Rare 26 Star U.s. Navy Commissioning Pennant

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Rare 26 Star U.s. Navy Commissioning Pennant

About the Item

RARE 26 STAR U.S. NAVY COMMISSIONING PENNANT, 55 FEET ON THE FLY, 1837-1845, MICHIGAN STATEHOOD:

Commissioning pennants are the distinguishing mark of a commissioned U.S. Navy ship. 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 is aboard and replaces it with their own flag.

In 18th and early 19th century America, these pennants would typically have a number of stars that reflected the number of official star on the American national flag. That is the case with this 26 star example, which is one of the earliest that I have ever owned. As time progressed, more and more states were added, and number of stars was reduced to either 13 stars, to reflect the original number of states, or 7 stars. According to the U.S. Navy, the reason for the choice of 7 stars was not recorded. I have suggested that this number may have been chosen to stand for the 7 seas, but it may just have well have been for some other purpose. Whatever the case may be, after the turn of the 20th century (1900), most pennants had 7 stars.

This particular pennant is one of the earliest I have ever owned. Its 26 stars reflect the addition of Michigan in 1836. The 26 star flag became official on July 3rd, 1837, and remained so until after the addition of the 27th state (Florida) in 1845. Flags made prior to the Civil War are very rare, comprising less than one percent of 19th century flags that exist in the 21st century.

Measuring 55 feet on the fly, this is the longest commissioning pennant that I have ever acquired. During the 18th and 19th centuries, commissioning pennants were a very important means of identifying and U.S. Navy ship on the open seas. For this reason, they often well-exceed twenty feet in length, with some reaching as long as ninety feet. By the 20th century, however, they had become largely ceremonial and customary. Today the largest commissioning pennants measure two-and-a-half inches by six feet, while some are as short as 4 feet on the fly.

The pennant is entirely hand-sewn, which is expected in this early period that predates the use of sewing machines. Note the wonderful coloration of the canton, which falls somewhere between Prussian blue and teal and creates a beautiful contrast with the deep scarlet and ivory white of the field, the terminates in a blunt-ended swallowtail. The body of the flag is made of wool bunting, which has a loose weave that is also indicative of the 1837-1845 timeframe. This is a transitional window in early flag-making, so other styles of wool can be seen in the flags of this era, but this particular fabric is spot-on in terms of what one should expect.

The stars 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 appliquéd star could be visible on both sides of the flag. The hoist is made of a wooden bar that has been covered in coarse linen or hemp and there are three, hand-sewn, whip-stitched grommets.

The initials “J.D.T.” are penned on one side of the header. This might be the initials of a naval officer who possessed the flag at some point in its history. One the other side is the name of a subsequent owner, “W.H. Bartlett”, and the date “1894”. It was very common during the 19th century for persons to mark flags to indicate ownership, either with full names or initials.

In summary, this is a first rate example of a U.S. Navy commissioning pennant from what is considered a very early point in American history with respect to surviving flags, and it’s an extraordinarily large example with great colors, desirable construction, and in tremendous condition.

Mounting: The pennant has been hand-stitched to 100% cotton, black in color, which has been washed to reduce excess dye. An acid-free agent was added to the wash to further set the dye, which was heat-treated for the same purpose. The mount was then placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed, Italian molding. The front is U.V. protective acrylic.

Condition: There is minor mothing throughout, accompanied by minor staining, but both of these issues are remarkably limited for such an early flag. The fact that it appears to retain its full length is also especially unusual. While the pennant appears to have been flown, its use was apparently limited.

Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1837-1845
Condition:
See Item Description.
Seller Location:
York County, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 26j-8191stDibs: U1101108497323