![13 STARS WITH SHORT, CONICAL ARMS ON A SMALL SCALE, ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A BEAUTIFULLY ELONGATED FORMAT AND MUCH PATINA FROM OBVIOUS USE; MADE DURING THE LAST DECADE OF THE 19th CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY J.S. OBERHOLTZER IN GERMANTOWN [PHILADELPHIA], PENNSYLVANIA](https://jeffbridgman.com/inventory/files//flag+13+stars+short+conical+arms+pennsylvania+philadelphia+5495-1.jpg)
| 13 STARS WITH SHORT, CONICAL ARMS ON A SMALL SCALE, ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A BEAUTIFULLY ELONGATED FORMAT AND MUCH PATINA FROM OBVIOUS USE; MADE DURING THE LAST DECADE OF THE 19th CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY J.S. OBERHOLTZER IN GERMANTOWN [PHILADELPHIA], PENNSYLVANIA |
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| Web ID: | 13j-1704 |
| Available: | In Stock |
| Frame Size (H x L): | 34.75" x 58.75" |
| Flag Size (H x L): | 23" x 47.5" |
| Description: | |
| 13 star antique American flag, made during the last decade of the 19th century, with some beautiful and unusual features that make it distinctly different from what is commonly encountered. The stars are arranged in a medallion configuration that features a single center star, surrounded by a wreath of stars, with a flanking star in each corner of the canton. Although this visually compelling arrangement was a popular one at the time and so not uncommon, note the rather fat profile of the stars, with short, conical arms, the bulbous shape of which is occasionally encountered on flags of this era. Also note the elongated format of the of the flag, when compared to modern examples, which adds to its visual appeal. Many people are unaware that most of the basic aspects of our flag, in spite of it having become such a hallowed symbol of our national identity, remained unspecified until shortly after the 47th and 48th stars were added, near the beginning of the 20th century. It wasn’t until 1912 that President Howard Taft passed an Executive Order that for the first time specified an official configuration of the stars, their shape / number of points, specific shades of red and blue, proportions, and where the canton (blue union) was to rest upon the stiped field. We have made 13 star flags in America from the beginning to the present, for reasons both patriotic and utilitarian. As the number of stars grew with the addition of new states, it became more and more difficult to fit their full complement on a small flag. The stars would, by necessity, have to become smaller, which made it more and more difficult to view them from a distance as individual objects. The fear was that too many stars would become one white mass and distort the ability to identify American ships on the open seas. The U.S. Navy flew 13 stars on its small-scale flags for precisely this reason, particularly during the mid-19th century through the opening of the 20th. This was, of course, the original number of stars on the first American national flag, by way of the First Flag Act of 1777, and equal to the number of original colonies that became states. Flag experts disagree about the precisely when the Navy began to revert to 13 stars and other low counts. Some feel that the use of 13 star flags never ceased, which seems to be supported by depictions of American ships in period artwork. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the average American flag with pieced-and-sewn construction (as opposed to those printed on cloth) was extremely large when compared to those of today. Flags needed to be large in order to serve their purpose as signals, to be recognized at a distance. For the most part, commercial flag-makers simply didn't produce sewn flags that were 3 to 4 feet in length before the 1890's. With but few exceptions, prior to this time, the smallest sewn flags were generally 6 feet on the fly. Even infantry battle flags, to be carried on foot, were 6 x 6.5 feet by military regulation. Lengths of 8-14 feet were common, with both the Army’s garrison flags and the largest flown on Navy ships reaching 35 feet, respectively. Because outdoor and military use had long driven the production of sewn flags, even those made for decorative use were typically far larger than their modern counterparts. Private use grew with the passage of time, raising the need for long-term use flags of a more manageable scale. Beginning around 1890, commercial flag-makers