Frame Size (H x L): 37.5” x 53”
Flag Size (H x L): 26.5” x 42”

Offered is a thirty-three star antique flag with a medallion star pattern.  It is printed on glazed cotton.  It is one of approximately ten known examples and is outstanding in every respect. 

In particular, this flag has a great provenance, in that—as described on the flag itself—it survived one of the most significant floods in American history.  Specifically, an inscription along the top white stripe states the following: Went through Johnstown, PA flood. 

The Johnstown Flood occurred on May 31st, 1889, following the failure of the South Fork Dam.  The failure released 14.55 million cubic meters of water, and the volumetric flow rate into Johnstown was equal to that of the Mississippi River.  The flood destroyed 1600 homes and killed 2,200 people. 

The star pattern of this flag includes a small center star that is surrounded by three concentric rings of stars.  The inner ring includes four stars, the middle ring includes ten stars, and the outer ring includes sixteen stars.  The outer ring is flanked by an additional upper-right star and a lower-right star.  This pattern is referred to as an offset medallion pattern.  Although this pattern is one of the classic configurations associated with nineteenth century flags, it most frequently encountered on thirty-eight star flags and almost never encountered on thirty-three star flags.  In the case of this thirty-three star flag, the upper-left and upper-right corners were likely left open in anticipation of the Western Territories.

The red stripes of this flag are orange in appearance, while the blue canton is dark blue in appearance.  The First Flag Act of 1777 specified the number of stripes and the colors of the flag, but did not specify the exact shades of each color, which is why some flags—like this one—have unusual colors.  The exact shades were not officially specified until 1934.

The thirty-three star flag represents the inclusion of Oregon to the Union.  Oregon was admitted on February 14th, 1859, and this flag became official on July 4th, 1859.  Use of the thirty-three star flag overlapped the beginning of the Civil War, as evidenced by, for example, a thirty-three star flag being flown at Fort Sumter when Confederate soldiers attacked it.  Flags associated with the Civil War time period are among the rarest and most collectible of all antique flags.  Prior to the Civil War, Americans did not typically display flags for patriotic purposes, and even the military did not regularly use it.  Instead, most flags prior to the Civil War were used to mark ships and were massive in scale.  The surge in small US flags for patriotic purposes began with the election of Lincoln and the onset of the Civil War. 

Flags predating the Civil War (1861-1865) are the rarest and most desirable of all US flags.  Prior to the Civil War, Americans did not typically display flags for patriotic purposes, and even the military did not regularly display it.  This is because 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.  Most flags made prior to the Civil War were used to mark ships and were large in scale.  For these reasons, flags made prior to the Civil War account for only around 1-in-100 flags made in the 19th century, and examples small enough to display are even more scarce.  It was not until 1861 that flags were produced in large numbers, and private citizens began waving them in public and displaying them at home.

The thirty-three star flag was official until July 4th, 1861, the time at which the thirty-four star flag became official and began to represent the inclusion of Kansas in the Union.   

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. 

Condition Report: This flag has some minor stains, holes, and tears.  As often encountered in glazed cotton flags, its white stars and stripes have turned brown.  Despite these issues, this flag presents incredibly well.          

Collectability Level: The Extraordinary – Museum Quality Offerings
Date of Origin: 1859-1861
Number of Stars: 33
Associated War: Pre-Civil War
Associated State: Oregon