Angora Chaps with Beautiful Tooled Leather, Made by John Clark Saddlery

31 STAR PARADE FLAG, MADE FOR THE 1860 CAMPAIGN OF JOHN BELL & EDWARD EVERETT, WITH A “UNION AND THE CONSTITUTION” SLOGAN, PROBABLY MADE BY H.C. HOWARD OF PHILADELPHIA 31 star Ameri...

CIVIL WAR PERIOD APRON, MADE IN CAMBRIDGE, OHIO IN 1861 BY 12-YEAR-OLD LAURA HAYNES, WORN BY HER AT BENEFITS FOR THE U.S. SANITARY COMMISSION, PREDECESSOR OF THE RED CROSS, THAT STAFFED, FUNDED, AND MODERNIZED CIVIL WAR HOSPITALS Laura Haynes was born on the 17th of June, 1847 to Vincent and Sarah (Dillon) Haynes of Westland, Ohio (southeast of Columbus and due south of Zanesville). Vincent was listed as a physician in the 1850 U.S. Census, then as a lawyer in 1860, apparently having pursued both fields. It stands to reason that that during the Civil War (1861-1865), the Haynes family, being of means and with Vincent involved in the medical profession, might become involved in philanthropy to benefit Civil War hospitals. Made of plain weave cotton, this patriotic apron features 18 white, appliquéd, hand-sewn stars on a blue ground, cinched at the waist, with a blue belt incorporated below, followed by 13 vertical stripes, alternating red and white, likewise cinched, so that top and bottom have opposing triangular profiles. Aprons of this period did not generally have a loop or tie that went about the neck, to keep the breast portion up, but were rather pinned in place. All of the construction was accomplished by hand-stitching. One can see in the more crude stitching of the stars, how much more difficult it was to perform appliqué work than it was to hem fabric, especially for a 12-year-old girl. While the count of 18 stars may have had no purpose other than to fill the available space, to create a patriotic display, it may just as likely have been selected to reflect the number of states that were felt to be loyal to the Union at the time. Until July 4th, 1861, there were officially 33 stars on the American national flag. This, less the entire complement of 15 Slave States, would arrive at a count of 18. President Abraham Lincoln urged the nation not to do this, desiring not to give credence to secession, with his goal of keeping the Union together. But there were no flag police and people did as they wished, creating versions of the Stars & Stripes in both the North and the South that removed those the respective maker(s) deemed loyal to the opposition. Although rare, a number of American flags of the Civil War era are known that display 18 stars, likely to reflect the removal of 15 Southern States. In the upper center of the striped portion of the apron is a fraternal ribbon, made of blue satin silk, with a white metal brooch at the top and a gold button with an eagle below. This is decorated with a printed 13 star flag ribbon (applied), and with gilded text that reads: “The Women and Girl Workers of the Civil War; ’61-’65.” Next to this is the membership badge of the Women’s Relief Corp, which served as the women’s auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic, the primary organization for Civil War veterans. Below these, a hand-lettered exhibition tag was adhered, that reads as follows: “Made in 1861 at Cambridge Ohio by Laura Haynes; Age 12 Years; and Worn at Benefits for the Sanitary Commission [The Red Cross of 1861-5],” Followed by “Laura H. Green; Hotel St Mark; Oakland Calf.” Along the bottom of the tag is a brief title: “Flag-Apron of 1861-5,” with a circled item number “27.” The Sanitary Commission was founded in the Spring of 1861 by private citizens in New York City, who were appalled by the Army’s lack of medical supplies and sanitary conditions in the care of Civil War soldiers. Officially sanctioned by the War Department on June 9th of that year, and approved by Abraham Lincoln on June 13th, the chief planner and organizer was Boston-born writer and Harvard-educated clergyman, Henry Whitney Bellows of New York (b. 1814, d. 1882). Bellows modeled the organization after the work of Florence Nightingale in the British Sanitary Commission of the 1850’s, and brought with him a force of volunteers belonging to an organization he led called the Woman’s Central Association of Relief of New York. In 1863, Bellows would become one of the four founders of the Union League Club of New York, with fellow Sanitary Commission leaders Frederick Law Olmsted (the designer of Central Park, considered to be the father of modern landscape architecture,) plus George Templeton Strong (American composer, painter, lawyer, and prolific diarist), and Oliver Wolcott Gibbs (Harvard professor, chemist, and physician). The goal of the Union League Club was to join like-minded and influential, moneyed men with the cause of both the Commission and the Union in general. In 1881, Sanitary Commission nurse Clara Barton would carry the torch forward, expanding upon the concept to form the Red Cross. Sanitary Fairs—large, fundraising events held to benefit the Commission—were held in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, St. Louis, and elsewhere. The Northern Ohio Sanitary Fair was almost certainly attended by Laura Haynes, 16 years old by that time, who is likely to have worn the apron there. Held in Cleveland from Feb. 22nd – Mar. 10th, 1864, the fair was opened by Major General James Garfield, future President of the United States, who, it is said, was extremely well received. About 3 years later, on June 11th, 1868, Laura married Robert M. Green of Cambridge, Ohio (northeast of Westland), who shared her June 17th birthday. Born 2 years prior to Laura, in 1846, Robert enlisted as a Corporal with “A” company of the 85th Ohio Infantry, a 3-month unit, on May 27th, 1862. Mustering in on June 10th, I Columbus, at Camp Chase, the 85th was assigned to guard Confederate prisoners at the garrison. He mustered out on the 23rd of September. By 1880, Robert & Laura Green had relocated to Oroville, California (Butte County...

13 HAND-EMBROIDERED STARS AND EXPERTLY HAND-SEWN STRIPES ON AN ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG MADE IN PHILADELPHIA BY SARAH M. WILSON, GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER OF BETSY ROSS, SIGNED & DATED 1911: ...

13 STARS IN THE BETSY ROSS PATTERN, ON A VINTAGE AMERICAN FLAG, MADE BY THE ANNIN COMPANY OF NEW YORK & NEW JERSEY, circa 1955 - 1965 13 star American national flag, made entirely of cotton by the Annin Company of New York & New Jersey, in the period between approximately 1955-1965. The stars are arranged in the circular wreath pattern most often associated with Betsy Ross. Flags in this design are widely admired, due to the longstanding popularity of the Ross family myth. While many Americans were taught in grammar school that this was what our first flag looked like, there is, unfortunately, no way to substantiate the claim, and no colonial flags...

Two 19th Century or possibly earlier Inuit Tool Handles, one of carved wood and the other of carved bone. The bone handle bears the unmistakable form of an ...

Beautiful Geometric Navajo Bolster Pillow. Off White, Taupe, Dark Red and Black. Nice Linen Backing. Feather and Down Insert.

Beautiful Navajo Eye Dazzler geometric bolster pillow. This pillow has a nice texture backing and has a zippered casing. Feather and Down Insert.

Pair of beautiful early geometric Navajo pillows. Soft colors of ivory, taupe, beige and pink. Down and feather inserts. Zippered casing.