Jeff Bridgman Antique Flags
Sold Flags



  TWENTY-FOOT U.S. NAVY COMMISSIONING PENNANT WITH 13 STARS IN A TWO ROW ARRANGEMENT ON A DUSTY BLUE CANTON, WITH A PRESENTATION INSCRIPTION, 1876 - 1892

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 44.5" x 65.5"
Flag Size (H x L): 32" x 53" (10.25" tall x 235" unfurled)
Description....:
TWENTY-FOOT U.S. NAVY COMMISSIONING PENNANT WITH 13 STARS IN A TWO ROW ARRANGEMENT ON A DUSTY BLUE CANTON, WITH A PRESENTATION INSCRIPTION, 1876 - 1892:

Commissioning pennants are the distinguishing mark of a commissioned U.S. Navy ship. A ship becomes commissioned when this pennant is hoisted. Flown during both times of peace and war, the only time the pennant is not flown is if a flag officer or civilian official is aboard and replaces it with their own flag.

This particular example was made sometime between the 1876 centennial era and 1892, when presentation text was inscribed along the hoist binding with a dip pen. This reads: "From A.C. to [sic] S., followed by the date. Although the identities of the parties is not known, this would most certainly be from the captain of the ship to a recipient of some significance.

The construction of the flag could be of 1890 era vintage, but the stars are hand-sewn and single-appliqued, which is more consistent with earlier periods. This means that they were applied to one side of the canton, then the blue fabric was cut from behind each star, folded over, and under-hemmed, so that one star could be viewed on both sides of the flag. I always find single-appliqued stars more interesting, not only because they are evidence of a more difficult level of seam-work and stitchery, but also because they are more visually intriguing. The two visible rows of hand-sewing emphasize their handmade construction, which is attractive and appeals to connoisseurs of early American objects. This method of applying stars was most common during the Civil War (1861-65) and prior. In the 1860's it accounts for perhaps 20 percent of flags with appliqued stars. By 1876 the portion drops to perhaps 10 percent, and by 1890 probably accounts for less than 1 percent.

This having been said, note the color of the blue wool bunting, which has faded to an attractive shade of blue-grey. This is caused by the colorfastness of the pigment; the dye is fugitive, meaning that it broke down of its own accord and was not simply the result of too much light exposure. This condition is most often seen among surviving flags made of wool bunting during the narrow 5-year time frame between 1890 and 1895. It can also be encountered among 36 star flags (1864-67), but with merino wool construction as opposed to bunting. Such fading is seldom seen in wool flags of other periods unless the light exposure was extremely prolonged.

Most commissioning pennants have a swallowtail form at the extreme fly end, while some, like this flag, simply taper to a finished point. Commissioning pennants with 13 stars typically display them in a single row. These are displayed in 2 rows with staggered positioning, which is attractive as well as unusual. Both the canton and the stripes are made of wool bunting, which has been pieced with treadle stitching. This is typical of the 1876-1890's era. There is a coarse linen binding, which is open at the top and bottom to create a sleeve, through which a rope hoist could be passed, but a hole in the center suggests that it may have originally had a single metal grommet. The number "20" is stenciled on the reverse side of the hoist to indicate size in feet.

During the 18th and early 19th centuries, commissioning pennants would typically display a number of stars that reflected the official count on the American national flag. As time progressed and more and more states were added, the number was commonly reduced to either 13 stars, to reflect the original number of states, or 7 stars. According to the U.S. Navy, the reason for the choice of 7 stars was not recorded. I have suggested that this number may have been chosen to stand for the 7 seas, but it may just have well have been for some other purpose.

The U.S. Navy flew 13 star flags on small boats, not only in the 18th century, but throughout much or all of the 19th century, particularly the second half. This practice theoretically ended in 1916 following an executive order from then-President Woodrow Wilson, though old military traditions die hard and according to at least one expert, Wilson's order did not completely dispel the presence of 13 star flags on U.S. Navy craft.

Ship captains were especially concerned about the ability of foreign ships to recognize the flag on the open seas. On small flags in particular, when viewed at a distance, the use of fewer stars made them easier to view as individual objects. Keeping the count at 13, to reflect the original 13 colonies, maintained patriotic tradition, as well as consistency and better visibility.

The same logic was applied to the manufacture of commissioning pennants of smaller scale, such as this example, which measures approximately 20 feet on the fly. Among surviving examples, this is rather large. During the 18th and 19th centuries, however, these signals were a very important means of identifying war ships at sea. For this reason, their length often well-exceed this, with some reaching as long as one hundred feet. So 20 feet was actually a small pennant by 19th century standards.

Around the turn of the 20th century, the function of commissioning pennants leaned away from identification and more toward ceremony and custom. By WWI (U.S. involvement 1917-18) all such signals bore 7 stars and the largest measured just two-and-a-half inches by six feet, with the smallest were just 4 feet on the fly. Because longer examples appear to have been regularly discarded, they are a rarity. Because they display so beautifully when thoughtfully presented and properly conserved, they can be a dynamic addition to a collection of American flags or Americana in general.

Mounting: The pennant has been hand-stitched to 100% cotton, black in color, which has been 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. The mount was then placed in a hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding with a wide ogee profile and a silver inner edge. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic.

Condition: There is very minor foxing and staining and very minor mothing. There is moderate breakdown of the blue pigment. The condition is exceptional for a wool flag of the period.
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: 1892
State/Affiliation: 13 Original Colonies
War Association: 1866-1890 Indian Wars
Price: SOLD
 

Views: 3023