U.S. Trapunto with Naval Symbols.
This is an American trapunto featuring an American bald eagle with arrows and olive branches perched on an upright anchor flanked by four United States flags, an American shield and a scroll with E Pluribus Unum from the early 1900s.
A trapunto is an ornately embroidered commemorative fabric. Making a trapunto involves the addition of padding behind a piece of silk, upon which elaborate designs are embroidered to create a three-dimensional image. It was not uncommon for trapuntos of the time to contain many patriotic symbols.
Many trapuntos were made and sold by the George Washington Co. in Yokohama, Japan in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Their market included American soldiers and sailors stationed in the Far East during the Spanish American War, the Philippine-American War, the Boxer Rebellion and the Great White Fleet.
The large anchor in the center upon which the United States flags and shield are resting clearly indicates a naval association for this trapunto. Since it is not personalized, it is likely that this was a stock item purchased by an American bluejacket while cruising in the Far East.
Similar to other trapuntos in the Zaricor Flag Collection:
ZFC0150, ZFC0284, ZFC0289, ZFC0742, ZFC1441, ZFC1489, ZFC2219 and ZFC2258
Provenance: Acquired by purchase.
ZFC Important Flag
Item is Framed
Sources:
Madaus, Howard M.- Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, VZ Publications, Santa Cruz, 2006. Pp. 111.
October 18th to October 25th - Yokohama, Japan, The Great White Fleet, 22 April 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
