1860s Political and Patriotic Memorabilia

Presented is an original Ohio Union Presidential ticket for the November 8, 1864 election. The paper ticket is printed in orange-red and blue. The front of the ticket reads, "A Vigor...

34 STARS, WITH SCATTERED POSITIONING, ON AN ANTIQUE AMERICAN PARADE FLAG MADE DURING THE OPENING TWO YEARS OF THE CIVIL WAR, 1861-63, KANSAS STATEHOOD 34 star American national flag...

Presented is an original soldier’s ballot for the 1864 American presidential election. The ballot is from Binton County, Ohio. The paper ticket is printed with an allegorical represe...

35 STAR ANTIQUE AMERICAN PARADE FLAG WITH A DOUBLE-WREATH STYLE MEDALLION CONFIGURATION OF STARS, PERHAPS THE BEST SURVIVING EXAMPLE IN THIS RARE FORM, CIVIL WAR PERIOD, WEST VIRGINI...

Presented is a stunning 13-star American parade flag, dating to 1860. The wool flag has 13 hand-sewn cotton stars with truncated tips. The stars are configured in the “Third Maryland” or “Cowpens” pattern, consisting of a 12-star wreath surrounding a large central star. The flag design is completed with 13 red and white alternating stripes and a white cotton hoist. The flag’s hoist has “Lafayette Post 140” stenciled in selvage. The “Third Maryland” star pattern of a 12-star wreath surrounding a central star is associated with an early 13-star flag that was long thought to have been carried by William Batchelor of the 3rd Maryland Regiment at the Battle of Cowpens during the American Revolution. The flag, now in the collection of the Maryland State Archives, was later discovered by Smithosian experts to date to the mid-19th century. But this particular star pattern is forever linked to that particular 13-star flag and the wreath and central star configuration is still referred to as a “Third Maryland” or “Cowpens” style among dealers and collectors. Thirteen star flags with the “Third Maryland” pattern are among the scarcest and most desired by collectors of early American flag...

CIVIL WAR PERIOD APRON, MADE IN CAMBRIDGE, OHIO IN 1861 BY 12-YEAR-OLD LAURA HAYNES, WORN BY HER AT BENEFITS FOR THE U.S. SANITARY COMMISSION, PREDECESSOR OF THE RED CROSS, THAT STAFFED, FUNDED, AND MODERNIZED CIVIL WAR HOSPITALS Laura Haynes was born on the 17th of June, 1847 to Vincent and Sarah (Dillon) Haynes of Westland, Ohio (southeast of Columbus and due south of Zanesville). Vincent was listed as a physician in the 1850 U.S. Census, then as a lawyer in 1860, apparently having pursued both fields. It stands to reason that that during the Civil War (1861-1865), the Haynes family, being of means and with Vincent involved in the medical profession, might become involved in philanthropy to benefit Civil War hospitals. Made of plain weave cotton, this patriotic apron features 18 white, appliquéd, hand-sewn stars on a blue ground, cinched at the waist, with a blue belt incorporated below, followed by 13 vertical stripes, alternating red and white, likewise cinched, so that top and bottom have opposing triangular profiles. Aprons of this period did not generally have a loop or tie that went about the neck, to keep the breast portion up, but were rather pinned in place. All of the construction was accomplished by hand-stitching. One can see in the more crude stitching of the stars, how much more difficult it was to perform appliqué work than it was to hem fabric, especially for a 12-year-old girl. While the count of 18 stars may have had no purpose other than to fill the available space, to create a patriotic display, it may just as likely have been selected to reflect the number of states that were felt to be loyal to the Union at the time. Until July 4th, 1861, there were officially 33 stars on the American national flag. This, less the entire complement of 15 Slave States, would arrive at a count of 18. President Abraham Lincoln urged the nation not to do this, desiring not to give credence to secession, with his goal of keeping the Union together. But there were no flag police and people did as they wished, creating versions of the Stars & Stripes in both the North and the South that removed those the respective maker(s) deemed loyal to the opposition. Although rare, a number of American flags of the Civil War era are known that display 18 stars, likely to reflect the removal of 15 Southern States. In the upper center of the striped portion of the apron is a fraternal ribbon, made of blue satin silk, with a white metal brooch at the top and a gold button with an eagle below. This is decorated with a printed 13 star flag ribbon (applied), and with gilded text that reads: “The Women and Girl Workers of the Civil War; ’61-’65.” Next to this is the membership badge of the Women’s Relief Corp, which served as the women’s auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic, the primary organization for Civil War veterans. Below these, a hand-lettered exhibition tag was adhered, that reads as follows: “Made in 1861 at Cambridge Ohio by Laura Haynes; Age 12 Years; and Worn at Benefits for the Sanitary Commission [The Red Cross of 1861-5],” Followed by “Laura H. Green; Hotel St Mark; Oakland Calf.” Along the bottom of the tag is a brief title: “Flag-Apron of 1861-5,” with a circled item number “27.” The Sanitary Commission was founded in the Spring of 1861 by private citizens in New York City, who were appalled by the Army’s lack of medical supplies and sanitary conditions in the care of Civil War soldiers. Officially sanctioned by the War Department on June 9th of that year, and approved by Abraham Lincoln on June 13th, the chief planner and organizer was Boston-born writer and Harvard-educated clergyman, Henry Whitney Bellows of New York (b. 1814, d. 1882). Bellows modeled the organization after the work of Florence Nightingale in the British Sanitary Commission of the 1850’s, and brought with him a force of volunteers belonging to an organization he led called the Woman’s Central Association of Relief of New York. In 1863, Bellows would become one of the four founders of the Union League Club of New York, with fellow Sanitary Commission leaders Frederick Law Olmsted (the designer of Central Park, considered to be the father of modern landscape architecture,) plus George Templeton Strong (American composer, painter, lawyer, and prolific diarist), and Oliver Wolcott Gibbs (Harvard professor, chemist, and physician). The goal of the Union League Club was to join like-minded and influential, moneyed men with the cause of both the Commission and the Union in general. In 1881, Sanitary Commission nurse Clara Barton would carry the torch forward, expanding upon the concept to form the Red Cross. Sanitary Fairs—large, fundraising events held to benefit the Commission—were held in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, St. Louis, and elsewhere. The Northern Ohio Sanitary Fair was almost certainly attended by Laura Haynes, 16 years old by that time, who is likely to have worn the apron there. Held in Cleveland from Feb. 22nd – Mar. 10th, 1864, the fair was opened by Major General James Garfield, future President of the United States, who, it is said, was extremely well received. About 3 years later, on June 11th, 1868, Laura married Robert M. Green of Cambridge, Ohio (northeast of Westland), who shared her June 17th birthday. Born 2 years prior to Laura, in 1846, Robert enlisted as a Corporal with “A” company of the 85th Ohio Infantry, a 3-month unit, on May 27th, 1862. Mustering in on June 10th, I Columbus, at Camp Chase, the 85th was assigned to guard Confederate prisoners at the garrison. He mustered out on the 23rd of September. By 1880, Robert & Laura Green had relocated to Oroville, California (Butte County...

