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Antique American Private Yacht Flag (Ensign) w/ 13 Stars, ca 1890's

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  • Antique American Flag, 32 Stars, Minnesota Statehood, ca 1858-59
    Located in York County, PA
    32 STARS IN A VERY UNUSUAL NOTCHED VERSION OF THE “GREAT STAR” PATTERN, WITH TWO STARS ABSENT AT THE EXTREME POINTS OF EACH ARM, MADE IN THE PERIOD WHEN MINNESOTA JOINED THE UNION AS...
    Category

    Antique 1850s American Political and Patriotic Memorabilia

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    Cotton

  • 13 Star Antique American Flag with Hand-Sewn Stars in 5-3-5 Pattern, ca 1861-65
    Located in York County, PA
    Antique American flag with 13 hand-sewn stars in an extremely rare lineal configuration of 5-3-5, probably made with the intent of use by local militia or private outfitting of a vol...
    Category

    Antique 1860s American Political and Patriotic Memorabilia

    Materials

    Wool

  • Outstanding 13 Star Hand-sewn American Private Yacht Flag, ca 1865-1885
    Located in York County, PA
    OUTSTANDING, 13 STAR, ANTIQUE AMERICAN PRIVATE YACHT ENSIGN WITH GREAT FOLK QUALITIES THAT INCLUDE AN UNUSUALLY WIDE ANCHOR AND A DECIDEDLY LOPSIDED RING OF 13 STARS; MADE DURING THE 2ND HALF OF THE 19TH CENTURY; ITS DEVICE HAND-SEWN AND SINGLE-APPLIQUÉD Private yacht ensigns were approved American signals for maritime use that allowed pleasure boats to bypass customs. Though the legislation that approved them was adopted prior to 1850, almost all such flags that one will encounter were sewn by electric machine and made during the 20th century. The unusual gems among surviving examples are those that are earlier and include hand-sewn elements. Even more rare are a select few with atypical graphics. Barely any fall into both of these categories at once. Take note of the anchor on this particular flag, wide a long horizontal crossbar (stock) that contributes to uncommonly wide stance. Set within a ring of stars that is decidedly lopsided, the result is as bold as it is endearingly whimsical—two of the best qualities in American folk art, a category in which this particular example can be filed. While I have owned 13 star private yacht flags that have displayed star and canted anchor devices that were somewhat larger and/or bolder than typical, I cannot recall any that were so graphically intriguing as this one. Brief History of Private Yacht Ensigns: The medallion configuration, 13-star, 13-stripe flag, with a canted center anchor was entered into official use in 1848, following an act of Congress, that made it the official signal for U.S. pleasure sailing vessels. The need for such a flag arose with the popularity of boating as a pastime for well-to-do Americans, and as a competitive sport, in addition to its longstanding utilitarian role as a vehicle of trade. In early America, all boats were subject to customs searches at every port. Without modern income tax, the federal government derived its revenues mostly from tariffs, so an accounting of foreign goods on ships was a critical venture. As yachting for pleasure became more prevalent, however, more and more time was spent searching boats that had no such inventory, wasting time for both customs officials and wealthy ship owners. John Cox Stevens, a former president of the Jockey Club and future founder of the Union League Club, became the New York Yacht Club’s Commodore upon its founding in 1845. In 1847 he approached the secretary of the treasury and suggested that something be done to streamline the customs process for non-trade vessels. In 1848, legislation passed Congress requiring registration of these boats, which could then fly the “American Yachting Signal” to bypass customs. This remained on the books until the 1980’s, when the 1848 legislation was revoked, but the use of flags in this design for decorative function continues to this day. 13 star flags have been flown throughout our nation’s history for a variety of purposes. In addition to their use on private yachts, they were hoisted at patriotic events, including Lafayette’s final visit in 1824-25, the celebration of the nation’s centennial in 1876, and the sesquicentennial in 1926. They were displayed during the Civil War, to reference past struggles for American liberty and victory over oppression, and were used by 19th century politicians while campaigning for the same reason. The U.S. Navy used the 13 star count on small boats until 1916, because it was easier to discern fewer stars at a distance on a small flag. Commercial flag-makers mirrored this practice and some private ships flew 13 star flags during the same period as the Navy. Construction: The stars and anchor are made of cotton, hand-sewn, and single-appliquéd. This means that they were applied to one side of the canton, then the blue fabric was cut from behind each star, folded over, and under-hemmed, so that one star could be viewed on both sides of the flag. I always find single-appliquéd stars more interesting, not only because they are evidence of a more difficult level of seam-work and stitching, but also because they are more visually intriguing. The two visible rows of hand-stitching emphasize their hand-sewn construction. For these reasons, single-appliquéd stars often appeal to connoisseurs of early American textiles...
    Category

