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Hand-Sewn Flag w/ Eagle & 14 Stars, Made by Sarah McFadden in NYC, ca 1852-1860

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About the Item

ENTIRELY HAND-SEWN FLAG MADE BY SARAH McFADDEN, “THE BETSY ROSS OF NEW YORK,” FOR THE HUDSON RIVER STEAMSHIP “DELAWARE,” LAUNCHED IN 1852, WHICH SAW A REMARKABLE HISTORY; CONSCRIPTED INTO FEDERAL SERVICE BY THE U.S. NAVY TO BECOME A CIVIL WAR GUN BOAT IN 1861, AS THE “U.S.S. DELAWARE,” ACQUIRED BY THE U.S. REVENUE MARINE IN 1865 TO BECOME THE “U.S.R.C. DELAWARE,” RE-NAMED THE “U.S.R.C. LOUIS McLANE” IN 1873, SOLD AND RETURNED TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN 1903 AFTER 42 YEARS OF FEDERAL SERVICE: 1852-1860 flag with a white ground, featuring a red, hand-sewn, single-appliquéd eagle, surrounded by 14, hand-sewn, indigo blue stars, inscribed "Delaware" along the hoist binding; Made by Sarah Mc Fadden of New York City for the 1852 Steamboat 'Delaware,' this boat began life that year as a Hudson River Steamer. The Delaware has a remarkable story, certainly unexpected by its original owners. In 1861 the Delaware was conscripted into federal service by the U.S. Navy, was fitted with guns, renamed the “U.S.S. Delaware,” and served as a Civil War gun boat. Following the war’s end, in 1865, the Delaware was sold to the United States Revenue Marine, better known as the Revenue Cutter Service. Renamed the “U.S.R.C. Delaware,” it served in this capacity until 1873, when it was renamed the “U.S.R.C. Louis McLane.” In 1903 the boat was removed from federal service and sold to the private sector, where, after 42 years as a warship and enforcement vessel, it was renamed the “Louis Dolive” and returned to use as a merchant steamer.” I have never seen an early, privately commissioned flag of this sort from a pre-Civil War ship with such an interesting historical record, nor from a ship that saw service with both the U.S. Navy and as a Revenue Cutter. The fact that it was conscripted into Civil War service as a gunboat is no less remarkable. An 1852 painting by John and James Bard, the most celebrated illustrators of Hudson River Steamers, shows this very vessel with a very similar flag in Navy blue, with an arch of 15 stars. Examples of McFadden manufacture with an eagle on a solid ground, with or without stars, were evidently available in red, white, and blue, as evidenced by the Bards and others. These have long been personal favorites of mine among the nautical designs of the mid-19th century. Two white versions are known, including this example. None are presently known in red. Two or three survive with a blue ground, one of which is a fragment without a hoist and thus may have formerly served as the canton of a much larger flag. Dubbed “New York’s Betsy Ross,” Sarah Ann McFadden (1808-1904), better known as “Sally Ann,” worked at 198 Hudson Street in New York City. Beginning in 1834, and for more than 70 years that followed, Sally and her descendants produced flags for every sort of purpose. Working under her own name, then under “S. McFadden & Co.” (beginning approx. 1865-67), her clients included private citizens to merchants and ship owners, yachtsmen, steamship authorities, federal, state and local governments, U.S. military and national guard units, and even the Confederacy. She sold bunting by the yard for flag-making, rented flags, banners, and patriotic draping, and performed flag repair. During the Civil War era, Sally’s firm was extremely active, supplying both the North and the South both before the war and after it began. One 1875 advertisement noted “Always on hand Ensigns, Jacks, Flys, Commercial Code of Signals.” In addition to large, sewn flags, it is extremely likely that the McFaddens also produced some of the first printed flags. Both of Sally Ann’s grand-nephews, Levi Hitchcock Harrison and James W. Harrison, who resided with her, worked for her, and eventually took over her business, were trained as printers. It thus stands to reason why an 1896 article in the New York Tribune reported that “At the time of the [Civil] war, Miss McFadden gave away so many flags to the school children that the police asked her to desist because children blocked up Hudson-st.” These would have been small, printed flags. The article goes on to explain that “It had become her custom to give away flags to the children on every 4th of July for a number of years.”* While the flag presented here is unmarked, the composition of the McFadden eagle, in both fabrics and appliqué work, is very distinctive. Though very few flags survive that include them, I have owned and/or personally handled most of the ones that exist and have been able to study them first-hand. Some McFadden flags are signed by way of a black-inked stencil, but like most flag makers of the 19th century, the McFaddens appear to have signed very little of what they produced. One of her most significant competitors, Annin, another New York maker, was comparatively lax in this regard. Although in business from the 1820’s onward, Annin appears to have signed nothing until the 1864-1867 time frame and after, and even then did so sporadically at best. Across the board flags were generally unmarked by their makers until the 48-star era (1912-1959). * Many thanks to David Martucci for the information on Sarah McFadden included here, referenced from a research paper he compiled entitled “The McFadden-Harrison Flag Making Dynasty” (March 1st, 2016). Mounting: For 25 years we have maintained a specialized department for this purpose. Our lead conservator holds a master's degree in textile conservation from one of the nation’s top university programs. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and related textiles and have preserved thousands of examples. The flag was first stitched to supportive fabrics throughout, on the reverse. It was then hand-stitched to a background of 100% cotton twill, black in color, that was washed and treated for colorfastness. The mount was placed in a cove-shaped molding with a rope style inner lip and very dark brown, nearly black surface, with reddish highlights, to which a flat profile molding, with a finish like early gunmetal, was added as a liner. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Condition: Please inquire for a full report. Frame Size (H x L): Approx. 60" x 84" Flag Size (H x L): 47.75" x 72"

Dimensions:
Height: 60 in (152.4 cm)Width: 84 in (213.36 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Cotton
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1852-1873
Condition:
See Item Description.
Seller Location:
York County, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 14j-8131stDibs: LU849743197652

Presented is a rare Centennial patriotic flag banner, dating to 1876. The flag’s brilliant blue canton is spectacular, with 81 five-pointed, rayed stars, arranged to read “1776” and “1876.” The flag’s design is completed with thirteen alternating red and white stripes. The flag is a three-piece, treadle-sewn sewn construction, printed on a thin wool and cotton blend. Along the edge, there is a narrow, treadle-sewn sleeve made of cotton tape. In the lead up to the nation’s Centennial in 1876, flag makers and individuals looked to the past for designs to produce as part of the country’s many celebrations. Popular interpretation of the stars and stripes undoubtedly reached its climax of variety and originality at the time of our Nation’s first Centennial. Since no design restrictions were placed on flagmaker’s imaginations and no strict distinctions were drawn between official and unofficial star counts, it is no surprise that, on the occasion of the Centennial, creativity in flag design was not the exception, but the rule. The cantons from this period presented an array of geometric abstractions. Great star patterns, referred to as the “starry flower of Liberty” by Oliver Wendell Holmes, that were popular from 1818 and on, resurfaced in Centennial flags...

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