Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
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  45 HAND-EMBROIDERED STARS WITH WONDERFUL, FLOWER-LIKE PROFILES ON A HOMEMADE SILK FLAG WITH A CORNFLOWER BLUE CANTON AND BURGUNDY RED STRIPES, A MAGIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THE 1896-1908 PERIOD, SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR ERA, UTAH STATEHOOD

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 34.25" x 49.75"
Flag Size (H x L): 23" x 38.5"
Description....:
45 HAND-EMBROIDERED STARS WITH WONDERFUL, FLOWER-LIKE PROFILES ON A HOMEMADE SILK FLAG WITH A CORNFLOWER BLUE CANTON AND BURGUNDY RED STRIPES, A MAGNIFICENT EXAMPLE OF THE 1896-1908 PERIOD, SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR ERA, UTAH STATEHOOD:

45 star American national flag, made entirely of silk and exhibiting some of the nicest folk qualities that one may encounter in this period (1896-1907). Its features are more congruent with those of a homemade, Civil War period flag of the early 1860's than one of the Spanish-American War (1898). Chief among these are the fine fabrics employed by the maker, which bear unusual shades of burgundy red and cornflower blue, and the especially endearing stars, which are carefully hand-embroidered and have arms that closely resemble petals of a flower.

Note how the stars are all oriented such that they have two points up instead of one and are thus upside-down with respect to how we typically expect to see them today. No one knows if this orientation had any purpose. It is entirely possible that the maker of the flag did not feel that any particular position was “right-side-up”, but whatever the case may be, the circumstance is more appealing to collectors and the resulting graphics are more unusual to the eye.

Another of the flag's atypical features can be found in the placement of the canton, which is larger than usual with respect to the field of stripes, because it rests two stripes below where it usually would. This is seldom encountered and makes a positive contribution to the strong graphic qualities present in this homemade textile.

None of the silk is weighted, which explains why the flag survived in such excellent condition.* The cloth is supple and its colors are rich and interesting. The canton and stripes have been joined with treadle stitching. There is an open sleeve along the hoist, made of silk like the rest of the flag, which isn't common among homemade silk flags, which were typically bound with a narrow band of silk or had cotton hoist. In either case they were traditionally affixed with tacks or silk ties, but seldom did silk flags like this one have open silk sleeves, through which a staff would be passed before the flag was tacked into place. This feature is indicative of military use and this may well have been made as a guidon or as an officer's personal flag. The flag has no specific known history and may have been made for parade use, but the scale is more consistent with the former two functions and the construction is precisely what one would expect of a military flag.

In the 1890-1912 era, most flags with pieced-and-sewn construction measured between 6 and 8 feet. Those measuring 5 feet on the fly were produced in scarce quantity. 3 and 4-foot flags were produced during this period, but they almost invariably had 13 stars as opposed to the full star count, equal to the total number of states. Commercially-made flags with sewn construction in the 45 star count are quite rare and are extraordinarily so in sizes less than 4 feet. Because our nation had become more and more industrialized by this time, homemade flags were few and far between, but when encountered they tend to be large like their commercially-made counterparts. At approximately 23" x 38.5", the wonderful small scale of this particular example is terrific because it provides for an ideal balance of excellent visual impact with manageable size for framing and display.

Utah became the 45th state in 1896. It had been attempting to gain statehood for many years, but remained a territory, primarily due to the fact that the Mormon Church and Utah authorities continued to be openly tolerant of polygamy. In 1890, Mormon Church President Wilford Woodruff published a manifesto that denounced the contract of “any marriages forbidden by the law of the land”. This gave way to Utah’s 1896 acceptance. The 45 star flag was generally used from that year until 1907, when Oklahoma joined the Union. Due to the Spanish-American War (1898) and Teddy Roosevelt’s famous world tour of the “White Fleet” (launched in 1907), this was an extremely patriotic period. Officially the 45 star count was replaced by 46 on July 4th, 1908.

Mounting: The flag has been hand-stitched to 100% cotton, black in color, which was washed to reduce excess dye. An acid-free agent was added to the wash to further set the dye, which was heat-treated for the same purpose. The mount was then placed in a combination of moldings that are made of wood, but have exceptional finishes that look like rusted iron and gunmetal. A shadow box was created to enhance the presentation and at the same time keep the textile away from the glazing, which is U.V. protective Plexiglas.

Condition: There is a series of tack holes along the sleeve with small associated rust stains. There are a few very tiny holes and stains throughout and there is a tiny bit of wear at the top and bottom of the fly end. The overall condition is exceptional considering age and materials. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use.

* Most flags with pieced-and-sewn construction that were made of silk during the mid-late 19th century, have splits of various severity because the silk was weighted by merchants with mineral salts and other agents to make it heavier. This practice began sometime between 1820 and 1850, who began to sell silk by weight rather than by length and weighted it to increase the price that they could obtain. Weighting agents were caustic to the fabric over time, which resulted in associated breakdown.
Collector Level: Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: 45
Earliest Date of Origin: 1896
Latest Date of Origin: 1908
State/Affiliation: Utah
War Association: 1898 Spanish American War
Price: SOLD
 

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