33 Star Antique American Parade Flag, Oregon Statehood, ca 1859-1861

$1List Price

About the Item

33 STARS IN A MEDALLION CONFIGURATION ON A LARGE SCALE ANTIQUE AMERICAN PARADE FLAG, AN EXTREMELY RARE EXAMPLE, OREGON STATEHOOD, 1859-1861 This 33 star American parade flag, printed on coarse, glazed cotton, is an especially large and visually attractive example and is one of perhaps just ten - twelve known to exist in this rare style. The design consists of a cross of 5 stars in the center, surrounded by 2 consecutive wreaths, with 2 flanking stars outside the primary pattern, placed toward the fly end. Typically there are 4 flanking stars in this type of medallion arrangement, placed one in each corner of the blue canton. The inclusion of only two was intentional, leaving room for the easy addition of two more states. Flag-makers knew that more Western Territories would soon follow and eagerly anticipated their arrival. Note that the star in the very center of the configuration is actually a hair smaller than the rest. This may have not been precisely intentional, but it is an interesting peculiarity and may indicate that the original print block was made with 32 stars, carved in relief, and that an additional one was caved in the center when Oregon gained statehood. If this were so, the corresponding 32 star examples remain unknown, so far as I am aware. The size of the flag is especially large among parade flags, which are typically 3 feet long or smaller. Piece-and-sewn flags of this era, by contrast, are generally 8 feet long and larger. Because flags measuring greater than 3 feet and less than 6 feet are more unusual than their counterparts, especially among those that display dynamically visual star patterns, and because this general scale is extremely desirable for the purposes of being conserved and framed for display, flags that meet these criteria are especially desirable among both serious collectors and one-time buyers alike. The flag that is the subject of this narrative was found with a small group of like kind. Before their discovery, only three others were known in this exact style. One was formerly part of the collection of Boleslaw and Marie D’Ostrange-Mastai, who held one of the most important private collections of American flags in the country and whose book, "The Stars and the Stripes" (knopf, New York, 1973), was the first major reference on the subject of flag collecting. The Mastai example was not pictured in their text, but was a part of their substantial, undocumented holdings. Oregon entered the Union as the 33rd state on February 14th (Valentines Day), 1859. Following the adoption of the Third Flag Act, in 1818, stars were officially added on Independence Day for any new state that entered over the previous “flag year.” Because the makers of flags both public and private cared little for official star counts, preferring instead what was practical, the 33rd star would have been added by most upon its admission to statehood. Because the 33 star flag remained official from 1859-1861, and was thus still the official flag when Ft. Sumter was fired upon, on April 12th of that year—an event that marked the beginning of the Civil War—a 33 star flag happened to be flying at Ft. Sumter during the attack. However, because Kansas entered the Union as the 34th state approx. 2.5 months prior, on January 29th, 1861, wartime production jumped straight to the 34 star count, soon to become official on July 4th. For this reason 33 star flags were not generally produced for the war, which would last until 1865, and were generally made pre-war. It is for this reason that 33 star examples are far-and-away more scarce than their 34, 35, and 36-star counterparts. Flags made prior to the Civil War are extremely rare, comprising around one percent of 19th century flags that exist in the 21st century. Prior to the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter in 1861, the Stars Stripes was simply not used for most of the same purposes we employ it in today. Private individuals did not typically display the flag in their yards and on their porches. Parade flags didn't often fly from carriages and horses. Places of business rarely hung flags in their windows. The only consistent private use prior to 1861 seems to have accompanied political campaigning. Even the military did not use the national flag in a manner that most people might think. Most people are surprised to learn that the infantry wasn't authorized to carry the Stars Stripes until well into the 19th century. The foremost purpose before the Civil War (1861-65) was to identify ships on the open seas. While the flag was used to mark garrisons and government buildings, the flags of ground forces were limited to the those of their own regiment and a perhaps a federal standard (a blue or buff yellow flag bearing the arms of the United States). Artillery units were the first to be afforded the privilege to carry the national flag in 1834. Infantry followed in 1841, but cavalry not until 1862. The first actual war in which the Stars Stripes was officially carried was thus the Mexican War (1846-48). In more than 20 years of aggressive buying and research, I have encountered almost no American national flags produced in an obvious military style that are of the Mexican War period. They exist, but are extraordinarily rare, even among museum holdings. Note how the strong shades of indigo blue and sunfire red create a striking contrast that is especially attractive on this particular 33 star example. When combined with the large scale, a pre-civil war star count, the extreme rarity of this variety, and the bold and interesting star pattern, the result is a flag worthy of any major collection. 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 background is 100% cotton twill, black in color, that has been washed and treated for colorfastness. The black-painted and hand-gilded molding is Italian. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic. Condition: There is modest to moderate breakdown in the white stripes, below the canton, at adjacent to the hoist end, with some associated losses. Fabric of similar coloration was placed behind these areas during the mounting process. There are minor tears and losses in the white area along the hoist end, adjacent to the canton, where the flag was affixed to its original wooden staff. There is some shrinkage in the white stripes along the fly end. There are some lateral splits between the stripes. There is modest foxing and staining, predominantly visible in the white stripes in limited areas. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use.

Dimensions:
Height: 53.5 in (135.89 cm)Width: 38 in (96.52 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Cotton
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
Mid-19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1859-1861
Condition:
See Item Description.
Seller Location:
York County, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 33j-8641stDibs: LU849745827722