Annin & Co. Furniture

38 Star antique American flag with a notched configuration, made by the U.S. bunting company in Lowell, Massachusetts, signed "Throckmorton," reflects the era of Colorado statehood, circa 1876-1889: Frame size (H x L): approx. 50" x 78" Flag size (H x L): 37.75" x 66" 38 Star American national flag, press-dyed on wool bunting. The stars are configured in what is known as a "notched" pattern, in which two spaces were left open in anticipation that more Western Territories would soon be added. Colorado became the 38th state on August 1st, 1876. This was the year of our nation’s 100-year anniversary of independence. Per the Third Flag Act of 1818, stars were not officially added until the 4th of July following a state's addition. For this reason, 37 was the official star count for the American flag in 1876. Flag-making was a competitive venture, however, and few flag-makers would have been continuing to produce 37 star flags when their competitors were making 38’s. It is for this reason that 38 and 13 stars (to represent the original 13 colonies) are more often seen at the Centennial International Exposition, the six-month long World’s Fair held in Philadelphia in honor of the event. Some flag-makers would have been adding a star for the 38th state even before it entered the Union, in the early part of 1876 or even prior. In fact, many makers of parade flags were actually producing 39 star flags, in hopeful anticipation of the addition of two more Western Territories instead of one. But the 39th state would not join the Union for another 13 years, when the Dakota Territory entered as two states (numbers 39 and 40) on the same day, November 2nd, 1889. The flag is made of three panels of fabric that have been pieced and joined with hand-stitching. The fly end was bound by hand, and there is a twill cotton binding along the hoist, in the form of an open sleeve, also applied by hand-stitching. Near the top, on the obverse, the following text is stenciled in black: “AMERICAN ENSIGN. 5 - FT." “Ensign” is merely a term for a flag used aboard a ship. The flag was made by the U.S. Bunting Co., in Lowell, Massachusetts and was likely intended for nautical use. Versions of this stencil are seen on other known U.S. Bunting Co. examples, some of which include a April 26th, 1870 patent date. This protected owner, John...