| EXCEPTIONAL RED CROSS BANNER WITH WHIMSICAL LETTERING AND A TERRIFIC SLOGAN, WWI (U.S. INVOLVEMENT 1917-18), ONE OF APPROXIMATELY THREE EXAMPLES PRESENTLY IDENTIFIED |
|
| Web ID: | pat-742 |
| Available: | In Stock |
| Frame Size (H x L): | 34.5" x 48.75" |
| Flag Size (H x L): | 21.75" x 36" |
| Description: | |
| Made during the First World War, this extraordinary banner of the American Red Cross, printed on plain weave cotton, is a gem among surviving textiles commissioned for the organization. Even though it wasn't exactly produced as such, the banner is a fantastic piece of American folk art, with the combination of words, and visual impact forcing it soundly into this category. Some years ago, I acquired one of the very same type. At that point in time, I had not before seen its equal. Bowled over by the exceptional graphics in its varied styles of lettering—more like what you see during the 19th century than the 20th, I could find nothing of similar quality in my associated research. In fact, there was barely anything vintage or antique with imagery much beyond the generic scarlet cross on a white ground. The verbiage is undeniably great: "The Red Cross Needs You; Join Now; Be Patriotic--Be Humane." Today I know of one other, in addition to this example and the one I sold previously, for a total of three. I have also seen a variation on the basic design, not as dynamic but similar, reproduced for the television series “Gilded Age.” Displayed behind the actress who plays Clara Barton, founder of the Red Cross, it has the same text at the top and in the middle, though the fonts are not quite as strong, but along the bottom, the slogan “Be Patriotic--Be Humane” is replaced by “Answer the Call.” The first example of this banner that I acquired a fine, blue, hand-sewn binding around the perimeter, and 4 sets of long, red, cotton ties, hand-sewn to the top edge and distributed along it. Because these were so incredibly graphic in their own right, and what they collectively added to the presentation of a banner that looks way more like 19th century printed advertising than something from the 20th, I elected to up the ante, if you will, seeking out red and blue, antique cotton fabrics, as close in color as possible to those used in the first banner, using them to replicate the same binding and ties on this example, to make the two as identical as I could. Below the horizontal dash, in the bottom center, is the Union Bug. This denotes that the banner was printed with union labor. Although the text within it cannot be read, along the top arch, and in the center, the verbiage would almost certainly read "Allied Printing Trades Council; Union Label." Below this, the geographic location and numeric identification of it, would be noted. A numeric designation next to the mark on the other appeared to have read "184" or "164." Unfortunately, it was not enough information to make an attribution. Mounting: The banner has been hand-stitched to 100% cotton, black in color, which was washed and treated for colorfastness. The mount was placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding, with a wide shaped profile. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Condition: The binding and ties were added by us, using antique fabric of the late 19th century, as described above, with the binding whip-stitched in the same and somewhat unusual way that it was on the banner we previously owned, with whip stitches very close together and larger than normal. The textile was not trimmed square originally, as is often the case with parade flags and like-printed textiles. We carefully trimmed a fragment of the border on one size, and moved the fabric to the opposing side, so that the binding could be applied and not interfere with the lettering. The condition is remarkable, with but very minor age toning. |
|
| Video: | |
| Collector Level: | Flags for the truest Patriots. My best offerings |
| Flag Type: | Parade flag |
| Star Count: | |
| Earliest Date of Origin: | 1917 |
| Latest Date of Origin: | 1918 |
| State/Affiliation: | |
| War Association: | WW 1 |
| Price: | Please call (717) 676-0545 or (717) 502-1281 |
| E-mail: | info@jeffbridgman.com |
 |
|
