the Civil War, when all sorts of creative symbolism was employed. For example, while President Lincoln pleaded with Northerners to keep the full complement of stars on the flag, representing both Union and Confederate States, there were those that didn't oblige and created "Southern exclusionary" flags through the removal of the number of stars that represented Southern States.

However unlikely it may seem, there was actually limited wartime production of Stars & Stripes in the South. Here the opposite sometimes occurred. During the search for Confederate banners and battle colors, Stars & Stripes were sometimes produced that removed the stars of Northern States. In some cases, the number of stripes was likewise altered. 7-stripe flags exist that are thought by some experts to reference the number of Confederate States that left the Union in the first wave of secession. 11-stripe flags also exist, thought to represent the number of states that officially ratified secession.

Before California was admitted in 1850, there was a push to keep it from gaining statehood, primarily by Southern settlers who were in favor of slavery. Both before and after statehood, some residents pushed hard to split the state in two. This was spearheaded mostly by the Southern Democrats, who, although a minority in the state, were a majority in Southern California and Tulare County, and were in large numbers in San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Monterey, and San Francisco counties. During the 1850's, as tension escalated, a bill to split off a southern portion of the state into the territory of Colorado was successfully passed by the California State Legislature, but when the bill arrived in Washington, it never came to vote. When secession actually occurred, there was yet another push among Southern sympathizers to form secessionist governments in the States of California and Oregon (which joined the Union in 1859) and mobilize troops. Several Confederate units attempted to organize, but only one unit was successfully in doing so. Known as the Los Angeles Rifles, its flag was constructed in the form of the Confederate 1st National design, with the traditional 3 bars, but instead of 7 or 11 stars (the most often seen counts), it had 17 stars. This is thought to apparently to reflect the hopeful secession of both California and Oregon to join the 15 Slave States which--officially seceded or not--were certainly in support of the Southern cause.

The 31-star, 17-stripe flag in question here appears to provide proof that the use of the number 17 within the symbolism of a California-related flag actually had earlier roots and was reflective of the ongoing California-Oregon secessionist movement.

The fact that the canton rests on a red stripe is a very rare trait. Some flag historians refer to this as the "blood stripe" or the "war stripe", suggesting the flag was sometimes 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.

When such unusual and interesting history is added to rare features and a spectacular design, in a such an early example, with a relationship to one of the most wealthy states in the Union, on an example that survives as one-of-a-kind, the result is one of the best flags that I have ever had the privilege to own.

Additional Notes on the Great Star Configuration: The Great Star is thought to have come 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, 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 initial creation of an American national flag in 1777, but since there was no official star configuration, the appearance of our flag varied greatly. Reid's primary concern centered on both consistency and ease of recognition. His hope was that as more and more states joined the Union, and more stars were subsequently added to the flag, that the design would remain easily identified on the open seas. 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, 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 this pattern. Monroe suggested a simple pattern of justified rows, but no official pattern was selected. The Great Star was nevertheless produced by anyone willing to make it and its rarity today, along with its beauty, has driven the desirability of American flags with variants of this beautiful design.

Mounting: The flag has been hand-stitched to 100% cotton twill, black in color. The background fabric was washed to remove excess dye, and an acid-free agent was added to the wash to set the dye. The flag was then placed in a contemporary, black painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic.

Condition: There is minor foxing and staining throughout, accompanied by some minor to moderate water staining in the stripe field. There are very minor losses, accompanied by moderate tears along the canton. There is minor to moderate overall fading. The flag presents beautifully. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use and the extreme rarity and desirability of this example warrant practically any condition.
Collector Level: Flags for the truest Patriots. My best offerings
Flag Type: Parade flag
Star Count: 31
Earliest Date of Origin: 1850
Latest Date of Origin: 1858
State/Affiliation: California
War Association: 1777-1860 Pre-Civil War
Price: SOLD
 

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