Background of flag & Description of flag.
U.S. Army Tientsin Chinese Embroidery - Capt. Allan Sullivan.
This is Chinese made embroidery crafted to mimic the more elaborate Japanese Trapuntos, which were a kind of filled embroidery popular as souvenirs among occupying U.S. soldiers. This framed piece, while embroidered, does not exhibit the textural "fill" which gives a third dimension to the traditional Japanese style trapuntos.
The design is characteristically Chinese, consisting of a center frame for a photo flanked by two stylized, five-toed, Chinese dragons. Above the dragons are two flags, a 48 star United States national flag and a stylized US regimental color. Curiously, the background is scarlet, which is the traditional background color for artillery and engineers. However, the US Army unit stationed in Tientsin until 1938 was the 15th Infantry, whose background color was dark blue. Whether this is an error or intentional is unknown.
'Capt. Allan Francis Sullivan' is embroidered on the top of the piece, and presumably, it is his likeness in the frame. It is dated circa 1935-1937, which is near the end of the time it would have been possible for the production of such embroidered souvenirs.
Compare with other Trapuntos
ZFC0150; ZFC0284; ZFC0289; ZFC0742; ZFC1441; ZFC1489; ZFC2219; and ZFC2258.
Provenance: Acquired by purchase in 2004 in Santa Cruz, CA antique store.
ZFC Important Flag
Item is Framed
Sources:
15th Infantry Regiment, Wikipedia, 9 May 2012, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_Infantry_Regiment_%28United_States%29
Concessions in Tianjin, Wikipedia, 9 May 2012, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concessions_in_Tianjin
October 18th to October 25th - Yokohama, Japan, The Great White Fleet, 9 May 2012, from: http://www.greatwhitefleet.info/The_Great_White_Fleet_Japan.html
Larson, Admiral Charles R., Admiral, USN, Letter to Mr. John L. Trost, Lansaster, NY, 08/22/1996. Zaricor Flag Collection Archives.
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
