Frame Size (H x L): 7.25” x 10”
Flag Size (H x L): 3.25” x 6”

Offered is an antique flag that is printed on loosely woven, lightly glazed cotton. It has an outstanding canton, featuring thirty four stars; a tablet inside of the stars; and a patriotic slogan—THE UNION AND THE CONSTITUTION—inside of the tablet.

This flag was made, in 1860, for the John Bell and Edward Everett campaign. Bell and Everett were the presidential and vice-presidential nominees of the Constitutional Union Party. They ran against Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin, the Republican nominees; John Breckinridge and Joseph Lane, the Southern Democratic nominees; and Stephen Douglas and Herschel Johnson, the Northern Democratic nominees.

Bell was a slaveholder; however, he opposed the expansion of slavery and opposed secession. Bell had two campaign slogans, the first being “THE UNION, The CONSTITUTION, AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW,” and the second being a shorter version thereof, “THE UNION AND THE CONSTITUTION.” The latter slogan is featured on the flag offered herein. Bell and Everett drew little interest nationally and carried just three states—the border states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia—and won only 39 electoral votes. In contrast, Lincoln and Hamlin won 180 electoral votes; Breckinridge and Lane, 72; and Douglas and Johnson, 12.

The thirty-four star flag represents the inclusion of Kansas to the Union. Kansas was admitted on January 29th, 1861, and this star count became official on July 4th, 1861. President Lincoln served, and the Civil War was fought, under this star count. Many thirty-four star flags predate the first shots of the Civil War in 1861, as flag makers began producing them upon the admission of the Kansas, instead of the time at which the flag was officially admitted to the Union, later in the same year. Interestingly, the flag offered herein, dates to 1860—given its clear tie to the Bell and Everett ticket—and, thus, predates the Civil War and even the admission of Kansas (i.e., it is an anticipatory star count).

The thirty-four star flag was official until July 4th 1863, the time at which the thirty-five star flag became official and began to represent the inclusion of West Virginia in the Union.

Thirty-four and thirty-five star flags were the official flags for the majority of the Civil War, and for this reason, both are extremely collectible. Flags associated with this time period (1861-1865) and earlier are among the rarest and most desirable of all US flags. Prior to the Civil War, Americans did not typically display flags for patriotic purposes. In fact, even the military did not regularly use the flag, as it was not until 1834 that the army field artillery was permitted to carry the traditional US flag, and not until 1841 that regiments carried it. Instead, most flags prior to the Civil War were used to mark ships, and they were massive in scale so as to be seen from large distances.

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: The antique frame has a dry, crusty, black painted surface. It dates to approximately 1840.

Condition Report: There is some very light fading and staining. Both issues are minimal and age appropriate.

Collectability Level: The Best – Perfect for Advanced Collectors
Date of Origin: 1860
Number of Stars: 34
Associated War: The Civil War (1861-1865)
Associated State: Kansas