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  48 STARS, AN ELONGATED HOMEMADE FLAG WITH CRUDE FOLK FEATURES, FOUND IN BRITAIN, LIKELY MADE IN FRANCE OR BELGIUM, FLOWING LIBERATION FROM THE GERMANS DURING WWII (1941-45)

Available: Sold
Frame Size (H x L): 36.25" X 62.25"
Flag Size (H x L): 25.5" X 51.25"
Description....:
48 STARS, AN ELONGATED HOMEMADE FLAG WITH CRUDE FOLK FEATURES, FOUND IN BRITAIN, LIKELY MADE IN FRANCE OR BELGIUM, FLOWING LIBERATION FROM THE GERMANS DURING WWII (1941-45):

This homemade 48 star American national flag is unusual, visually powerful, and intellectually intriguing for several reasons. Found in Great Britain and probably dating to the WWII era (US involvement 1941-45), the flag features just the sort of crude folky qualities often present in European-made examples, such as those produced in France and Belgium to welcome American troops following liberation from the Nazis. Words could hardly express the relief and heartfelt thanks exuded from the citizens of occupied, war-torn villages, who gathered whatever fabrics they had available and hastily sewed small flags for the incoming procession of American soldiers, tanks and armored vehicles.

Note the great variation in the width of the stripes that lends pleasing visual movement to the overall design, which is exaggeratedly long and skinny. This profile is unusual among liberation flags, which are often near-to-square. Liberation flags were typically waved by hand or tacked to a make-do staff of some nature. In contrast, this flag has a rolled hoist binding with a sewn in rope, at the ends of which are toggles made from a spilt length of bamboo (or a similar reed). These suggest that the flag was hoisted on a flag pole or perhaps on the mast of a boat.

Since most of the liberation flags that I have encountered were, in fact, found in France or Belgium, the discovery of this flag in England and its atypical, narrow profile warrant additional examination. One alternative theory is that the flag was made for a British ship that unexpectedly needed to sail into an American port and needed and impromptu signal. Whatever the case may be, use as a liberation flag is probably the most likely explanation. I have on several occasions found pairs of flags that included one Stars & Stripes and one Union Jack, evidently made by the same individual to welcome both American and British servicemen. Perhaps this flag had a British mate that was previously separated from it, or perhaps it was left in the UK by an American soldier for some reason now unknown and undiscoverable. Whatever its original purpose, the flag now survives as one of the remarkably small numbers of 48 star, WWII-era flags found "across the pond" with homemade construction.

Construction: The flag is made entirely of cotton. The stars are hand-sewn and double-appliqued (applied to both sides of the blue canton). The stripe field was constructed in an unusual fashion. Strips of red cotton fabric were torn and hastily appliqued by machine, with black thread, to either side of a wide length of white cotton that was most likely a bed sheet. The binding along the hoist end was created by rolling the white background over onto itself to create an open sleeve, trough which a length of thick cotton rope was threaded. The rope was then tied to two small lengths of split bamboo (or a similar reed), which serve as toggles.

Mounting: The flag has been back-stitched to 100% silk organza for support. The flag was then hand-sewn to background of 100% cotton, black in color, which has been washed to remove 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 flag was then placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic.

Condition: There is very minor foxing and staining. There is a tiny hole near the fly end of the first white stripe. The overall condition is excellent for the period, especially for a flag that seems to have been used outdoors.
Collector Level: Intermediate-Level Collectors and Special Gifts
Flag Type: Sewn flag
Star Count: 48
Earliest Date of Origin: 1917
Latest Date of Origin: 1945
State/Affiliation: Arizona
War Association: WW 2
Price: SOLD
 

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