Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
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  CONFEDERATE LANCE PENNON, STARS & BARS FORMAT, 11 FOUR-POINTED STARS

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 25.5" x 20.5"
Flag Size (H x L): 17" x 12"
Description....:
CONFEDERATE LANCE PENNON IN THE FIRST NATIONAL FORMAT, WITH 4-POINTED STARS ARRANGED IN A RANDOM CONFIGURATION, 1861:

Due to the shortage of proper cavalry weapons (sabers, revolvers, and carbines) in the first year of the American Civil War, the Confederate War Department formed several regiments of mounted troops as "lancers", whose sole arm was to be that weapon. Three regiments and several companies of Texans were so equipped, and it was intended to raise at least one regiment of lancers in Virginia. To equip this eastern regiment of lancers, the Confederate Q.M. Dept. contracted with a few ladies in Richmond to produce up to 1,000 small (12" hoist by 18" fly), swallowtail pennons to attach to these lances. The design chosen for these swallowtail pennons followed the basic pattern of the 1st National flag of the Confederacy (commonly known as "The Stars & Bars"). This consisted of three horizontal stripes (red-white-red) of equal width with a square blue canton in the upper hoist corner bearing eleven white stars. This pennon is one of those made for the Virginia lancers. Its field is all made from polished cotton, hand sewn and hand hemmed on all sides. The flag's four-pointed stars, randomly placed on its blue canton, lend a great whimsical quality to its design, which, combined with the swallowtail form, results in a great example of unintentional folk art in early flag-making.

The pennon was intended to be nailed to its lance, and many of the dozen or so that survive bear rusty nail marks where they were affixed. In spite of their colorful appearance, the lances were rejected as a combat weapon in the eastern Confederacy and were sent to storage in Richmond, where most were found (and looted) by the occupying Union forces that took over that city on 3 April 1865.

Mounting: This is a sandwich mount between 100% cotton velvet and u.v. protective plexiglas. The black fabric was washed and treated to reduce and set the dye. The mount was then placed in a gilded molding that dates to the 1850-1870 period.

Condition: Very good, but fragile with some fracturing (lateral tears) near the fly end of all three stripes.
Collector Level: Flags for the truest Patriots. My best offerings
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: 11
Earliest Date of Origin: 1861
Latest Date of Origin: 1861
State/Affiliation: The Confederacy
War Association: 1861-1865 Civil War
Price: SOLD
 

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