Frame Size (H x L): 19.5” x 15”
Flag Size (H x L): 12” x 7”

Offered is a handsewn thirteen-star flag. Rachel Albright, granddaughter of Betsy Ross, made it in 1903. As such, its stars are arranged in what is typically referred to as the Betsy Ross pattern, a circular pattern of thirteen stars. Betsy Ross is often mistakenly credited with making the first flag, most notably in grade school classrooms and in pop cultural references. And without doubt, she does deserve credit for making early flags, some of which date to the 1770’s. But it is an error to credit her with making the very first flag. Simply put, there is no substantive evidence to say as much in the form of letters, articles, journals, or other reliable sources.

As such, historians do not accept that Ross made or designed the first flag. Rather, they believe that Francis Hopkinson was the first to design it in 1777. Hopkinson was a member of the Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a lawyer. The evidence supporting Hopkinson’s role includes his claim to Congress for payment for having furnished the design of “the flag of the United States of America.” In 1780, Hopkinson asked to be paid in “a Quarter Cask of public wine”—to avoid risks associated with rampant inflation—and later asked to be paid in $1,440 in Continental paper. From this, there is firm evidence associating Hopkinson with the first flag versus no substantive evidence associating Betsy Ross with it.

WILLIAM CANBY
It was not until 1870—nearly a century after the flag was designed—that the myth of Betsy Ross took hold. At that time, William Canby, the grandson of Betsy Ross, told the Historical Society of Pennsylvania that she designed and made the first flag at George Washington’s request. One of the earliest—if not the earliest—media accounts perpetuating the myth was in Harper’s New Monthly Magazine in 1873. Its account was as follows:

The construction of the first national standard of the United States, as a design, from which the “Stars and Stripes” was afterword adopted, took place under the personal direction of General Washington, aided by a committee of Congress “authorized to design a suitable flag for the nation,” at Philadelphia, June, 1777.

This took place at the residence of Mrs. Ross, a relative of Colonel Ross, in Arch Street, between Second and Third, where General Washington and the committee completed the design, and employed Mrs. Ross to execute the work. The house is still standing (No. 239). Mrs. Ross was afterward Mrs. Claypoole. Her maiden name was Griscom, and, according to the fashion of the times, she was called “Betsy.”

Betsy Griscom had, before the Revolution, acquired some knowledge of the “upholder” trade, as it was then called—an occupation synonymous with that of the modern upholsterer—at the time mentioned was carrying on business on her own account in her little shop. One day, probably between the 23rd of May and the 7th of June, 1777, during which period Washington was in Philadelphia, there came to her the commander-in-chief, the Hon. George Ross, and other gentlemen, members of Congress, who desired to know whether she could make them a flag according to a design which they would produce. She intimated her willingness to try. The design was for a flag of thirteen red and white stripes, alternate, with a union, blue in the field, spangled with thirteen six-pointed stars. Mrs. Ross expressed her willingness to make the flag, but suggested that the stars would be more symmetrical and pleasing to the eye if made with five points, and she showed them how such a star could be made, by folding a sheet of paper and producing the pattern by a single cut. Her plan was approved, and she at once proceeded to make the flag, which was finished the next day. Mrs. Ross was given the position of manufacturer of flags for the government, and for some years she was engaged in that occupation. The business descended to her children, and was carried on by her daughter, Clarissa Claypoole, who voluntarily relinquished it on becoming a member of the Society of Friends, lest her handiwork should be used in time of war.

CANBY’S SUPPORT (OR LACK THEREOF)
Canby did not have any reliable evidence supporting his claim. Rather, his only support was in the form of family affidavits, which were based on unreliable word of mouth accounts, not to mention that they were self-serving. Regarding the former point, we can personally attest to the unreliability of family accounts, as we have examined numerous flags, in which the family history does not match the construction of the flag. As just one example, we corresponded with a family that believed its flag dated to the 18th century, even though a cursory examination of the stitching thereof indicated that it could date to no earlier than the middle of the 19th century.

RACHEL ALBRIGHT AND SARAH WILSON
While Canby was the catalyst of the Betsy Ross myth, it is Rachel Albright and Sarah Wilson—Ross’s granddaughter and great-granddaughter, respectively—who took the story mainstream by selling “Betsy Ross flags” in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. They made flags therein between approximately 1895 and 1913, and they sold them for a few dollars apiece. Many of the Albright and Wilson flags are marked directly on their hoists. For example, the flag offered herein includes the following inscription: First flag made in 1777 by Betsy Ross. This copy of the original flag made in 1903 by Rachel Albright, grand-daughter of Betsy Ross, aged 90 years 10 months.

For at least four reasons, Albright and Wilson flags are distinctive in their appearance and construction, beyond the fact that many, but not all, are inscribed. First, they always use red and white silk ribbons for the stripes. Second, they always use blue silk for the canton. Third, they always use silk floss to form the stars, and the stars are always akin to spokes. And fourth, they are always made by hand and with precision, a level of which is generally on its own plane relative to other flags of the era. The flag offered herein illustrates all of these same features.

RARITY
Antique flags in the Betsy Ross pattern—thirteen stars in a single wreath—are among the most famous, but most rare, of all antique thirteen-star flags. Antique Betsy Ross pattern flags are very difficult to find, even after the myth that was perpetuated by Canby, Albright, and Wilson. In our experience, of the thirteen-star antique flags that come to market, around 75% are the 3-2-3-2-3 pattern, around 20% are the medallion pattern, and the remaining 5% are various different patterns, only some of which are the Betsy Ross pattern.

The Albright and Wilson flags are particularly rare and do not surface often. When they do, they make their way into the leading collections. As one example, the Mastai Collection included an Albright flag. The Mastai’s featured it in their landmark text, the Stars and Stripes, and they later sold it via Sotheby’s in October of 2002.

THIRTEEN-STAR FLAGS GENERALLY
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: The offering is in an outstanding, modern black frame.

Condition Report: There are a couple of places in which the silk has split. Such splits are now stabilized. In other respects, this flag is in excellent conditions and amongst the best of its kind.

Collectability Level: The Best – Perfect for Advanced Collectors
Date of Origin: 1903
Number of Stars: 13
Associated State: Original 13 Colonies