    Antique Mid-19th Century American Political and Patriotic Memorabilia

    Materials

    Wool

  • Commission Pennant with 13 Stars, like for Private Vessel, Ca 1892-1910
    Located in York County, PA
    8-Foot commission pennant with 13 stars, a unique example in my experience, likely produced for display on a private vessel, made circa 1892-1910. Commission pennants are the distinguishing mark of a commissioned U.S. Navy ship. Flown at the topmast, the typical American format is a long blue field, usually with a single row of white stars, although sometimes with their total divided into two rows, followed by two long stripes, red-over-white. A ship became commissioned when this pennant was hoisted. Flown during both times of peace and war, the only time the pennant is not flown is if a flag officer or civilian official was aboard and replaced it with their own flag. Sometimes the owners of private ships mimicked the use of Navy signals. Some seafaring men would have served in the Navy and become privy to various practices in that capacity. Others flew them purely for stylistic reasons, either on a regular basis or while the boat was dressed for special occasion. Hudson River steamers regularly flew pennants of this nature, as evidenced by period photography as well as the paintings of artists such as John and James Bard...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century American Political and Patriotic Memorabilia

    Materials

    Wool

  • 38 Star American Flag, Stars in Notched Pattern, ca 1876-1889
    Located in York County, PA
    38 HAND-SEWN STARS IN A "NOTCHED" PATTERN, ON AN ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH BEAUTIFUL WEAR FROM HAVING BEEN EXTENSIVELY FLOWN, MADE AT THE TIME WHEN COLORADO WAS THE MOST RECENT STATE TO JOIN THE UNION, 1876-1889 38 star Antique American flag, made during the period when Colorado was the most recent state to join the Union. The stars are arranged in what is known as a "notched" pattern, in which two spaces were left open along the hoist end, in the first and last rows, in anticipation that two more Western Territories would soon join the Union. The latter 19th century was a time of when much of the land in and about the Continental Divide was formalized into states, and there was continual speculation about which ones would be accepted next, and with what boundaries. The stars of the flag are made of cotton and are double-appliquéd (applied to both sides) with a lineal, treadle stitch. The canton and stripes of the flag are made of wool bunting that has been pieced with treadle stitching. The canton was constructed from five separate lengths of fabric, which is an unusual feature, though hardly unknown. To each of these a row of stars was sewn. This manner of construction is sometimes encountered and tends to be an early trait, at least when it occurs in flags of this scale and smaller. When encountered, it also seems to have been preferred in flags meant for maritime use. While the feature does not by any means guarantee this fact, it is a reasonable, educated guess, based upon my examination of many other examples. A flag with a 5-piece canton, such as this, would have been less likelihood to stretch, with increased structural integrity. The alternative is that this was simply an example made when there were at least five pieces of leftover fabric, of a reasonable size to made individual rows, and that what it actually demonstrates is the careful conservation of scarce resources. There is a sailcloth canvas binding along the hoist, with 3 brass grommets, evenly spaced. Perhaps the best feature of the flag is the evidence it displays of having been extensively flown, with the fly end whipped out from wind exposure. While many flags display damage from a combination of having been flown, exposure to the elements, various mishaps, and improper storage, very few exhibit wear such as this, which is both endearingly and visually attractive. This one shows its age beautifully, whipped out along the fly end, with losses that convey an element of movement, that most flags don’t capture in the state in which they survive. 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...
    Category

