Jeff R. Bridgman American Antiques

Folk portrait of a bull in oil on canvas, signed L.D.D. and dated 1885. Found at an estate in the Hudson, New York area. The painting’s great style and presence in the stylized anima...

BRITISH UNION FLAG OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, WITH BRILLIANT AND UNUSUAL, COBALT BLUE COLORATION, AND A SIMPLIFIED, FOLK STYLE, WITH INCORRECT PROPORTIONS IN THE CROSSES OF ST. ANDRE...

33 STARS IN A DOUBLE-WREATH CONFIGURATION, ON AN ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG DATING IMMEDIATELY PRE-CIVIL WAR THROUGH THE WAR'S OPENING YEAR, REFLECTS THE ADDITION OF OREGON TO THE UNION, ...

ANTIQUE AMERICAN GAME BOARD, CHECKERS OR CHESS, RED & BLACK w/ SHADOWED GOLD SCROLLWORK, circa 1840-70 This diminutive, folding, checkers & chess game board was found in New England...

RED & WHITE, SUNSHINE & SHADOWS, SIGNATURE QUILT, MADE BY THE LADIES AID SOCIETY CHAPTER AT THE UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH IN ROYERSFORD, PENNSYLVANIA, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, DATED 1901 ...

VINTAGE FLAG OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS, THAT BECAME THE TEXAS STATE FLAG, MADE BY DECORATORS, INC. OF BRAZIL, INDIANA, [LATER KNOWN AS THE “OLD GLORY DECORATING COMPANY”], MOST LIKELY...

48 STAR, U.S. NAVY SMALL BOAT ENSIGN, MADE AT MARE ISLAND, CALIFORNIA DURING WWII, SIGNED AND DATED 1944, IN THE SMALLEST SCALE EMPLOYED AT THE TIME 48 star American national flag, ...

VINTAGE CALIFORNIA STATE "BEAR" FLAG OF STOUT CONSTRUCTION, AND WITH SIGNIFICANT GOLDEN BROWN OXIDATION THAT LENDS TO BEAUTIFUL PATINA AND CONVEYS ITS AGE; LATTER 1940’s - 1960’s Early state flags fall between very scarce and extraordinarily rare in the antiques marketplace. One primary reason for this is that most states, even if they existed during the 18th or 19th century, didn’t actually adopt flags until the early 20th century. The Maryland State Legislature, for example, didn’t find need for a state banner until 1904, in spite of the fact that Maryland was one of the original 13 colonies. Other states had crests or symbols that were tied to the state legislature in some way, or to local patriotism, but didn't accept an official design until many years following statehood. In the case of California, the "Bear Flag," as all California state flags and variations thereof are often called, is based on a significant early example. The eldest surviving Bear Flag is thought to date to the 1846 “Bear Flag Revolt”. This occurred when Major John Frémont arrived in the state on a so-called mission to reach the Pacific and encouraged an uprising against Mexican rule in the territory. Frémont claimed himself military governor of the California Republic and was brought up on charges of treason for his actions, but was pardoned by President James Polk. Polk was an expansionist and Frémont’s actions brought California to statehood in 1850, immediately following the 1849 Gold Rush. The original Bear Flag was designed and made by William L. Todd, a first cousin to Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd. Painted on cotton, it had a white field with a red stripe along the bottom, just like the modern design. The star image was taken from what was known as the “California Lone Star Flag”, flown during California's previous, 1836 revolt. Like the modern California flag, the red star appeared the upper hoist-end corner, but the bear was placed next to the star. On a later version, designed by a man named Peter Storm...

42 STARS ON AN ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A WAVE CONFIGURATION OF LINEAL COLUMNS, AN UNOFFICIAL STAR COUNT THAT REFLECTS THE ADDITION OF WASHINGTON STATE, MONTANA, AND THE DAKOTAS, c...

EXCEPTIONAL ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH 38 GLAZED COTTON STARS, IN 3 DIFFERENT SIZES, ARRANGED IN A BEAUTIFULLY GRAPHIC, DOUBLE-WREATH STYLE MEDALLION, WITH TRIANGLES OF 4 STARS IN ...

13 STAR ANTIQUE AMERICAN PARADE FLAG, WITH A 3-2-3-2-3 CONFIGURATION OF STARS, AN EXTREMELY SCARCE AND UNUSUALLY LARGE VARIETY, MADE circa 1876-1899 13 star American national parade...

VOTES FOR WOMEN PARADE TEXTILE IN GREEN, WHITE, & VIOLET, OF A TYPE WORN AS SASHES AND WAVED AS NARROW PARADE BANNERS, MADE IN HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT BY CALHOUN PRESS FOR THE WOMEN'S ...