Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
Sold Flags



  31 STARS IN A FANCIFUL STARBURST OR "GREAT STAR-IN-A-SQUARE", ONE OF THE MOST RARE AND INTERESTING CONFIGURATIONS THAT A COLLECTOR CAN ENCOUNTER, ON A PRE-CIVIL WAR PARADE FLAG, CALIFORNIA STATEHOOD, 1850-1858

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 21" x 27"
Flag Size (H x L): 12.5" x 18.25"
Description....:
In the world of antique American flags there are nearly countless star patterns. Although there was no official star design until 1912, most examples made prior to that had some semblance of rows or columns. A small percentage instead presented them in circular wreaths, often accompanied by a star in the center and a star in each corner. This reflects the next step up the rarity scale. Far-and-away fewer representing just a tiny fraction of the total, arranged them in the form of one big star. Known as the Great Star or Great Luminary pattern, this sort of the Rolls Royce of geometric designs on early American flags, but there are rarer and more highly coveted patterns still, among which are such things as ovals, arches, pentagons, and circles within squares, and completely random arrangements. There are flags where the stars form alphabetic or numeric characters, some of which are among the scarcest of all, but among the geometric designs, the most beautiful and coveted include snowflakes, starbursts, shields, diamonds, and odd combinations of all the above. From a folk art perspective, these can excel beyond all others.

Bold and whimsical, this American national parade flag, printed on cotton, has 31 stars arranged in a configuration that falls among the best that one may ever encounter on a 19th century example. This design can perhaps be placed into the general category of what I have termed "starbursts", meaning that the arrangement seems to spring forth from the center, like an exploding firework. The nucleus of this particular variant incorporates a Great Star pattern in the center (a star made out of stars). Great Stars vary widely in how they are assembled. In this case, the design is comprised of a large center star, with 5 small stars placed about it, one between each arm, so that they form a pentagon. Beyond are 5 slightly larger stars, arranged so that they complete the star-shaped profile.

8 large stars, slightly smaller than the one in the center, are equally distributed about the perimeter and to form a rectangle. Arches of 3 smaller stars flank each corner towards the interior, connecting the spaces between the points of the larger stars. Because the Great Star pattern does not connect with the stars outside it, one could certainly argue that a more precise term for the configuration might be a "Great-Star-in-a-Square" with bracketed corners. But the inner stars do connect with the outer ones in various distinct ways. Note the prominent, narrow "V" shape, for example, that forks upward from the large star in the bottom center. Note also how the large center star, plus the Great Star arrangement itself, plus the 8 large stars around the perimeter, all appear upside-down with respect to how we typically expect to see a five-pointed star today (w/ two points up instead of one). No one knows if this orientation had any purpose. It is entirely possible that the designer view any particular position as being ‘right-side-up.’ Whatever the case may be, however, the trait is both more unusual to the eye, and more interesting to collectors for reasons both graphic and academic.

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 of 1858. Flags made prior to the Civil War are extremely rare, comprising less than one percent of 19th century flags that exist in the 21st century. Prior to the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in 1861, 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. Even the military did not use the national flag in a manner that most people might think. Most people are surprised to learn that the infantry wasn't authorized to carry the Stars & Stripes until the 1830's, and even then did not often exercise the right, because it was neither required nor customary. The primary purpose before the Mexican War (1846-48) was to mark ships on the open seas. While the flag was used to mark garrisons and government buildings, the flags of ground troops were often limited to the flag of their own regiment and a federal standard.

Political campaigns seem to have fueled most of the use of printed parade flags, such as this one, prior to the Civil War. This was a major turning point and private use rose swiftly with wartime patriotism, then exploded in 1876 with the celebration of our nation's 100-year anniversary of independence from Great Britain.

Mounting: The gilded American molding has a reeded profile and dates to the period between 1850 and 1870. The flag has been hand-stitched to 100% cotton, black in color, which was 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. Spacers keep the textile away from the glass, which is U.V. protective.

Condition: There is minor foxing and staining and there is very minor fraying, but the flag presents beautifully and there are no serious condition issues. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use.
Collector Level: Flags for the truest Patriots. My best offerings
Flag Type:
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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