Antique1876 Example of the First National Flag of America, The "Grand Union"

About the Item

ANTIQUE, 1876 EXAMPLE OF THE FIRST NATIONAL FLAG OF AMERICA, THE “GRAND UNION”, SOLD BY HORSTMANN BROS. CO. OF PHILADELPHIA FOR THE 1876 CENTENNIAL INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION; THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND AND ONE OF ONLY A TINY HANDFUL THAT SURVIVE FROM THE 19TH CENTURY IN THIS RARE DESIGN: The “Grand Union” is the most commonly used name for the first American national flag. This was the design that was in use at the opening of the Revolutionary War, between 1775 and 1777, under the First Continental Congress, when America was still a colony of Britain. Like other outposts of the British Empire, this flag employs the Union Jack image in the canton, accompanied by a field that somehow reflects the respective dominion or territory. In this there are 13 red and white stripes to signify the 13 colonies. The Grand Union went by many names. 19th century flag historians seem to have preferred the term “Continental Grand Union”, but this language is not found in 18th century documents or literature. In the period, it was simply referred to as the “Continental” or “Union” flag. Some historians have cited that the first record of its use as a national ensign appears to have been recorded in an illustration of Philadelphia from the Delaware River by George Heap, published by British engraver Gerald van der Gucht in 1754. Vexillologist Peter Ansoff successfully proved that van der Gucht contrived the image of the ships, however, by copying them from an older engraving of his that illustrated ships in Bombay India. One of these vessels flew flag of similar design, that of the East India Company). The first documented appearance of the Grand Union flag occurred after it was apparently raised by First Lieutenant John Paul Jones over the Continental Navy's first flagship, “Alfred”, on December 3rd, 1775 in Philadelphia. The act was recorded in letters to Congress. Since it was especially necessary to properly identify ships on open waters, the initial appearance of the flag on a naval vessel is not unexpected. This was the reason that Congress would later adopt the Stars Stripes via the Flag Act of June 14th, 1777. Unlike the navy, American ground forces did not customarily carry a national flag until 1837. Based on various illustrations, such as those by artist John Trumbull, who served as Washington's aide-de-camp, the general himself seems to have found it fitting to do so, at least after an agreed-upon design could be properly identified by British troops. Trumbull, who was known for his attention to detail, included Stars Stripes in late war paintings of Washington. In his book "Standards and Colors of the American Revolution" (1982, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia), author Edward Richardson states the following: "When the fighting began in 1775, and militia units from the various colonies joined together in besieging the British garrison at Boston, Continental Congress voted to take all such troops into the services of the United Provinces of North America and appointed Washington as their Commander in Chief. There was no United Colonies flag at the time." Washington stated in a letter that he raised the “Union flag” for the first time on January 1st, 1776, to honor the newly formed Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts. While some flag historians have argued that this would have instead referred to a British Red Ensign, Richardson states: "The Continental Union [flag] was a natural selection for the Americans in 1775. It did not signify rebellion but rather continued loyalty to the mother country." He continues to say, "It was only after the Declaration of Independence and the bitter fighting of 1776, that the British Grand Union in the canton lost favor." That said, an image of the flag appears on a scrimshaw powder horn dated December 25, 1777, illustrating Fort Schuyler, New York. So assuming that the image is accurate, the Grand Union was still in use six months after it was officially replaced by the Stars Stripes. Despite the importance of the Grand Union as the first American flag, few people now recognize the design. It seems clear that it was soon forgotten after the Stars Stripes emerged and the war gained momentum. Ties to England were eventually severed and reminders of British rule were either swept under the carpet or aggressively defaced. In any event, the Grand Union never became popular to reproduce. 19th century reproductions of it are practically unknown. Perhaps seven copies survive. Of these, two are small, printed cotton flags, one is a press-dyed wool flag, and the remaining four are of pieced-and-sewn construction. All appear to date to the 1876 centennial of American Independence, though one may be earlier and one may be slightly later. This is the press-dyed wool example. The flag is marked "1776 Colonial" along the top of its open sleeve, with a black-inked stencil. This is accompanied by its size, "2 x 3 feet" and the name of the maker/ seller, "Horstmann, Phila." Horstmann Brothers Company was a major military goods manufacturer and dealer. The firm, which opened in 1816, is well known for the significant role it played in the outfitting of Civil War soldiers. The flag was acquired from a Pennsylvania antiques dealer who bought it at a sale in the Philadelphia area, along with a group of related flags. Among the group were two 38 star American nationals flags (1876-1889), and a group of international flags, all of which bore the same construction and like markings. Horstmann would