began to produce small flags for the first time in large quantities, namely with dimensions of 2 x 3 feet or 2.5 x 4 feet. Applying the same logic as the U.S. Navy, they chose the 13 star count rather than the full complement of stars for sake of ease and visibility. At 2 x 4 feet, this flag is noticeably unusual among its counterparts. Because there was no official star design for the American national flag until 1912, the configuration of the stars was simply left to the whims of the maker. Medallion patterns like this one, with a star in the center and one in each corner, first appeared on flags of the Civil War era. Though scarce at that time, popularity grew significantly in flags made for the celebration of America’s 1876 centennial of independence, especially in printed parade flags, tacked or glued to a staff, to be waved at parades or political events. Among flags with sewn construction, the most commonly encountered 13 star arrangement, from the Civil War onward, was lineal rows of 3-2-3-2-3. In the 1890’s, when this flag was made, approximately 70% of those being seem to have born the 3-2-3-2-3 arrangement. Medallion patterns were significantly scarcer, representing approximately 20%, with the remainder in other designs. 13 star flags were hoisted at patriotic events, including Lafayette’s visit in 1824-25, the celebration of the nation's centennial in 1876, and the sesquicentennial in 1926, and annual celebrations of Independence Day. They were raised during the Civil War to reference past struggles for American liberty, and displayed by 19th century politicians in political campaigning. Few flag-makers signed their flags until well into the 20th century. Among those I have owned with stars of this format was an example in the 44 star count, stamped along the binding with a maker's mark that read: "J.S. Oberholtzer; 5837 Pulaski Avenue; Germantown [Philadelphia], PA." Though I have owned other flags with the same peculiar stars, sewn in the same manner, the Oberholtzer example was the only one among them that was signed. Construction: The canton and stripes of the flag are made of wool bunting that has been pieced and joined with machine stitching. Note how the canton was pieced from three lengths of fabric—a decision made in order to efficiently employ that left over from the making of larger flags. The stars are made of cotton and double-appliquéd (applied to both sides) with a zigzag machine stitch. There is a twill cotton binding along the hoist with two brass grommets. Because very few flag-makers signed their flags until well into the 20th century, the identification of such can be extremely difficult. Among those I have owned with stars of this format was an example in the 44 star count, stamped along the binding with a maker's mark that read: "J.S. Oberholtzer; 5837 Pulaski Avenue; Germantown [Philadelphia], PA." Though I have owned other flags with the same peculiar stars, sewn in the same manner, the Oberholtzer example remains the only identified example among them. Another item of possible relevance accompanied a flag that I once acquired made by Betsy Ross's great-granddaughter, Sarah M. Wilson, who made little flags with 13 stars in the east wing of Independence Hall, in Philadelphia, and sold them to tourists. Sarah typically signed and dated her flags along the narrow white bindings she applied. In this particular instance, as opposed to signing the hoist, she instead elected to sign a cardboard paper pattern of a star, used in the making of larger flags. The profile of the pattern shared the same design. Because of the great scarcity of this type of star, I suspect that flags that incorporate them were either made by Oberholtzer specifically, or elsewhere in Germantown, where textile production was a dominant industry in early America. Mounting: For 25 years we have maintained our own textile conservation department. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and related textiles and have preserved thousands of examples. Our lead conservator holds a master’s degree from one of the nation’s top university programs. The two-part molding consists of a substantial, deep, gilded, shadowbox molding with a step-down profile and beveled center, and a dark brown exterior, to which a scooped profile molding with a wood-grained surface, dark brown, with reddish highlights, was added as a liner. The background fabric is 100% cotton twill, black in color, that has been washed and treated for color-fastness. