Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
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  NEW YORK YACHT CLUB BURGEE, CA 1875-1895, A VERY RARE FIND FROM THE LATE 19TH CENTURY

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 34" x 48"
Flag Size (H x L): 23.25" x 36.5"
Description....:
Flag of the New York Yacht Club, made of wool bunting with a single appliquéd cotton star, a sailcloth canvas hoist, and two brass grommets. Dating sometime between the latter 1870's and the mid-1890's, this is equivalent to the earliest that I have ever seen and one of only two 19th century examples that I have encountered in the marketplace.

The New York Yacht Club was founded on July 30th, 1844 by John Cox Stevens and eight other men, who named Stevens its first commodore. One year later its first clubhouse was built in Hoboken, New Jersey on land along the Hudson River, donated by Stevens. In the same year its burgee was designed and today remains one of the most recognized of all such signals.

While the club has been in existence for 170 years, early NYYC burgees are almost never encountered. With the exception of a very large silk example that purportedly once belonged to J.P. Morgan and supposedly dated to around 1897, I have not had the opportunity to acquire any other example of this era or prior.

Certainly flown for an extended enough period to receive expected wear at the tip, the colors are strong and the flag's presentation is wonderful. The size is small and manageable, yet large enough to have great presence and impact.

Mounting: The flag was mounted and framed in our own conservation department, which is led by masters degree trained staff. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and have framed thousands of examples; more than anyone worldwide. Feel free to contact us for more details about how this particular flag was mounted.

The background is 100% hemp or a hemp and cotton blended fabric. The mount was placed in a hand-gilded French molding with an early American profile, to which a rippled molding, black with gold highlights, was added as a cap. The glazing is U.V. protective Plexiglas.

Condition: There is extremely minor mothing and there is fabric loss from wind shear at the tip at the fly end. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age.
Collector Level: Advanced Collectors and the Person with Everything
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: Other
Earliest Date of Origin: 1875
Latest Date of Origin: 1895
State/Affiliation: New York
War Association:
Price: SOLD
 

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