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  EXCEPTIONALLY RARE 13 STAR FLAG IN A 4-4-5 LINEAL PATTERN, THE ONLY KNOWN EXAMPLE WITH THIS UNUSUAL STAR DESIGN, CA 1835-1865

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 47" x 78.25"
Flag Size (H x L): 33" x 64.25"
Description....:
EXCEPTIONALLY RARE 13 STAR FLAG IN A 4-4-5 LINEAL PATTERN, THE ONLY KNOWN EXAMPLE WITH THIS UNUSUAL STAR DESIGN, CA 1835-1865:

We have made 13 star flags in America from 1777 to the present. The U.S. Navy used the 13 star count on small boats until 1916, because it was easier to discern fewer stars at a distance on a small flag. They were displayed during the Civil War, to reference past struggles for American freedom and victory over oppression, and were used by 19th century politicians in political campaigning for the same reason. They were hoisted at patriotic events, the celebration of the nation's centennial in 1876, and the sesquicentennial in 1926, and countless patriotic events from the mid-19th century onward.

So what’s so special about this flag? Dating sometime in the period between the 1830's and the Civil War, it is the only example that I have ever encountered with the stars arranged in rows in counts of 4-4-5.

Since there was no official configuration for the stars on the American national flag until 1912, the design was left to the whims of its maker. Among all early 13 star flags with pieced-and-sewn construction, the 3-2-3-2-3 configuration is the most common during the 19th century. This was probably what appeared on our nation’s first flag, produced after the Flag Act of June 14th, 1777. The perfect circle of stars, often attributed to the seamstress Betsy Ross and foremost in American consciousness, is practically never encountered until the 20th century and its history is thought by most academics to be rooted in myth.

The 3-2-3-2-3 arrangement is followed in popularity by a configuration that has a wreath of 8 stars with a single star in the center, and a flanking star in each corner. Next down the scale in terms of scarcity are patterns like the 4-5-4 lineal design and what’s known as the “3rd Maryland” pattern, which bears a wreath of 12 stars surrounding a single center star. Then there are other, much rarer designs such as snowflakes (typically consisting of two wreaths with a center star), the Trumbull pattern (a rectangle with a center star), and an arrangement where all of the stars are placed in the form of one big star, called the “Great Star”, usually with 6 arms. In fact, I have noted more than 40 different 13 star configurations, just across the flags that I have personally owned. More exist. While seemingly benign, rows of stars in any other arrangement than 3-2-3-2-3 or 4-5-4 are especially rare.

5-3-5 is a pattern present on somewhere between 5 and 10 known flags, all of which seem to have been produced by the same maker, in the same size, during the latter half of the 19th century. 18th century illustrations exist with stars arranged in rows of 3-3-3-3 plus one additional star above or below, but no actual flags survive in either one of these closely related styles. One flag with its stars arranged in rows of 4-3-4-2, which I previously owned, is the only surviving example in that pattern. The closest thing to the flag in question here, with its 4-4-5 layout, is a single one with the vertical mirror image that I previously handled. Formerly part of the Mastai Collection of American flags, this 5-4-4 pattern example is featured on page 66 of "The Stars & The Stripes," Mastai, Boleslaw & Marie D'Otrange (1973, Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York, 1973).

The flag has a nice sense of folk quality in its design. Note how the stars in the first two rows are loosely oriented with 1 point upward. While irregular and slightly canted, one can tell, nonetheless, that some degree of effort was made for uniformity. In the last row, however, the first and last star are canted to the right, with one point in the 1:00 position, while the three stars in the middle are upside-down, with one point facing at 6:00. Many have points that are unequal in shape and size and display the elements of hand-made construction.

The flag is entirely hand-sewn throughout with linen thread. The stars of the flag are made of a cotton and linen blended fabric, hand-sewn and double-appliquéd (applied to both sides of the canton). The canton and stripes are made of wool bunting. There is a linen hoist with 3 whip-stitched grommets. A fiber identification report from the University of Rhode Island is included, as well as microscopic imagery.

The flag probably pre-dates the Civil War. Though it may date as late as the war itself (1861-65), the use of linen thread instead of cotton is an early indicator and the linen content in the stars is unusual. The weave of the wool bunting is somewhat irregular, and while not a clear indication of a pre-war date, bears some consideration when weighed with other evidence. Civil War period flags have more consistency than their pre-war counterparts. Aspects of their design that conspicuously deviate from expected profiles, such as a one-of-a-kind star configuration, are what one might expect in a pre-war design.

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. The only consistent private use prior to 1861 seems to have accompanied political campaigning.

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.

The stitching is quite crude for the period, which suggests that the flag may have been made by someone not regularly employed in the task. Wool bunting wasn't readily available and had no other use besides the manufacture of flags and banners. To see it used in a homemade textile is unusual, though the fabric would have been more accessible in port towns. It also would have been used by military personnel, who may have been given the task of flag-making. Because the method of stitching and appliqué work is unusual in the stars, running parallel to the edges rather than overlapping them, I would suggest that while the maker of the flag had some sewing skill, he or she was not a professional flag-maker. Because the Navy preferred this star count and made their own flags, one might suggest that it was made for naval use and that perhaps the 4-5-4 pattern, often used in the early part of the Civil War and prior, was mistakenly laid out as 4-4-5. But the flag lacks the sort of hoist expected for maritime applications and thus its purpose remains a mystery.

The flag's relatively small size when compared to others made during the 19th century adds considerable appeal. In modern times, this flag might be considered large by the casual observer. Prior to the 1890’s, however, it is small when compared to its many counterparts with sewn construction. Printed parade flags (sometimes called hand-wavers) were generally three feet long or smaller, but flags with sewn construction were generally eight feet long and larger. This is because flags needed to be seen from a distance to be effective in their purpose as signals, while today their use is more often decorative and the general display of patriotism. The average 19th century sewn flag can be cumbersome to frame and display in an indoor setting. This is why many collectors prefer printed parade flags and smaller sewn flags, like this one.

Mounting: The flag has been hand-stitched to 100% cotton, black in color. The black fabric 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. The mount was then placed in a substantial, hand-gilded Italian molding with a wide, serpentine profile and a rippled inner edge. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic.

Condition: There is significant wear with associated loss in the wool canton from extended use, as well as in the first and last stripes toward the fly end. There are moderate losses toward the fly end of the 2nd, 5th, 9th, 10th and 11th stripes. There are minor losses elsewhere and there is minor foxing and staining. 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: 13
Earliest Date of Origin: 1835
Latest Date of Origin: 1865
State/Affiliation: 13 Original Colonies
War Association: 1777-1860 Pre-Civil War
Price: Please call (717) 676-0545 or (717) 502-1281
 

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