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Feel free to inquire for more details. Condition: There is significant golden-brown oxidation, particularly in the stars, accompanied by the same, in less measure, along the hoist, where there is some soiling. There is moderate to significantly darkened patination of the fabrics in the striped field, greater toward the hoist through the center of the flag. There are very minor to modest holes and losses throughout, in limited areas, plus a modest hole at the fly end of the 3rd red stripe, and a moderate hole in the white stripe below it, extending just slightly into the red hem below. There is an endearing, golden-brown, oxidized, hand-sewn patch along the last stripe, added to repair a moderate hole. The grommets are significantly oxidized. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use. |
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| Video: | |
| Collector Level: | Intermediate-Level Collectors and Special Gifts |
| Flag Type: | Sewn flag |
| Star Count: | 13 |
| Earliest Date of Origin: | 1890 |
| Latest Date of Origin: | 1899 |
| State/Affiliation: | 13 Original Colonies |
| War Association: | 1898 Spanish American War |
| Price: | Please call (717) 676-0545 or (717) 502-1281 |
| E-mail: | info@jeffbridgman.com |
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![13 STARS WITH SHORT, CONICAL ARMS ON A SMALL SCALE, ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A BEAUTIFULLY ELONGATED FORMAT AND MUCH PATINA FROM OBVIOUS USE; MADE DURING THE LAST DECADE OF THE 19th CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY J.S. OBERHOLTZER IN GERMANTOWN [PHILADELPHIA], PENNSYLVANIA](https://jeffbridgman.com/inventory/files/flag+13+stars+short+conical+arms+pennsylvania+philadelphia+5495-1.jpg)
![13 STARS WITH SHORT, CONICAL ARMS ON A SMALL SCALE, ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A BEAUTIFULLY ELONGATED FORMAT AND MUCH PATINA FROM OBVIOUS USE; MADE DURING THE LAST DECADE OF THE 19th CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY J.S. OBERHOLTZER IN GERMANTOWN [PHILADELPHIA], PENNSYLVANIA](https://jeffbridgman.com/inventory/files/flag+13+stars+short+conical+arms+pennsylvania+philadelphia+5495-2.jpg)
![13 STARS WITH SHORT, CONICAL ARMS ON A SMALL SCALE, ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A BEAUTIFULLY ELONGATED FORMAT AND MUCH PATINA FROM OBVIOUS USE; MADE DURING THE LAST DECADE OF THE 19th CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY J.S. OBERHOLTZER IN GERMANTOWN [PHILADELPHIA], PENNSYLVANIA](https://jeffbridgman.com/inventory/files/flag+13+stars+short+conical+arms+pennsylvania+philadelphia+5495-3.jpg)
![13 STARS WITH SHORT, CONICAL ARMS ON A SMALL SCALE, ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A BEAUTIFULLY ELONGATED FORMAT AND MUCH PATINA FROM OBVIOUS USE; MADE DURING THE LAST DECADE OF THE 19th CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY J.S. OBERHOLTZER IN GERMANTOWN [PHILADELPHIA], PENNSYLVANIA](https://jeffbridgman.com/inventory/files/flag+13+stars+short+conical+arms+pennsylvania+philadelphia+5495-4.jpg)
![13 STARS WITH SHORT, CONICAL ARMS ON A SMALL SCALE, ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A BEAUTIFULLY ELONGATED FORMAT AND MUCH PATINA FROM OBVIOUS USE; MADE DURING THE LAST DECADE OF THE 19th CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY J.S. OBERHOLTZER IN GERMANTOWN [PHILADELPHIA], PENNSYLVANIA](https://jeffbridgman.com/inventory/files/flag+13+stars+short+conical+arms+pennsylvania+philadelphia+5495-5.jpg)
![13 STARS WITH SHORT, CONICAL ARMS ON A SMALL SCALE, ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A BEAUTIFULLY ELONGATED FORMAT AND MUCH PATINA FROM OBVIOUS USE; MADE DURING THE LAST DECADE OF THE 19th CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY J.S. OBERHOLTZER IN GERMANTOWN [PHILADELPHIA], PENNSYLVANIA](https://jeffbridgman.com/inventory/files/flag+13+stars+short+conical+arms+pennsylvania+philadelphia+5495-6.jpg)
![13 STARS WITH SHORT, CONICAL ARMS ON A SMALL SCALE, ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A BEAUTIFULLY ELONGATED FORMAT AND MUCH PATINA FROM OBVIOUS USE; MADE DURING THE LAST DECADE OF THE 19th CENTURY, POSSIBLY BY J.S. OBERHOLTZER IN GERMANTOWN [PHILADELPHIA], PENNSYLVANIA](https://jeffbridgman.com/inventory/files/flag+13+stars+short+conical+arms+pennsylvania+philadelphia+5495-7.jpg)