| UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS PENNANT FROM PARRIS ISLAND, circa WWI (U.S. INVOLVEMENT 1917-18) -1930’s |
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| Web ID: | pat-785 |
| Available: | In Stock |
| Frame Size (H x L): | Approx. 19.5" x 38" |
| Flag Size (H x L): | 8" x 26.5" |
| Description: | |
| Faded, red, felt, United States Marine Corps pennant with a variant of the central device of its official seal printed in blue, yellow, gold, tan, and white pigments, and “Parris Island S.C.” in white beyond, slightly arched, extending toward the tapered point. Note the whimsical profile of the letter “c,” with an exaggerated, scrolling tail. The device generally consists of a federal eagle perched upon a globe, superimposed on a canted anchor with a whirling chain, the combination of which is to symbolize the Corps’ watchful, worldwide, maritime presence. In this instance the image was modified to fit the elongated profile of a pennant’s basic design, with the anchor rotated slightly clockwise to the horizontal, an adaptation sometimes encountered in both Marine Corps and U.S. Navy examples. The colors used to represent the Marine Corps changed over time. The present combination of scarlet red and gold, predominant here, were formally adopted in 1925, but American military traditions tend to be as hard to extinguish as the men and women of their ranks, and the Corps was certainly no exception. 14 years would pass before the official change caught up with the Marine Corps’ flag. Between 1914 (the opening year of WWI in Europe) and 1939, this retained a deep blue ground with scarlet red streamers containing golden yellow text that read: “United States Marine Corps” and the Latin slogan “Semper Fi,” placed above and below its coat of arms, respectively. There is a white felt binding along the hoist, with two pairs of burgundy/violet ties. Although the color of the tie can sometimes be independent from the remainder of the textile, some Marine Corps pennants of this era actually utilize this color as a background instead of red or blue, so it is not at all surprising to encounter here. Based upon the characteristics present, and my experience with lots of early pennants across a multitude of organizations and events, I would place the date somewhere between WWI (U.S. involvement 1917-1918) and the 1930’s, though it may possibly have been made as late as WWII (U.S. involvement 1941-45). Located just south of Port Royal, South Carolina, Parris Island has sometimes historically been spelled ‘Paris’ Island, due to inconsistencies in the spelling of the surname of the British Colonel for which it is named. Parris (Paris) purchased it in 1715, along with eight smaller islands that surround it. The name Parris Island was given when an American Naval base was established there in 1889. U.S. Marines were first stationed there two year later, in 1891. It became the primary U.S. Marine Corps recruiting depot in 1915, just before WWI, and has remained so for more than 100 years. Mounting: For 25 years we have maintained our own textile conservation department, led by a master’s degree level graduate from one of the nation’s top programs. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and related textiles and have preserved thousands of examples. The background is 100% hemp fabric, ivory in color. The mount was placed in a dark brown, cove-shaped molding with a wood grain surface and reddish highlights, to which a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding was added as a liner. A shadowbox was created to accommodate the ties, which have a three-dimensional fold. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Feel free to contact us for more details. Condition: There are small losses with associated loss along the top edge of the pennant, one of these just above the letter “P” and adjacent to a tack mark above the letter “N.” There is another such mark toward the fly end, and two along the white reinforcement along the hoist, and there are a couple of other tiny holes. The background has moderately to significantly faded to the current shade. One of the ties was absent. I was able to replace this by slightly modifying the originals, so no new fabric was required. |
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| Video: | |
| Collector Level: | Beginners and Holiday Gift Giving |
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| Earliest Date of Origin: | 1917 |
| Latest Date of Origin: | 1930's |
| State/Affiliation: | South Carolina |
| War Association: | |
| Price: | Please call (717) 676-0545 or (717) 502-1281 |
| E-mail: | info@jeffbridgman.com |
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