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  CIVIL WAR ERA U.S. NAVY COMMISSIONING PENNANT, EXTREMEMLY RARE WITH THE FULL COMPLIMENT OF 36 STARS REFLECTING THE NUMBER OF STATES DURING ITS PERIOD OF MANUFACTURE, SIGNED HORSTMANN, PHILADELPHIA, 1864-67

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 42" x 74"
Flag Size (H x L):
Description....:
CIVIL WAR ERA U.S. NAVY COMMISSIONING PENNANT, EXTREMEMLY RARE WITH THE FULL COMPLIMENT OF 36 STARS REFLECTING THE NUMBER OF STATES DURING ITS PERIOD OF MANUFACTURE, SIGNED HORSTMANN, PHILADELPHIA, 1864-67:

Commissioning pennants are the distinguishing mark of a commissioned U.S. Navy ship. A ship becomes commissioned when this pennant is hoisted. Flown during both times of peace and war, the only time the pennant is not flown is if a flag officer or civilian official is aboard and replaces it with their own flag.

This particular example was made in the latter Civil War era by Horstmann Bros. in Philadelphia. During the 18th and early 19th centuries, commissioning pennants would typically display a number of stars that reflected the official count on the American national flag. As time progressed and more and more states were added, the number was commonly reduced to either 13 stars, to reflect the original number of states, then eventually to or 7 stars, the reason for which remains unknown, even to the Navy itself.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, these pennants could easily be 50 to 100 feet in length. At approximately 20 feet on the fly, this one is actually a small among its counterparts. During the latter half of the 19th century, pennants measuring 35 feet and less seem to have almost universally been manufactured with the 13 star count. This particular example is especially rare because it displays the full star count for the period in which it was made.

The flag's 36 cotton stars are hand-sewn and double-appliquéd (sewn to both sides). These are arranged in 2 rows of 18. Note how the first star in the first row is oriented so that one point faces upward. The remaining 17 stars are consistently canted so that one point is directed in the 11:00 position. In the second row the stars all tilt in the opposite direction, so that one point faces 1:00.

Lincoln pushed Nevada through to statehood on October 31st, 1864, during the Civil War, and just 8 days before the November election. The territory’s wealth in silver was attractive to a nation struggling with the debts of war and the president's support of statehood increased support for the Republican ticket. While the 36th star wouldn't officially be added until July 4th of the following year, flag-makers cared little for official counts. Some would have even begun adding the 36th star several months before the addition of Nevada actually occurred and almost all would have added it after Nevada was in. Commercially produced flags with inscribed dates are known as early as July of 1864, four months before Nevada's addition. Adding stars before they were official was common practice during the late 19th century and reflects both the nation's desire for Westward Expansion and the hope of flag-makers to bring new star counts to market before their competitors. The 36 star flag was officially replaced by the 37 star flag in 1867, following the addition of Nebraska.

The blue register and the red and white stripes are made of wool bunting that has been joined with treadle stitching. There is a heavy canvas binding alomng the hoist with 2 brass grommets, along which the word "Horstmann" and the abbreviation "Phila" are stenciled in black ink. The names "Bryner" and "Ellison" are inscribed on the reverse. These would be the names of former owners and it was common to mark flags in this fashion during the 19th century to indicate ownership.

Around the turn of the 20th century, the function of commissioning pennants leaned away from identification and more toward ceremony and custom. By WWI (U.S. involvement 1917-18) all such signals bore 7 stars and the largest measured just two-and-a-half inches by six feet, with the smallest were just 4 feet on the fly. Because longer examples appear to have been regularly discarded, they are a rarity.

This is a particularly fine example due to the attractive nature of its construction and layout, the rare feature present in the inclusion of the full star count, and a Civil War era date. Because commissioning pennants can be displayed so beautifully when thoughtfully presented, they can be a dynamic addition to a collection of American flags or Americana in general.

A Brief History of the Horstmann Company:
William H. Horstmann (1785-1850) was the founder of what would become a major military outfitter in both Philadelphia and New York City. A solider and fourth-generation passementier (textile weaver), he emigrated to the United States from Germany in 1816 and settled in the Germantown area of Philadelphia, where there was a significant concentration of textile manufacture. There he married the daughter of the most successful lace manufacturing firm, and started his own business in coach lace and military goods at the corner of 59 North 3rd Street. He imported looms from Germany and elsewhere and maintained a regular trade with his family in Europe. The company grew exponentially in size and had many addresses over its years of operation. In 1828, the William H. Horstmann Military Store opened. In 1843 it became William H. Horstmann & Sons Military Store, and in 1859 it was taken over by sons, Sigmund H. and William J., and began to operate as Horstmann Bros. & Co. The company manufactured its own goods, including flags, swords, drums, insignia, and many other items, and it subcontracted their manufacture as well, depending on financial sensibility. There were investors along the way, such as William S. Hassall and George Evans, who broke off and began their own large and successful firm. The New York branch changed its name in 1877 to that of a Horstmann partner, H.V. Allien, in 1877. Both Philadelphia and New York branches filed for bankruptcy and closed in 1948.

Mounting: The pennant has been hand-stitched to 100% hemp fabric. The mount was then placed in a hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding with a wide ogee profile and a hand-gilded and distressed inner lip. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic.

Condition: There is minor fabric loss in both the wool bunting and the cotton stars and there is minor water staining on the hoist. 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: Sewn flag
Star Count: 36
Earliest Date of Origin: 1864
Latest Date of Origin: 1867
State/Affiliation: Nevada
War Association: 1861-1865 Civil War
Price: SOLD
 

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