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  33 STARS ARRANGED IN A RARE AND BEAUTIFUL VARIATION OF THE GREAT STAR CONFIGURATION, WITH A STAR BETWEEN EACH ARM, OREGON STATEHOOD, PRE-CIVIL WAR THROUGH WAR PERIOD, 1859-1861

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): Approx. 26" x 32"
Flag Size (H x L): 15.25" x 22.5"
Description....:
33 STARS ARRANGED IN A RARE AND BEAUTIFUL VARIATION OF THE GREAT STAR CONFIGURATION, WITH A STAR BETWEEN EACH ARM, OREGON STATEHOOD, PRE-CIVIL WAR THROUGH WAR PERIOD, 1859-1861:

33 star American parade flag, printed on glazed cotton. This is one of only a tiny number of flags known to exist with this rare and beautiful example of a great star configuration.

Among flag collectors, the Great Star configuration can be described as the most coveted geometric pattern. It seems to have came about shortly before 1818, when Congressman Peter Wendover of New York requested that Captain Samuel Reid, a War of 1812 Naval hero, help to create a new design that would become the third official format of the Stars & Stripes. The primary concern of ship captains was that the signal remained easily recognized on the open seas. Reid's concept of placing all the stars in a star-shaped pattern would have kept the constellation in roughly the same format as the number of states grew and more stars were added, in a distinct design that could be quickly identified through a spyglass. Though his proposal was rejected by President Monroe due to the increased cost of arranging the stars in this manner, the Great Star was produced by anyone willing to make it. Its rarity today, along with its beauty, has driven its desirability among collectors.

Great star patterns vary a lot in their specific style. Note the particularly strong folk quality of this design, which has 3 stars in the center and a star between each arm.

The 33rd state, Oregon, entered the Union on February 14th, 1859. The 33 star flag was official from 1859-1861, and was thus still the official flag when Ft. Sumter was fired upon, on April 12th of that year. This event marked the beginning of the Civil War and a 33 star flag was flying at Ft. Sumter during the attack. Because the 34th state, Kansas, had already acquired statehood on January 29th, 1861, flag makers knew that the 34 star flag would soon become official. For this reason, 33 star flags were not produced in great quantity for the war, which would last until 1865, and the 33 can be considered to be more of a pre-Civil War flag than a war-period flag. 33 star flags are quite rare; far more so than their 34- and 35-star counterparts.

Mounting: The elaborate, three-part, gilded, paint-decorated and ebonized frame has decoration etched into the white gesso and dates to the same period as the flag (1860-1870). 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 and the fabric was heat-treated for the same purpose. In addition, a length of ivory white silk organza was placed between the black cotton and the flag. Spacers keep the textile away from the glass, which is U.V. protective.

Condition: There is blue ink spatter in the white stars, accompanied by significant staining near the fly end of the stripe field. Each of these issues was lightly diminished by one of my conservation staff using reversible media. There is more minor staining throughout, accompanied by moderate fading of the red stripes.
Collector Level: Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything
Flag Type: Parade flag
Star Count: 33
Earliest Date of Origin: 1859
Latest Date of Origin: 1861
State/Affiliation: Oregon
War Association: 1777-1860 Pre-Civil War
Price: SOLD
 

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