    Antique Late 19th Century American Political and Patriotic Memorabilia

    Materials

    Wool

  • 13 Star Antique American Flag in the Betsy Ross Pattern, ca 1861-1865
    Located in York County, PA
    13 star antique American flag in the Betsy Ross pattern, one of just three examples that I have encountered that pre-date the 1890’s; an extraordinary find, civil war period (1861-1865) or just after, extremely large among its counterparts of all periods in this design: Exceptional, early, American national flag, with 13 stars arranged in the circular wreath pattern most often attributed to Betsy Ross. Since there was no official configuration for the stars of the American flag until 1912, when our nation received its 47th and 48th states, the design, before that time, was left to the whims of the maker. This led to an almost unimaginable spectrum of star arrangements on the American flag during the 18th and 19th centuries. Even within the 13 star count, alone, there are at least 80 known patterns—more than the average person would even think possible. 13 star flags have been made throughout American history, from at least June 14th, 1777, when the first Flag Act was passed by Congress, until the present. They have been continuously produced for reasons both patriotic and utilitarian. Because this was the original number of stars on the American flag, representing the 13 colonies, it was appropriate for any device made in conjunction with celebrations or notions of American independence. 13 star flags were thus displayed at patriotic events, including, but certainly not limited to, such occasions as Lafayette’s final visit, in 1825-26, the nation’s centennial in 1876, and longstanding celebrations of Independence Day. From at least 1840 onward, 13 star flags were produced for presidential campaigns, drawing a parallel between the past and present struggles for freedom, and were carried by soldiers, during the Mexican and Civil Wars, for the same purpose. Throughout history, and even today, they are boldly displayed at every presidential inauguration. 13 star flags were flown by American ships both private and federal. The U.S. Navy used 13 stars on the ensigns made for small boats, because they wished the stars to be more easily discernable at a distance. Private ships often copied Navy practice, and when commercial flag makers first began to produce flags with pieced-and-sewn construction, in small sizes, in large quantity, they frequently employed the 13 star count. Flags in the Betsy Ross design are widely admired, due to the longstanding popularity of the Ross family myth. While many Americans learned in grammar school that Betsy Ross made and designed our first flag, and that the stars appeared in a circular fashion, there is, unfortunately, no way to prove the claim. No colonial examples have survived with this pattern of stars. In fact, while arranging the stars in a single circle seems quite logical, among the various choices that might come to mind, early American flags with this star pattern are curiously absent. One of the interesting misconceptions about 13 star flags is that the Betsy Ross pattern, even if not the original design, must have been common in early America. Logic would suggest this, given the frequency with which it appears in modern times, but this isn’t actually the case. In fact, the pattern is seldom encountered anywhere until much later. In more than 30 years of buying and selling early Americana, and over 20 years of extensive focus on the American flag specifically, through aggressively buying, researching, evaluating, restoring, and curating exhibitions, I have thus far encountered just three examples of Betsy Ross pattern flags that I can confidently date prior to the 1890's. No one knows what the first flag looked like. While there is no precise reason that the Betsy Ross design could not have been the first, one of the best arguments against it, is illustrated by the simple fact that so many 13 star flags exist without it. If the Ross configuration was the original, it stands to reason that the pattern would have been reproduced with at least some degree of frequency. Research conducted by the National Museum of American History notes that the story of Betsy Ross making the very first American flag for General George Washington, in the company of George Ross and Robert Morris, entered into American consciousness about the time of the 1876 centennial. The tale was immensely popular among an American public eager for stories about the Revolution and its heroes. The first documentation of it appeared shortly beforehand, in 1870, in a paper written by Betsy’s grandson, William Canby, for the Pennsylvania Historical Society. At the time, Canby made no mention of how the flag was designed, save for the fact that it had 5-pointed stars, per his grandmother’s suggestion. Because no earlier documentation supports the story, most flag scholars feel it was a grand hoax, fabricated by Canby for his own interests. Nothing survives in the collective writings of the three men, for example, nor in records of their words and deeds, which are fairly extensive. As with most things, reality is perhaps somewhere in the middle ground, with some of the details based on fact and some on fiction, made up, misinterpreted, or imagined from family accounts. The first time that a star configuration gets attached to the Ross story appears to have occurred during the last decade of the 19th century. In 1892, Charles Weisgerber painted a nine-by-twelve-foot rendition of the fabled meeting between Betsy and George Washington, in which there is a flag with a circular wreath. Shortly afterwards, in 1898, Betsy’s granddaughter and great-granddaughter began to make flags in the East Wing of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, selling them to tourists while disseminating the family folk tale. In that same year, Weisgerber and a “group of concerned citizens” sought to preserve Betsy’s former Philadelphia residence at 239 Arch Street, where she lived at the time the flag would have been sewed. Weisgerber moved his family into the house and immediately opened to the public the room in which Betsy was said to have worked her magic. Ten-cent memberships were sold to fund renovations and donors received a small calendar, to which a cotton 13 star Betsy Ross pattern parade flag was affixed. The effects of these events caused the Ross legend to stick and the story, with the corresponding flag design, has appeared ever since in more places than one could ever hope to count. The stars of this particular flag are made of cotton, hand-sewn, and double-appliquéd (applied to both sides). The canton and stripes of the flag are made of wool bunting that has been pieced and joined with treadle stitching. There is a sailcloth canvas binding along the hoist, with two brass grommets, one each at the extreme top and bottom. Along this, on the obverse, near the bottom, are two, unusual characters, embroidered with brown thread. These may be letter “I’s,” possibly forming a the Roman Numeral “II.” They are followed by an inscription, in blue ink, that appears to read “A. N. Smith.” The first character is stylized, and may alternatively be a “D,” “H,” or perhaps a “J.” Note how the binding is extended beyond the top and bottom-most points. Though quite unusual, this is sometimes encountered in early examples. The folding of the wool bunting back onto itself, with the binding stitched so that part of the fold is exposed, tends to be an early characteristic. Common in Civil war flags...
    Category

    Antique 1860s American Political and Patriotic Memorabilia

    Materials

    Cotton

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