Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
Sold Flags



  34 STARS WITH "DANCING" OR "TUMBLING" ORIENTATION, ON AN ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH EXTRAORDINARY COLORS, PRINTED ON SILK, LIKELY PRODUCED FOR USE AS MILITARY CAMP COLORS, CIVIL WAR PERIOD, 1861-1863, REFLECTS THE ADDITION OF KANSAS TO THE UNION AS A FREE STATE

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 33.75" x 46.75"
Flag Size (H x L): 24.25" x 36.75"
Description....:
34 star American national flag, printed on silk, with striking colors and interesting visual features. Note how the stars, which are arranged in linear rows of 7-7-6-7-7, are oriented consecutively point-up, point down in their vertical alignment across the canton, resulting in what I call “tumbling” or “dancing” formation. Also note how the shade of cornflower blue exhibits interesting, periwinkle blue overtones, and how it contrasts with the brilliant, scarlet red of the stripes. There is a cotton binding along the hoist, in the form of an open sleeve, applied with treadle stitching.

I believe that this extremely scarce style of 34 star flag, in this design, was sometimes sold to the Union Army as flank markers or camp colors. I owned an example of the same exact type, with overprinted text for a Pennsylvania volunteer regiment. The material is very fine, and would not have sustained hard use, which may explain why so few have survived into the 21st century. It is likely that flags in this style were simultaneously sold for whatever purpose the buyer wished. Like many printed silk flags, these probably saw short-term use at parades and political events, as well as in service as props in commercial photography, for portraits of Civil War soldiers. Whatever the case may be, the size is excellent, being small enough to be easily framed and displayed, yet large enough to make a substantial impact, great for both serious collectors and one-time buyers alike.

Kansas was admitted into the Union as the 34th state on January 29th, 1861, about 2 ½ months before the Confederate assault on Fort Sumter that marked the beginning of the Civil War. The 34th star was officially added on July 4th of that year, but most flag makers would have added a 34th star with the addition of Kansas in January. The star count remained official until July 4th, 1863, and 34 star flags would have generally been produced until the addition of West Virginia in June of that year.

Mounting: The flag was mounted and framed within our own conservation department, which is led by expert staff. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and have framed thousands of examples.

The background is 100% cotton twill, black in color, that has been washed and treated for colorfastness. The mount was placed in a gilded molding with an angled face, set between flat profile edges, to which a molding with a step-down profile, very dark brown in color, almost black, with reddish overtones and highlights, was added as a cap. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas).

Condition: The overall condition is extraordinary for a silk flag of this period. There are two tiny spots of bleaching in the canton. There is a scattering of tiny stains throughout, and there are a few tiny holes in limited areas. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use.
Collector Level: Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything
Flag Type: Parade flag
Star Count: 34
Earliest Date of Origin: 1861
Latest Date of Origin: 1863
State/Affiliation: Kansas
War Association: 1861-1865 Civil War
Price: SOLD
 

Views: 625