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38 Star American Flag, Colorado Statehood, Made by Horstmann Brothers ca 1876

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About the Item

38 STARS, COLORADO STATEHOOD, A SCARCE AND BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG WITH A MEDALLION PATTERN AND 4 LARGE CORNER STARS, PRESS-DYED ON WOOL BUNTING, MADE BY HORSTMANN BROTHERS IN PHILADELPHIA FOR THE 1876 CENTENNIAL OF OUR NATION’S INDEPENDENCE 38 star American national parade flag, press-dyed on wool bunting, with an extremely unusual type of medallion star configuration. Specifically, this is triple wreath, with a small center star, surrounded by three consecutive rings of stars in the same size, with a large flanking star in each corner of the blue canton. 19th century flag-makers loved to use multiple sizes of stars in circular arrangements, often with no other purpose than to create an eye-catching, artistic presentation. In this light, the characteristic of having large corner stars is in no way uncommon, popular on wreath pattern flags. However, in the course of my 25-year obsession with fantastic star designs on early American flags this is the only instance of a wreath configuration, with larger corner stars, that lacked a star of equivalent size or greater in the center. Many fantastic star patterns were made in the patriotism that accompanied or nation’s 100-year anniversary of independence in 1876 and this is one of the most interesting examples. Because there were no regulations concerning either star configuration or position until 1912, and many flag-makers went out of their way to catch the attention of potential buyers. The absence of a big center star makes for a visually unusual flag among its counterparts of the centennial era. Note how the somewhat crowded arrangement of the wreaths adds to its interesting appearance, as does the beautiful blue color of the square canton, that contrasts wonderfully with the scarlet red of the stripes. The combination of all the above contributes to a bold visual display. Colorado became the 38th state on August 1st, 1876. This was the year of our nation’s 100-year anniversary of independence. Per the Third Flag Act of 1818, stars were not officially added until the 4th of July following a state's addition. For this reason, 37 was the official star count for the American flag in 1876. Flag-making was a competitive venture, however, and few flag-makers would have continued to produce 37 star flags when their competitors were making 38’s. It is for this reason that 38 and 13 stars (to represent the original 13 colonies) are more often seen at the Centennial Expo. Some flag-makers would have been adding a star for the 38th state even before it entered the Union, in the early part of 1876 or even prior. In fact, many makers of parade flags were actually producing 39 star flags, in hopeful anticipation of the addition of two more Western Territories instead of one. The 39th state would not join the Union for another 13 years, however, when the Dakota Territory entered as two states on November 2nd, 1889. The 38 star flag became official on July 4th, 1877, and though it remained so until July 3rd, 1890, flags in this star count would have fell from use with the addition of the Dakotas. This particular flag is of a known type, made by Made by Horstmann Brothers of Philadelphia, a major Civil War military outfitter. Horstmann produced its own press-dyed wool flags, some of which it marked with its name along the hoist. Like most 19th century flag-makers, however, it marked only tiny fraction of what it produced. This particular style of Horstmann flag is especially rare. It is of interest to note that the firm was producing press-dyed flags with other star patterns simultaneously, one of which shared the trait of having large corner stars, but lacking a large center star. That variety bore no single star at all, and was not a triple wreath, instead displaying an odd, flattened ellipse of 6 stars in the center, canted at an odd angle, surrounded by two circular wreaths. Another variant, produced in at least 3 sizes, displayed an enormous center star, surrounded by a wreath, surrounded by a square of stars. At least two other known types displayed their stars in lineal rows. Because of its Philadelphia location, Horstmann was in a unique position to supply flags and banners to the 1876 Centennial International Exposition, our nation’s first World’s Fair, that served as the nucleus of the national celebration of America’s 100th birthday. Horstman played an integral role in decorating the enormous, six-month long event, which required flags that would last much longer than the typical cotton or silk parade flags, produced with the intent of short term use at parades, political rallies, reunions of Civil War soldiers, and the like. 225 buildings were erected to host the exhibits and accompanying necessities, most of which required extensive decoration of all types, the artistic presentation of which was simply beyond imagination. Because wool sheds water, cotton absorbs it, and silk, while elegant, was likewise not a durable fabric for exposure to the elements, press-dyed wool flags were rather ideal for the long-term display the Centennial Expo required. All-in-all, a really terrific example for a collector or a one-time buyer, alike, with wonderful presentation. A Brief History of the Horstmann Company: William H. Horstmann (1785-1850) was the founder of what would become a major military outfitter in both Philadelphia and New York City. A solider and fourth generation passementier (textile weaver), Horstmann emigrated to the United States from Cassel, Germany in either 1815 or 1816, settling in the Germantown area of Philadelphia, where there was a significant concentration of textile manufacturing. Horstmann established a business of manufacturing fringe, laces, and trimmings at 50 N. Third St. and soon after married the daughter of Frederick Hoeckly, the most successful lace manufacturer in the city. In 1824 he introduced three significant tools to America, including the first jacquard loom, for weaving multicolored fabrics, the first braiding machine, and a machine for plating metal. Moving to the corner of 59th Third, he imported technology from Germany and elsewhere and maintained regular trade with his family in Europe. The company grew exponentially in size and had many addresses over its years of operation In 1828, the William H. Horstmann Military Store opened and in 1831 he established a New York branch. In 1843 the name was changed to the William H. Horstmann Sons Military Store, and in 1859 it was taken over by sons Sigmund H. and William J., who operated the business as Horstmann Bros. Co. in both New York and Philadelphia. Taking on investors in the interim, from 1845-1849 it operated in NYC as Horstmann Sons Drucker, then Horstmann Sons Allien. As an outfitter of Civil War regiments, the firm manufactured its own goods, including flags, swords, drums, insignia, and many other items, and subcontracted for the manufacture of these objects as well, depending on financial sensibility. There were other investors and partners along the way, such as William S. Hassall and George Evans, who broke off and became a significant competitor as “Hassall Evans.” Brothers Sigmund William Horstmann passed in 1870 and 1872, respectively. In 1877, the New York branch changed its name to that of partner H.V. Allien. In 1893 the Philadelphia location changed its name to simply “Wm. H. Horstmann Co.,” operating as such until 1940. In 1927 “Horstmann Uniform Co.” was established as a separate entity, though it operated in a building within the large, Horstmann campus. In 1948, both the Philadelphia and New York branches filed for bankruptcy and closed. 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 programs. We take great care in the mounting and preservation of flags and related textiles and have preserved thousands of examples. The mount was placed in a The 3-part frame is constructed of wood, but has a beautiful metallic finish that presents like gunmetal and antique iron. The background is 100% cotton twill, black in color, that has been washed and treated for colorfastness. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Feel free to contact us for more details. Condition: There is minor mothing throughout, accompanied by minor fabric loss at the top and bottom of the hoist-end, where the flag was once affixed to its original wooden staff. There is minor staining in limited areas and there is minor darkening from soiling in the last 1/3 of the flag, toward the fly end. Fabric of similar coloration was placed behind the flag during the mounting process, both for masking purposes and to strengthen its color against the black ground. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use. Frame Size (H x L): 28.75" x 39" Flag Size (H x L): 18" x 28.5"

Dimensions:
Height: 28.75 in (73.03 cm)Width: 39 in (99.06 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Wool
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
Late 19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1876
Condition:
See Item Descriptio.
Seller Location:
York County, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: 38j-11541stDibs: LU849742084912

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