Views: 4897 Inv. Number: 34j-868 Available: Sold Frame Size (H x L): 62" x 78" Flag Size (H x L): 52" x 68" Description: 34 STARS, 1861-63, CIVIL WAR PERIOD, PAINTED STARS ON A CANTON OF BLUE CALICO, ARRANGED IN A RARE “GREAT STAR” CONFIGURATION: 34 star American national flag with some fantastic, unusual, and highly desired features, made sometime during the opening two years of the Civil War (1861-63). Most obvious of these are the stars of the flag, which are configured in what is called the “Great Star” pattern, a star made out of stars. These are applied in white oil paint, with some metallic fleck content, onto a canton made of blue calico-print cotton. To a collector of folk art and early American textiles, flags with cantons of blue calico fabric are a highly desired oddity. A product of make-do nature, the use of printed blue fabric, as opposed to solid, represents the lack of available fabric and a desire for Americans to ration for the betterment of themselves and the nation. The printed background adds a, endearing folk element to the design, which elevates the flag to a different level among known examples. I can’t think of more than five flags I have seen with this rare trait. Also of notable interest to American textile enthusiasts are the white cotton tabs at the top and bottom of the hoist, applied by hand, with hand-sewn, whip-stitched grommets. The glitter in the white paint, when viewed at the correct angle, suggests that metallic shavings may have been added to the paint (probably reduced with mineral salts) to increase the visibility of the stars. Most all Union, Civil War battle flags are made of silk with gilt-painted stars, gold or silver. Homemade flags sometimes have white painted stars, presumably because white paint was far more available to private individuals, and was at least as effective. Like the calico canton, however, white painted stars are very rare. I may have seen ten such flags, but certainly not more than fifteen. The flag was probably made by a loved one (or loved ones) to present to a soldier or his company when they went away to war. While it could have alternatively served as a show of more localized patriotism, flown at some special event or events, it is of the right size for a presentation flag, most of which were somewhat smaller than the 6’ x 6.5’, state-issued battle flags. Presentation colors were often carried until a regiment received its state-issued flags. Among collectors, the Great Star configuration is the most coveted of all 19th century geometric patterns. It probably came about shortly after the War of 1812, when Congressman Peter Wendover, of New York, requested that Captain Samuel Reid, a War of 1812 naval hero, create a new design that would become the third official format of the Stars & Stripes. A recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, Reid became harbor master of New York following the war. During his lifetime, he created many innovations in signal use, including a system that could actually send messages from New York to New Orleans by sea in just two hours. Use as a Naval signal had been the primary reason for the initial creation of an American national flag in the first place, in 1777, but since there was no official star design, the appearance of our flag varied greatly. So Reid and Wendover’s primary concern centered on both consistency and ease of recognition. Their hope was as more and more states joined the Union and more and more stars were added to the flag, that it would remain easily identified on the open seas. So in 1818, Reid suggested to Congress that the number of stripes permanently return to 13 (reduced from 15) and that the stars be grouped into the shape of one large star. Reid’s proposal would have kept the star constellation in roughly the same format, in a pattern that could be quickly identified through a spyglass as the number of states grew. His concept for the stripes was ultimately accepted, but his advice on the star pattern was rejected by President James Monroe, due to the increased cost of arranging the stars in what would become known as the “Great Star”, “Great Flower”, or “Great Luminary” pattern. Monroe probably didn’t wish to impose this cost on either the government or civilians, so he suggested a simple pattern of justified rows. Never-the-less, the Great Star was produced by anyone willing to make it and its rarity today, along with its beauty, has driven the desirability of American flags with this configuration. Kansas was admitted into the Union as the 34th state on January 29th, 1861, about 2 ½ months before the Confederate assault on Fort Sumter that marked the beginning of the Civil War. The 34th star was officially added on July 4th of that year, but most flag makers would have added a 34th star with the addition of Kansas in January. The star count remained official until July 4th, 1863, and 34 star flags would have been produced until the addition of West Virginia in June of that year. Construction: The stripes are made of red and white cotton. They are pieced by hand and finished with treadle stitching, all except the piecing of the 8th and 9th stripes, which was done entirely by treadle stitching. The stars are painted in white oil on blue calico cotton. White tape is sewn to the hoist for support. There are applied piece of white cotton at the top and bottom of the hoist, into each of which is sewn a whip-stitched grommet. Mounting: The flag has been stitched to 100% silk organza on every seam and throughout the star field. The flag was then hand-sewn to background of 100% cotton, black in color, which has been washed to remove excess dye. An acid-free agent was added to the wash to further set the dye and the fabric was heat-treated for the same purpose. The flag was then placed in a black-painted and hand-gilded, contemporary Italian molding. The front is u.v. protective plexiglas. Condition: There is fading of the blue canton and red stripes, accompanied by foxing of the white stripes and some water staining throughout, but the overall effect is excellent and actually adds to its presentation in my opinion. Collector Level: Flags for the truest Patriots. My best offerings Flag Type: Sewn flag Star Count: 34 Earliest Date of Origin: 1861 Latest Date of Origin: 1863 State/Affiliation: Kansas War Association: 1861-1865 Civil War Price: SOLD E-mail: Email Question

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