| 38 STARS IN A MEDALLION CONFIGURATION WITH 2 OUTLIERS, ON AN ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH VIBRANT COLORATION, REFLECTS COLORADO STATEHOOD, 1876-1889, ILLUSTRATED IN “THE STARS & STRIPES: FABRIC OF THE AMERICAN SPIRIT” by RICHARD PIERCE, 2005 |
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| Web ID: | 38j-812 |
| Available: | In Stock |
| Frame Size (H x L): | 19" x 15.5" |
| Flag Size (H x L): | 12.5" x 8" |
| Description: | |
| 38 star American parade flag, printed on coarse, glazed cotton. The stars are arranged in a triple-wreath form of the medallion configuration, with a single center star and two stars flanking outside the basic pattern, toward the fly end. Most circular medallion patterns of this sort exhibit four flanking stars beyond the consecutive wreaths, one in each corner. The inclusion of only two was intentional, allowing for the easy addition of two more stars. Flag-makers knew that more Western Territories were soon to be added and eagerly anticipated their arrival. Use of fewer than four outliers was popular in 38 star parade flags, but is rarely encountered in other star counts. Note how the vibrant, chromatic luster of the orange stripes provides striking contrast with the blue canton, and how this contributes to the flag's beautiful presentation. Many parade flags in this star count have red stripes that lean heavily toward orange. This was common across printed flags produced between the 1850's and the 38 star period, phasing out in the last decade of the 19th century. Colorado became the 38th state on August 1st, 1876. This was the year of our nation’s 100-year anniversary of independence. Per the Third Flag Act of 1818, stars were not officially added until the 4th of July following a state's addition. For this reason, 37 was the official star count for the American flag in 1876. Flag-making was a competitive venture, however, and few flag-makers would have been continuing to produce 37 star flags when their competitors were making 38’s. It is for this reason that 38 and 13 stars (to represent the original 13 colonies) are more often seen at the Centennial International Exposition, the six-month long World’s Fair held in Philadelphia in honor of the event. Some flag-makers would have been adding a star for the 38th state even before it entered the Union, in the early part of 1876 or even prior. In fact, many makers of parade flags were actually producing 39 star flags, in hopeful anticipation of the addition of two more Western Territories instead of one. But the 39th state would not join the Union for another 13 years, when the Dakota Territory entered as two states on the same day. The 38 star flag generally fell from use at that time, though it technically remained official until July 3rd, 1890. President Ulysses S. Grant was in office when the first 38 star flags would have appeared. The list of presidents serving during the period when the 38 star flag was actually official, include Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, and Benjamin Harrison. Provenance: Jeff R. Bridgman Antiques to collector Jim Ring; Jeff R. Bridgman Antiques to collector Richard Pierce. This exact flag was pictured on page 27 of "The Stars & The Stripes: Fabric of the American Spirit" by Richard Pierce (published by Richard Pierce, 2005). Mounting: The flag was mounted and framed within our own conservation department, which is led by expert trained staff. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and have framed thousands of examples. The solid walnut molding, with its original, gilded liner, dates to the period between 1870 and 1890. The flag has was hand-stitched to a background of 100% hemp fabric. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Condition: There is minor foxing and staining throughout and there is very minor pigment loss in the canton. There are very minor tears where the flag was affixed to its original wooden staff. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and evidence of use. |
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| Collector Level: | Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything |
| Flag Type: | Parade flag |
| Star Count: | 38 |
| Earliest Date of Origin: | 1876 |
| Latest Date of Origin: | 1889 |
| State/Affiliation: | Colorado |
| War Association: | 1866-1890 Indian Wars |
| Price: | Please call (717) 676-0545 or (717) 502-1281 |
| E-mail: | info@jeffbridgman.com |
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