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One
of my favorite
categories of early
American flags are
the great ship's
flags from the 19th
century. All of
these flags, and
especially those
made prior to the
American Civil War,
are extremely rare
and seldom appear in the
marketplace or in public
collections. They
were made to fly
from the great
sailing ships of the
19th century,
serving as a
symbol of America on
the high seas and in
ports far and wide.
While the great
calamity of the
Civil War ushered in
a wave of patriotism
that fueled the
personal use of
American flags on
homes and
businesses, use of
the American flag
from the 1790's
through the 1850's
was primarily
functional, either
for maritime and
Navy use, or to fly
over large military
forts such as Ft.
McHenry or Ft.
Sumter.
American Army units
were not issued
stars and stripes
American flags until
the period of the
Mexican War in the
mid-1840's. There are many
attributes of these
flags, beyond their
great rarity, that
make them
extraordinary to
behold. They
universally have an
honest, beautiful
wear and look to
them. In a
way, they simply
look like
America... their
bold colors, hand
stitching, make-do
patches and repeated
repairs, seem to
embody the America
of hard work, drive,
prosperity, and
optimism. The
selected flags shown below, all entirely
hand sewn, form an
important and significant
sub-collection of early
flags within the Rare Flags
collection. The rare artifacts
and patriotic Americana
pictured along with the
flags are also part of the
Rare Flags collection and
date from the same period in
early America.
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The
Surrender
Lord
Cornwallis
Published in
Baltimore in
1814 by
Joseph
Cushing
during the
War of 1812,
reminding
Americans
of their
past victory
against the
British
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An
Original 15
Star Ship's
Flag, 1792
to 1818.
The flag
likely dates
to the War
of 1812. Its
stripes,
like those
of the Star
Spangled
Banner, are
hand sewn
with waxed
linen
thread to
protect
against rot
when exposed
to moisture
at sea.
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An
original 20 Star
American Ship's
Flag,
United States Navy
Configuration,
Made between
September 18, 1818
and December 3,1818
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Official
Notification for the
20 Star Flag
Sent to the
Portsmouth Navy Yard
in New Hampshire,
dated 18 May 1818,
just six weeks after
the passage of the
3rd Flag Act of 1818 |
A beautiful
Scherenschnitte
paper cutting by
Isaac Stihley,
Mahantango Valley,
circa 1835
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An
American National
Flag of 24 Stars,
1822-1836,
Missouri Statehood
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An
American National
Flag of 24 Stars,
1821,
Updated to 25 Stars,
1836-1837
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An
Early American Oil
Painting of the
Revolutionary Prison
Ship HMS Jersey.
The artist, a nephew
of a Revolutionary
Soldier held
prisoner aboard the
ship, painted a
large ship's flag to
commemorate those
who died as
prisoners aboard the
ship.
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A
fanciful watercolor
"National Theater"
Playbill with two
American flags, an
American eagle, and
the important motto
"United We Stand,
Divided We Fall".
Made by American
sailors aboard the
USS St. Lawrence,
February 9th, 1853,
while in port at
Valparaiso, Chile. |
An
American National
Flag of 28 Stars,
1846,
An exceptionally
rare star count,
made to commemorate
Texas statehood. |
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An
American National
Flag of 24 Stars in
the Great Star Pattern
proposed by Captain Samuel
Chester Reid in 1817. This
flag is one of the earliest
known in the Great Star
Pattern, dating from
1821-1836. It is a rare
ship's flag found near
Mystic Seaport, Connecticut. |
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A 30 Star
Flag from the USS
Mississippi,1848-1850 Stars,
along with a rare 6 Star
Navy Commissioning Pennant
also from the ship. |
A large mid-19th century
ship's flag of 13 Stars in
the 4-5-4 Pattern. Although
its precise date is unknown,
it likely dates to the
early-to-mid 19th century.
Accompanying history
indicates that it it
"resembles a Naval flag used
by the privateers of 1776"
and flew in Kennebunkport,
Maine during the Centennial
Celebration of 1876. |
A 13 Star
Flag, circa 1845-1860 or
earlier, in the very rare
Trumbull Pattern, of the
style seen in early American
ship's paintings, often
flown from the stern of
sailing vessels in the
early- to mid-19th century. |
A 13 Star
Flag, Civil War Era, in the
3-2-3-2-3 Pattern. The style
of a Small Boat Ensign of
the Civil War, with evidence
of souveniring of the fly
end and bottom stripe,
indicative of military
service. |
A 12 Star
Flag, Civil War Era or
earlier, entirely hand sewn,
of the type often seen on
early American sailing
vessels and
US Navy Small Boat Flags. |
A 15 Star
Flag, Civil War Era or
earlier, entirely hand sewn,
of the type often seen on
early American sailing
vessels and
US Navy Small Boat Flags. |
26 Stars,
the Great Star Pattern
printed on silk, one of the
earliest surviving printed
American flags, 1837-1845,
descended in the family of
Commodore Stephen Decatur,
US Navy. |
13 Stars
in the very rare Trumbull
Pattern, circa 1870-1890,
descended in the family of a
Merchant Marine Ship's
Captain. |
13 Stars
in a Staggered Pattern, a
U.S. Navy Commissioning
Pennant or a Commercial
Maritime Pennant, 1820-1845
era. |
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Next:
American Battle Flags |
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