U.S. 31 Stars President Zachery Taylor Mourning

U.S. 31 Stars Mourning flag - Mourning border for Presidents Taylor and Lincoln.
The star arrangement of these Stars and Stripes reflects a frugal modification of an older 30-star flag by the inclusion of an extra star to represent California's admission to the Union. From 1840 through 1860, inexpensive flags were printed on cotton or poplin (a fabric combining cotton woofs with silk wefts), utilizing the same type of carved wooden blocks that were used for printing illustrations. Rather than make an entirely new printing block for a 31-star canton, the craftsman at the flag factory where this flag was produced simply added one star to the original pentagonal design. This saved the labor that would have been required for cutting the other 30 stars. In 1850 President Zachary Taylor died in office. In accordance with Victorian-era practice, the border of this flag was decorated with black silk crepe to indicate that its owner was mourning the loss of a person, in this case the president. According to family tradition, this flag was brought out again in 1865 and displayed in honor of Abraham Lincoln, after he was assassinated in April that year.

Exhibition History:
#19 Star Spangled Banner Flag House & Museum.

First Presidio Exhibit
31-Star United States Mourning Flag

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 GALLERY III
31-Star United States Mourning Flag

Publication History:
Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 53.

Provenance:
• Displayed at 075 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD, 1865.
• Acquired by Mrs. F.F. Weinwatcher, Baltimore, MD, until 1928.
• Donated to the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Museum of Baltimore, MD, 1928.
• Star Spangled Banner Flag House & Museum, Baltimore , MD until 1966.
• Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection from the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Collection of Baltimore, MD., 1996.



ZFC Significant Flag
Item is Framed

Sources:

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Madaus, Howard M.- Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, VZ Publications, Santa Cruz, 2006.

Mastai, Boleslaw and Marie-Louise D'Otrange, The Stars and The Stripes: The American Flag as Art and as History from the Birth of the republic to the Present, Knopf, New York, 1973.

The Many Constellations of Old Glory, Historical Flags of Our Ancestors!, 11 November 2011, from: http://www.loeser.us/flags/us_flags.html

31 Star Flag - (1851-1858) (U.S.), Flags of the World, 11 November 2011, from: http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-1851.html

Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection

Hoist & Fly
Width of Hoist	49
Length of Fly	35

Union/Canton
Width of Union/Canton	18.5
Length of Union/Canton	18

Stars
Comments on Star Measurements	Center : 4.25"
Size of Stars	2.25

Stripes
Width of 1st Stripe	2.5
Width of 3rd Stripe	2.5
Width of 8th Stripe	2.75
Width of Last Stripe	2.75
Size of Hoist	1

Frame
Is it framed?	yes
Frame Height	41
Frame Length	56

Stars
Number of Stars	31
How are the stars embeded?	Printed
Are there stars on obverse?	yes
Are there stars on reverse?	yes
Comments on Stars	Printed on Cotton The star arrangement reflects a frugal modification of an older 30-star flag by the inclusion of an extra star to represent California’s admission to the Union.

Stripes
Number of Stripes	13
Color of Top Stripe	Red
Color of Bottom Stripe	Red
Has a Blood Stripe?	no

Nationality
Nation Represented	United States

Fabric
Fabric	Cotton
Comments on Fabric	Printed cotton later decorated with black silk crepe border.

Stitching
Stitching	Hand

Thread
Thread Material	Cotton

Attachment
Method of Attachment	Sleeve

Applica
Applique Sides	Single Faced = Mirror Image Reverse

Documentation
Documents
Public Copy & Signs

Condition
Condition	Good
Damage	Faded
Displayable	yes

Date
Date	1850 - 1865

Exhibits

Exhibition Copy

First Presidio Exhibit (ZFC0125) 31-STAR UNITED STATES MOURNING FLAG Date: 1850-1851 (probably reused in 1865) Media: Printed cotton with black silk crepe border Comment: The star arrangement of this Stars and Stripes reflects a frugal modification of an older 30-star flag by the inclusion of an extra star to represent California's admission to the Union. From 1840 through 1860, inexpensive flags were printed on cotton or poplin (a fabric combining cotton woofs with silk wefts), utilizing the same type of carved wooden blocks that were used for printing illustrations. Rather than make an entirely new printing block for a 31-star canton, the craftsman at the flag factory where this flag was produced simply added one star to the original pentagonal design. This saved the labor that would have been required for cutting the other 30 stars. In 1850 President Zachary Taylor died in office - only the second president to do so. (William Henry Harrison, who caught pneumonia during his inauguration address, died after a month in office in 1841.) In accordance with Victorian-era practice, the border of this flag was decorated with black silk crepe to indicate that its owner was mourning the loss of an person, in this case the president. According to family tradition, this flag was brought out again in 1865 and displayed in honor of Abraham Lincoln, after he was assassinated in April that year. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0125) in 1996 from the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Collection of Baltimore, MD. Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY III (ZFC0125) 31-Star United States Mourning Flag Date: 1850-1851 (probably reused in 1865) 31 Stars: July 4, 1851-July 3, 1858 (California statehood September 9, 1850) Media: Printed cotton with black silk crepe border Comment: The star arrangement of this Stars and Stripes reflects a frugal modification of an older 30-star flag printing block by the inclusion of an extra star to represent California's admission to the Union. From 1840 through 1860, inexpensive flags were printed on cotton or poplin (a fabric combining cotton woofs with silk wefts), utilizing the same type of carved wooden blocks that were used for printing illustrations. Rather than make an entirely new printing block for a 31-star canton, the craftsman at the flag factory where this flag was produced simply added one star to the original pentagonal design. This saved the labor that would have been required for cutting the other 30 stars. In 1850 President Zachary Taylor died in office-only the second president to do so. (William Henry Harrison, who caught pneumonia during his inauguration address, had died after a month in office in 1841.) In accordance with Victorian-era practice, the border of this flag was decorated with black silk crepe to indicate that its owner was mourning the loss of an person, in this case the president. According to family tradition, this flag was brought out again in 1865 and displayed in honor of Abraham Lincoln, after he was assassinated in April that year. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0125) in 1996 from the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Collection of Baltimore, MD.

Publications

Publication Copy

Publication History: Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 53. 31-Star United States Mourning Flag The star arrangement of this Stars & Stripes reflects a frugal modification of an older 30-star flag printing block by the inclusion of an extra star to represent California's admission to the Union. From 1840 through 1860, inexpensive flags were printed on cotton utilizing the same type of carved wooden blocks that were used for printing illustrations. Rather than make an entirely new printing block for a 31-star canton, the craftsman at the flag factory where this flag was produced simply added one star to the original pentagonal design. This saved the labor that would have been required for cutting 31 new stars on a new block. Thus another pattern was added to the existing repertory. In 1850 President Zachary Taylor died in office- only the second president to do so. (William Henry Harrison, who caught pneumonia during his inauguration address, had died after a month in office in 1841.) In accordance with Victorian-era practice, the border of this flag was decorated with black silk crepe to indicate that its owner was mourning the loss of an important person. According to family tradition, this flag was brought out again in 1865 and displayed in honor of Abraham Lincoln, after he was assassinated in April that year. Date: 1850 - 1851 (probably reused in 1865) Size: 35" hoist x 49" fly 31 Stars: July 4, 1851 - July 3, 1858 (California statehood September 9, 1850) Media: Printed cotton later decorated with black silk crepe border Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection in 1996 from the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Collection of Baltimore, MD. ZFC012