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26 Star Antique American Flag, with 11 Stripes, Michigan Statehood, ca 1837-1846

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About the Item

26 STAR ANTIQUE AMERICAN PARADE FLAG WITH 11 STRIPES AND IT’S CANTON RESTING ON THE “WAR STRIPE.” THE EARLIEST KNOWN STAR COUNT FOR PRINTED EXAMPLES, 1837-1846, MICHIGAN STATEHOOD 26 star American parade flag, printed on cotton, hemmed at the top and bottom with hand-stitching. The stars are arranged in 4 justified rows of 6, with 2 stars offset at the hoist end. Note how these roughly form two exaggerated “C’s”, a design that I have also sometimes offhandedly referred to as a “double bullet, seldom encountered in flags outside the 26 and 34 star counts. In the case of 26 star flags specifically, I have suggested that this star configuration may have actually been intended to form the letter “M” (tipped ninety degrees), to glorify Michigan, which joined the Union as the 26th state on January 26th, 1837. While this may not have been the intended purpose, the circumstance is certainly a curious one, and this seems to have been a popular way to arrange 26 stars. Per the Third Flag Act (1818), stars were to be officially added to the flag on Independence Day following a state’s addition. The 26 star flag thus became official on July 4th, 1837, and remain so until July 3rd, 1845. Because no one paid much heed to official star counts, 26 star flags would have generally fell from use four months prior, on March 3rd, 1845, when Florida entered as the 27th state. In terms of the production of American flags, this was an extremely early period. The very first printed examples, called “parade flags” or “hand-wavers,” displayed either 26 or 13 stars, the latter made during the same general period (1837-1845), but with an eye to our colonial past as opposed to representing the number of states at the time. Most surviving parade flags with 26 stars have political advertising for the presidential campaign of William Henry Harrison (1840), Henry Clay (1844), or James Polk (1844), or to support the 1844 platform of an emerging political faction known as the Native American Party. The remainder, without political overprints, like this flag, survive among less than 20 known examples. Most of the latter group are near-to-square in shape when compared to modern flags. This profile may mimic land-use, military battle flags of the 18th and 19th centuries, which bore this general shape. At the same time, one may note a keen similarity to the silk and cotton kerchiefs being produced during the same general era, likely carried or worn by women, in one fashion or another at parades and rallies. Whatever the case may be, most that I have encountered were at some point tacked to staffs in traditional parade flag format. That is the case with this example, as evidenced by tack marks at the top and bottom of the hoist and the ghostly shadow of a staff that runs into the first column of stars. Another interesting trait can be seen in the fact that the canton rests on a red stripe. When this scarce condition occurs, some flag historians have referred to it as the “blood stripe” or the “war stripe”, suggesting the flag was constructed in this manner when the nation was at war. In actuality, the placement probably occurred more often by accident. Not everyone knew where the canton was traditionally placed, and because there was no official legislation regarding this facet of American flag design until 1912, there was no specified position. Here one may note that it rests on the 9th stripe. In any event, the war stripe feature is highly coveted by collectors and is particularly rare in printed examples. Approximately 8 flags, including this one, are presently known to exist in this basic style, with this configuration. 4 of these are made of silk and are larger in scale. The remainder are cotton. 3 of the 4 cotton examples are in this particular style, with a large canton and the same placement. It is of interest to note that a 9th flag is also known with the same configuration, but printed in waving format with a printed staff along the hoist end. While very different in this regard, the size and fabric are very much akin to the silk examples and were likely produced by the same maker. Some of the examples have the two offset stars on the fly end, as opposed to the hoist. One of the above bears only 11 stripes, though the remainder have the full complement of 13. All share the “blood stripe” feature. The combination of a very early date, an intriguing star configuration, the war stripe feature, and the rarity of flags in the 26 star count in general, and its relevance to flag collecting as the earliest count on printed flags, combine to place this among the very best of parade flag examples. Mounting: The flag was mounted and framed in our own conservation department, which is led by expert trained staff. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and have framed thousands of examples. Feel free to contact us for more details. The black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed molding is Italian. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Condition: Three points along the hoist, where the flag was once attached to a wooden staff, were repaired with darning, apparently during its period of use. There is a darned repair in the upper, fly end corner, as well. There are weak areas and vertical tears elsewhere, adjacent to the fly end. There is a small hole near the fly end of the first white stripe and there are a couple of tiny tack holes elsewhere. There is overall golden brown oxidation throughout the white fabric, accompanied by minor to modest areas of staining in the canton, in limited areas, as well as throughout the striped field. There are slightly darker stains around the small hole and the 1st white stripe and in the 3rd red stripe. There are some weak areas in the lower, hoist and corner of the canton. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use. The overall condition is extraordinary in consideration of both its extreme rarity and the period in which it was made.

Dimensions:
Height: 33.25 in (84.46 cm)Width: 40.25 in (102.24 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Cotton
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1837-1846
Condition:
See Item Description.
Seller Location:
York County, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 26j-8301stDibs: LU849740084192

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