Philadelphia Antiques & Art Show 2017

various styles may be likewise explained. And if one were to extend this concept over time, by assuming that freedom of choice was actually inherent in the flag’s conception, the plethora of almost uncountable variations that followed in the 19th century and beyond makes a lot more sense. Another important thing to note is the element of need versus available time and manpower. The fact that the Stars & Stripes materialized as more of a tool of war than a rally- ing point for the Revolution validates the use of just one run- on sentence to create it. Today most Americans would find it hard to believe that such a small handful of words, was used by men generally associated with flowery prose, to describe something so poorly, which modern society has come to hold so uncommonly sacred. Now that I have described how and when our flag came about, and that the star configuration on the original re- mains a mystery, what did some of the earliest examples look like, and where might you find one? To better understand the answer to these questions, it is important to know that we have made 13 star flags throughout our history. So if you encounter one, don’t presume that it dates to the 18th centu- ry. Misdating is common because 13 star flags are so poorly understood. Most people do not understand the longevity of 13 star flag production, and thus presume that if they are in possession of one, and it looks old, it must have been made when we had 13 states. Sometimes they want the flag to be period so badly that they will consider no other explanation. Families who have one that has been handed down over time are famous for this, but at one time, so were reputable muse- ums, auction houses, and dealers. Perhaps the best example of this occurred at the Smithsonian, which once claimed to own a period example. When someone finally examined the flag properly for the purposes of dating it, it was found to be later. Harold Langely, noted flag expert and the Smithsonian’s former Di- rector of Naval History, has been reported to say that he considers this to be one of the institution’s greatest embarrassments. So if you are looking for a Colonial/Revolu- tionary period 13 star flag—in other words, one made prior to the Trea- ty of Paris in 1783, or at the very least during the period when we had 13 states, prior to the 1791 admission of Vermont—I have some very bad news for you. Almost none exist. Vexillologist David Martucci compiled a survey of known illustrations and actual flags that are suspect- ed or proven to date to that period. Of those dating between the flag’s inception in 1777, and its 1795 replacement by the 15-star, 15-stripe flag, there are 47 entries. Among these are 5 actual flags. One of these, known as the Battle of Brandywine Flag, dates to 1777 and is the earliest of all 47 entries. This is burgundy red and white, incorporates no blue at all, and thus deviates fairly significantly from what one might expect. An- other, known as the Society of Pewterers Flag, dates to 1788 and is a golden yellow flag that has a 13 star flag painted on it. This serves as the canton and is accompanied by a huge rendition of the society’s crest, plus a scene of the interior of a pewterer’s shop. Thought to be the earliest cloth American flag, in the correct colors, that can be positively dated, it is likewise not what one would expect. In some senses, it could just as easily be grouped with period paintings and engrav- ings that include a 13 star flag among other imagery. Another example, known as the Guilford Court House Flag, has 13 stars with evidence of 14 original stripes. While logic suggests that it could potentially date between 1791-92, following the admission of Vermont, but prior to the addition of Kentucky, experts who have examined the flag generally agree that there could have actually been more stars, as well as more stripes. Like the first two flags, the Gildford example is unconven- tional. The stars are blue on a white canton and the stripes are red and blue only. The only likely candidate that conforms to modern convention is a 4-5-4 pattern example, known as the “Fort Independence Flag” or the “Jonathan Fowle Flag.” Donated in 1906 to the Massachusetts State House, it survives with family papers that document its history back to at least the War of 1812. A period family letter speaks of a flag donated to Fort Independence in 1781, but there is no proof that this flag and the Jonathan Fowle Flag are one-in-the-same. The 18th century State House has decided to apply an 18th century date, but vexillologists aren’t sure. In summary, the probability is there, but the jury is still out. Martucci suggests that the 5th example, known as the General Schuyler Flag, probably dates to the first decade of the 19th century, due to the 17 pales (vertical stripes) on the federal shield that appear on the breast of a large, central eagle. I generally agree. Because the flag has not yet been disproved with certainty, however, it was thoughtfully included in Martucci’s survey. The compilation is a work in progress that gets updated periodically. As of today, I feel that there is at least one actual flag absent that perhaps needs to be added. An example in New London, Connecticut, known as the Nathaniel Shaw flag, seems a likely candidate W 114 W (Figure 4) Francis Hopkinson’s first proposal for the Great Seal of the United States, 1780. Note the random arrangement of 13 six-pointed stars. Photo courtesy National Archives and Records Adminis- tration, Washington, D.C.