This 36-star flag has stars arranged in a gorgeous and highly desirable medallion pattern. This particular medallion includes a large haloed star in the middle, two rings of stars s...

This is a 36-star hand-sewn antique flag, as striking as it is scarce. 36 stars celebrate the addition of Nevada to the Union and officially flew from July 4, 1865 to July 3, 1867, u...

34 STARS IN 4 ROWS WITH 2 STARS OFFSET AT THE HOIST END, ON AN ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG LIKELY PRODUCED FOR MILITARY FUNCTION, AS UNION ARMY CAMP COLORS; ONE OF JUST A TINY HANDFUL THAT I HAVE ENCOUNTERED IN THIS EXACT STYLE, REFLECTS KANSAS STATEHOOD, OPENING TWO YEARS OF THE CIVIL WAR...

34 STAR ANTIQUE AMERICAN FLAG OF THE CIVIL WAR PERIOD (1861-63), WITH WOVEN STRIPES, PRESS-DYED STARS, AND BEAUTIFUL COLORS, POSSIBLY MADE IN NEW YORK BY THE ANNIN COMPANY, REFLECTS THE ADDITION OF KANSAS TO THE UNION, 1861-1863 34 star flag of the Civil War period, with a press-dyed canton and woven stripes. Made of a fabric produced frame a combination of wool and cotton fibers, the 34 star count was achieved in an unusual fashion, beginning with a press-dyed field of 32 star...

This is a beautifully hand-cut and sewn 35-star American flag, representing the addition of West Virginia to the Union. West Virginia joined the Union on June 20, 1863. Because 35-st...

34 STARS IN A VERY RARE PATTERN THAT FEATURES A HUGE CENTER STAR IN THE MIDST OF A LINEAL STAR PATTERN, ONE-OF-A-KIND AMONG KNOWN EXAMPLES, CIVIL WAR PERIOD, 1861-63, KANSAS STATEHOOD Early flags are collected for many reasons, but one of the primary factors can be found in the mere fact that they looked so very different in early America than they do today. Because there was no official star configuration for the American national flag until 1912, their design was left to the whims of the flag-maker. Artist’s liberty and creative expression led to a host of various star patterns. Among these are not only rows and columns of stars, but circular formations, star-shaped formations, and all manner of other arrangements that span from the common and benign to the exceptionally rare and whimsical. One of the earliest concepts in the layout of the stars was to feature a large one in the center of the blue canton amidst an otherwise lineal configuration. Because so few flags survive from the first fifty years following our independence, scant few examples exist with this feature, but it can be seen on the only known 17-star, 17-stripe flag (1803-1812), for example, that has so-far been discovered, as well as a fragment of the another flag that was found alongside it. It can also be seen on a rare, 24-star example (1821-1836), as well as a particular early, 13-star flag that probably pre-dates 1830 and might be 18th century. In the case of printed parade flags, like this one, I can think of only two examples, each of which survives as the only known flag in its respective style. Neither of these has thus far been documented in any text. This is one of those two, exceptionally rare flags...