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  ENTIRELY HAND-SEWN 13 STAR FLAG, MADE TO CELEBRATE OUR NATION'S CENTENNIAL OF INDEPENDENCE IN 1876

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 59.25" x 82"
Flag Size (H x L): 47" x 69.5"
Description....:
ENTIRELY HAND-SEWN 13 STAR FLAG, MADE TO CELEBRATE OUR NATION'S CENTENNIAL OF INDEPENDENCE IN 1876:

13 star American national flag made to celebrate our nation's 100-year anniversary of independence in 1876. The flag is made of cotton and is entirely hand-sewn with the kind of precision more commonly found in flags dating to the Civil War and prior. The stars are quite large and are placed uncommonly close together, which gives the flag a different appearance than most examples with stars arranged in the 3-2-3-2-3 configuration. It is also nearer-to-square in its proportions than are many 13 star flags of this era, which gives it a more interesting appearance.

In most cases the 3-2-3-2-3 design can also be viewed as a diamond of stars, with a star in each corner and a star in the very center. This is a bit more difficult to visualize in this particular flag, since its stars are so close together. The 3-2-3-2-3 pattern can also be interpreted as a combination of the crosses of St. Andrew and St. George, which some experts feel could have been the design of the very first American flag, serving as a link between this star pattern and the British Union Jack.

In addition to their use at the 1876 centennial, 13 star flags have been used throughout our Nation's history for a variety of purposes. 13 star flags were carried by soldiers during the Mexican and Civil Wars and flown at patriotic events, including Lafayette's visit in 1825-26. The U.S. Navy used 13 star flags on small boats, both in the 18th century and throughout most or all of the 19th century, particularly the second half. The practice ended in 1916 following an executive order of President Woodrow Wilson. In 1848, the New York Yacht Club helped bring about legislation that allowed pleasure boats to bypass customs by flying 13 star flags with an anchor in the center of a circle of stars. This flag is still in use today, though it does not carry the same legal tender. In the 1890's, some pleasure boat captains began to fly 13 star flags without an anchor, in a variety of star configurations. This practice continued into the 1920's and probably afterward. Though made for nautical use, some of these same flags could also be spotted on land for general patriotic purpose, such as display independence day and at the celebration of the sesquicentennial, our nation's 150-year anniversary, in 1926.

Construction: The flag is made entirely of cotton and entirely hand-sewn. The stars are double-appliqued, meaning that they are sewn to both sides of the denim blue canton. There is a cotton sleeve with three hand-sewn, button-hole stitched grommets for hoisting.

Mounting: The flag has been stitched to 100% silk organza on every seam and throughout the star field. The flag was then hand-sewn to background of 100% cotton twill, black in color, which has been washed to remove 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 flag was then placed in a black-painted and hand-gilded, contemporary Italian molding. The front is u.v. protective plexiglas.
Collector Level: Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: 13
Earliest Date of Origin: 1876
Latest Date of Origin: 1876
State/Affiliation: 13 Original Colonies
War Association: 1866-1889 Indian Wars
Price: SOLD
 

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