Price: Call 618-553-2291, or email info@bonsellamericana.com
Frame Size (H x L): 21.75” x 26”
Flag Size (H x L): 11.5” x 16”  

Offered is a thirteen-star flag made of silk, likely dating to between 1876 and 1915.  Its stars are painted and arranged in a 4-5-4 pattern.  Flags having such a pattern are among the most difficult of all thirteen-star flags to find, and they also have a fantastic visual appeal.  In our experience, of the thirteen-star antique flags that come to market, around 75% are the 3-2-3-2-3 Hopkinson pattern, around 20% are the medallion pattern, and the remaining 5% are various different patterns, including the 4-5-4 and Betsy Ross patterns.  The 4-5-4 pattern is generally encountered in flags dating to the Civil War and earlier.  Because of the prevalence of this pattern in the early 1800s, it may have been used in the first flag design.  Despite this pattern’s early popularity, it was rarely used after the Civil War, not even during the Centennial.    

Its silk stripes, silk canton, and exaggerated cotton hoist are machine sewn.  From a US perspective, Walter Hunt built one of the earliest practical sewing machines between 1832 and 1834.  Elias Howe later built and patented one in 1846 (see US 4,750), and Isaac Singer then built and patented an improved one in 1851 (see US 8,294).  By 1856, patent allegations in the sewing industry were so numerous, that the "Sewing Machine Combination" was formed, in which Singer, Howe, and others agreed to pool their patents and define licensing arrangements.  By 1860, over 100,000 sewing machines were made in the US alone.  And for this reason, the majority of Civil War flags include at least some machine sewn portions, particularly along their stripes.  Nearly all centennial flags are machine sewn throughout, minus the sewing of their stars, which was still sometimes performed manually.  By 1900, nearly all flags were entirely machine sewn.  

The original use of the thirteen-star flag dates to June 14th, 1777, the time at which the Continental Congress adopted a resolution creating the first official flag.  The resolution stated, “Resolved, that the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, that the union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation.”  Thirteen-star flags were official from 1777-1795, but have been in use ever since.

Small US Navy boats used it as the ensign from 1795 until 1916.  Thirteen-star flags were also flown at the time of George Washington’s death in 1799 and to celebrate the nation’s 50th anniversary in 1824.  They were also flown in 1824 in honor of General Lafayette’s return to the US for his nationwide tour.  Celebrations for his Revolutionary War service were held in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, along with many locations in the southern and western states.

Further, thirteen-star flags were also common during the Mexican War in 1846-1848 and the Civil War in 1861-1865.  They were both relatively close in time to the revolution, and were very patriotic times, particularly during the Civil War time period when flag use became much more common than had ever previously been the case.  Thirteen-star flags were also flown during the centennial celebrations, which were held across the country and, most notably, in Philadelphia at the Centennial International Exhibition.

Conservation Process: This flag was hand sewn to cotton fabric, and both were hand sewn to a mounting board.  To prevent the black dye in the cotton fabric from seeping into the flag, it was first washed in a standard wash and then in a dye setting wash.  The flag is positioned behind Optium Museum Acrylic.

Frame: This offering is in our Large Distressed Black and Gold Frame.  However, it can be reframed and would look great using any one of our Medium or Large Frames, which are shown in the final two images.  The pricing associated with the different framing options may vary.  Reframing of an offering may delay shipment by up to two weeks.      

Condition Report:  The stripes are splitting.  There is toning and staining throughout the surface.  Many collectors prefer flags that show their age and use.     

Collectability Level: The Best – Perfect for Advanced Collectors 
Date of Origin: 1876-1915
Number of Stars: 13
Associated War: The Spanish American War (1898) 
Associated State: Original 13 Colonies