certainly have produced these for the 1876 celebration of our nation's 100-year anniversary of independence. Because Horstmann was located in Philadelphia, because the city played host to the Centennial International Exhibition, and because Horstmann is known to have supplied many decorations for the event, the company was certainly a logical source in 1876 for all manner of flags and banners. Of further evidence that these flags were produced specifically for the Expo is the manner of their manufacture. The 6-month-long, World’s Fair event required decorative flags that could stand up to long-term use. Flags made of printed silk were fragile and those made of cotton readily absorbed water, so both varieties were made for short-term applications. Wool sheds water and the open weave of wool bunting was designed to further promote this feature. During the Civil War, many of the small flags made to mark military encampments (as opposed to battle and garrison flags) were printed on wool bunting. The post-war application of a similar design made sense for the flags that were needed to decorate the Expo. Given the scale of the 1876 World's Fair, which was nothing short of massive, one might expect that many international and colonial pattern flags would have been required. Surprisingly, practically none have survived to the 21st century. The Grand Union is the only one of its kind and the international flags that accompanied it are likewise singular. While the design of the Grand Union may have been less than popular, World's Fairs celebrated both national history and modern accomplishments, with an eye to positive international cooperation and mutual respect. This would probably explain why a small handful of 1876-era copies have emerged. One such flag was found sewn into a quilt made from flags and patriotic fabrics purchased at the fair. This is illustrated in two books by American folk art expert Robert Bishop, including "New Discoveries in American Quilts" (1975, Dutton, New York, p. 124) and "All Flags Flying" (1986, Dutton, New York, p. 31). Another was acquired from a private family outside Philadelphia and was probably made for the fair as well. This press-dyed, Horstmann-marked flag was subsequently owned by J. Richard Pierce and is documented in his book, "The Stars The Stripes: Fabric of the American Spirit" (J. Richard Pierce, LLC, 2005), p. 27. Brief History of Press-Dyed Flags: Press-dyed wool flags are much more scarce than those printed on cotton and silk. First patented in 1849, the press-dying process was initially thought to be a novel idea that would improve flag-making efficiency. The reality, however, was that it was often less effective and efficient than sewing. To achieve white stars, for example, pieces of waxed fabric or paper in the shape of stars had to be cut out and carefully placed on both sides of the white wool bunting, or the fabric needed to be carefully brushed with an agent that resisted the dye. The bunting was then dyed blue, and when done properly, the appropriate areas would not absorb the dye and thus be left white. The same process was repeated to make the red stripes. Also called resist-dyeing, one can imagine why this task may have been anything but simple with 19th century technology. In regard to wool flags, the process was primarily used during the Centennial-era by the U.S. Bunting Company of Lowell, Massachusetts, which began making press-dyed flags for the U.S. military in 1869. The U.S. Bunting Co. was one of the first flag-makers to successfully produce high quality wool bunting in the States, and while its owners worked diligently to master the press-dyeing process, it seems quite obvious today that it was actually more costly than expected, because it never become a popular method of flag production. This inexact art of reverse-dyeing would often add crude characteristics, such as stripes with irregular lines, in various widths, and stars with inconsistent shapes, in slightly varying sizes. It is likely that this resulted in lost product and wasted time from flags that had bleeding or misprint issues and were of too poor quality to sell. But within those flags that survived, today’s collectors today find the irregularities interesting, not only because they demonstrates early production methods, but also because they lends the sort of folk qualities that make early flags more interesting to look at. Mounting: The flag has been hand-stitched to 100% silk taffeta for support. The flag was then hand-stitched to a background of 100% cotton twill, black in color, which was washed to reduce excess dye. An acid-free agent was added to the wash to further set the dye and the fabric was heat-treated for the same purpose. The mount was then placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic. Condition: There is minor mothing throughout, accompanied by more significantly affected areas near the center of the flag and at the lower, fly-end corner. Fabric of similar weave and coloration were placed behind the flag for masking purposes and additional stitching was added in these areas for support. Some period wool bunting was used for this purpose. A light pressure mount was also done for support. The flag’s presentation is nothing short of striking and its great rarity among known examples would warrant any condition. Frame Size (H x L): 36" x 46.75" Flag Size (H x L): 25" x 36"

Dimensions:
Height: 36 in (91.44 cm)Width: 46.75 in (118.75 cm)
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1876
Condition:
See Item Description.
Seller Location:
York County, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: ofj-8081stDibs: LU8497810534