Antique 13-Star Patriotic Sash by Louis E. Stilz & Bros., Late 19th Century

This is a striking 38-star American flag. The flag dates to 1876-1890, when Colorado (represented by the large star in the center of the flag’s canton) joined the Union as the 38th s...

This is an original 46-Star American parade flag, celebrating Oklahoma statehood. Each star on the flag's canton represents a state in the Union at the time. The official flag design would update every July 4th, to include any new states added to the Union in the past year. Oklahoma, the 46th state, entered the Union on November 16, 1907. As such, this 46–star flag was the official flag of the United States from July 4, 1908, until July 4, 1912. The silk flag has a dark blue canton with 46 white printed stars. The stars are printed in an 7-8-8-8-8-7 row configuration, or “Drum design.” The flag design is completed with 13 alternating red and white stripes, each stripe representing one of the original thirteen colonies. The land that comprises Oklahoma today was added to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. Throughout the 19th century, the U.S. government relocated Indian tribes from the southeastern United States to the area, and by 1900, over 30 Indian tribes had been moved to what was originally called the Indian Territories. At the same time, ranchers in Texas began to move into the area in search of new pasture lands. Although stipulations in the Indian Relocation Act agreed that the land would forever be Indian Territory, the promise of fertile farmland trumped the government’s promise of sovereignty. On April 22, 1889, they opened the land to settlement by homesteaders, creating a land run in which settlers, called “Boomers,” were allowed to cross the Texas or Arkansas border at a particular hour to claim homesteads. Settlers who illegally crossed the border earlier to stake prime land were called “sooners,” which eventually became the state’s nickname. Wagons and the Santa Fe railroad carried cartloads of men and women to blank town sites and building plots, creating ten thousand-people communities in a matter of days. The following year, the region was further divided into Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory...

This is a rare 31-star medallion printed American flag, celebrating the addition of California to the Union. The flag is printed on silk and has a spectacular “Great Star” canton pat...

Presented is a patriotic printed paddle fan, with an image of a Navy sailor. The sailor is depicted on the back of a large boat, standing in front of a large, waving American flag. I...

A sensational early 19th century French Chapeau De Gendarme - officer's hat box in leather. Such a nostalgic shape!! A great accent piece for any b...

Victorian Eastlake large upholstered solid oak throne chairs from Masonic Lodge with lots of detailed carving. The pair consists of one with the plumb bob sy...

HAND-PAINTED 19TH CENTURY BANNER WITH AN 1867 VERSION OF THE SEAL OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, PROPOSED IN THAT YEAR BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, BUT IN A VARIATION NEVER FORMALLY ADOPTED Banner with the Illinois State Seal, in a rare variation of the design, never adopted. In 1867 Illinois Secretary of State Sharon Tyndale proposed that the phrases in the state motto be reversed. In the wake of the Civil War, (which ended in 1865,) Tyndale suggested that the verbiage be changed from "State Sovereignty--National Union" to "National Union--State Sovereignty,” which made sense given the recent secession of the Southern States, which placed their own interests first. Illinois' own Abraham Lincoln had worked hard to preserve national interests, echoed here in the altering of the language. Though Tyndale’s suggestion was rejected, he was nonetheless charged with creating a new design, which he did and was soon adopted. This displayed the dates of "1818," when Illinois became a state, and "1868," when the seal was officially changed. Interestingly enough, Tyndale did manage to send a message in the new version by turning the word “sovereignty” upside-down , with the surmised explanation that this fit accordingly with the orientation / position of the streamer. The banner is beautifully hand-painted on muslin and retains its original staff. The shape is beautifully scalloped at the bottom edge, which is painted to look as if there is an applied fringe. Most of the elements are congruent with the 1868 version, but there are various differences. Set within a shield-shaped medallion—usually circular—is the expected eagle in a side view, spread wing pose with beak uplifted. The eagle is supposed to be perched upon a rock with one talon, while gripping a Federal shield in the other. Here there is no rock and both talons grip the shield, which displays 13 stars. Note the date of "1867" and Tyndale's preferred order of the wording on the billowing ribbon in the eagle's beak. The foreground of the official design is all grass. Here there are olive branches—a peacetime reference appropriate for a country recovering from war—on a grassy area, set upon a sandy shore before Lake Michigan, with a rising sun on the horizon. Mounting: The banner was mounted and framed within our own conservation department, which is led by masters degree trained staff. We take great care in the mounting and presentation of flags and have preserved thousands of examples; more than anyone worldwide. The background is 100% cotton twill, black in color. The mount was placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding. A shadowbox was created to accommodate the staff. The glazing is U.V. protective plexiglass. Feel free to contact us for more details. Banner - 49" x 56.5" Frame - 67.75" x 59.25" About Jeff R. Bridgman Antiques, Inc.: As an advisor to top museums and collectors alike, Jeff Bridgman is the world's leading expert and source for antique American flags and political textiles...

13 Star American parade flag in an extremely rare design, with “protection to home industries” slogan on a fanciful, scrolling streamer, made for the 1888 presidential campaign of Benjamin Harrison; formerly in the collection of Richard pierce. 1888 Benjamin Harrison campaign flag, printed on cotton, with 13 large stars in a 3-2-3-2-3 pattern, upon which a whimsical, scrolling streamer is superimposed that features the slogan: “Protection to Home Industries.” There are numerous styles of both documented and undocumented, red, white, and blue bandanas and handkerchiefs, made for Harrison’s campaign in this year, as well as from the subsequent one, in 1892. Most bear variations of text to support the “Protection for American Industries” platform of the Republican Party. America was in the midst of the industrial age and there was a great deal of public interest, both in protecting growth and discouraging both imported goods and immigration. The constant stream of immigrants posed great challenges for a working families, competing for scarce jobs, in work environments that were already often far from ideal. In post-Civil War America, many of the working men were Civil War veterans. Bandanas abound from Harrison’s Campaigns, but flags do not. This example, along with three others, were once part of an 1888 patriotic quilt that was disassembled by a dealer and sold piecemeal to collectors. I eventually acquired all four. Fifteen to twenty years ago, these were the only four known copies. A couple of others have since surfaced, but the total count known still stands closer to 5 than 10. The use of 13 stars is seen in the flags of various candidates in the 19th century. Among these are Abraham Lincoln (1860 campaign), Henry Clay (1844 campaign), John Fremont (1856), and Benjamin Harrison’s grandfather, William Henry Harrison...