ZFC Item Section - U.S. 13 Star Flag

Exhibits Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.
Exhibition Copy	First Presidio Exhibit (ZFC0604) THIRTEEN-STAR, UNITED STATES FLAG Date: Attributed to 1876 but possibly earlier Media: Wool bunting with linen stars; mixture of hand and machine sewing Comment: The date of this flag is enigmatic. Some of its features point to the possibility that it was made in the early Federal Period. These include the use of linen for the stars and the fact that the stars are six pointed, a more common feature of eighteenth and early nineteenth century U.S. flags. The stars, furthermore, are arranged in the form of a great six-pointed star, identical to the pattern that the thirteen stars took in the final rendition of the United States coat-of-arms adopted in 1782. On the other hand, portions of this flag are machine sewn, which would preclude manufacture prior to 1850. It has been suggested that the machine stitching represent later repairs to a much older flag. Accordingly the verdict on the date of this flag is still "out" with the "jury". Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0604) in 2002 from the Mastai Flag Collection of New York City through auction at Sotheby's. Second Presidio Exhibit Gallery One Copy - 2003 ZFC0604 13-Star United States Flag Date: Attributed to 1876 but possibly earlier Media: Wool bunting with linen stars; mixture of hand and machine-sewing Comment: The date of this flag is enigmatic. Some of its features point to the possibility that it was made in the early Federal Period (1789-1800). These include the use of linen for the stars and the fact that the stars are six-pointed, a feature most common in 18th and early 19th century U.S. flags. The stars, furthermore, are arranged in the form of a great six-pointed star, identical to the pattern that the 13 stars took in the final rendition of the United States coat of arms adopted in 1782. On the other hand, portions of this flag are machine-sewn, which would preclude manufacture prior to 1850. It has been suggested that the machine stitching represents later repair to a much older flag. Accordingly, the verdict on the correct date of this flag is still not final. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0604) in 2002 from the Mastai Flag Collection through auction at Sotheby's of New York City. Private Showing Night of Flags In celebration of George Washington's Birthday The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in California Patriotic Services Committee James Ferrigan, Curator, Flag Center Ben Zaricor, Director, Flag Center Thursday, February 26, 2009 Octagon House, San Francisco 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm This was a power point slide presentation on the period 13 star flag and Presidential flags in the Flag Center/Zaricor Flag Collection and comments by Ben Zaricor wherein the image of this flag was displayed.

Exhibits

Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.

Exhibition Copy

First Presidio Exhibit
(ZFC0604)
THIRTEEN-STAR, UNITED STATES FLAG
Date: Attributed to 1876 but possibly earlier
Media: Wool bunting with linen stars; mixture of hand and machine sewing
Comment: The date of this flag is enigmatic. Some of its features point to the possibility that it was made in the early Federal Period. These include the use of linen for the stars and the fact that the stars are six pointed, a more common feature of eighteenth and early nineteenth century U.S. flags. The stars, furthermore, are arranged in the form of a great six-pointed star, identical to the pattern that the thirteen stars took in the final rendition of the United States coat-of-arms adopted in 1782. On the other hand, portions of this flag are machine sewn, which would preclude manufacture prior to 1850. It has been suggested that the machine stitching represent later repairs to a much older flag. Accordingly the verdict on the date of this flag is still "out" with the "jury".
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0604) in 2002 from the Mastai Flag Collection of New York City through auction at Sotheby's.

Second Presidio Exhibit Gallery One Copy - 2003
ZFC0604
13-Star United States Flag
Date: Attributed to 1876 but possibly earlier
Media: Wool bunting with linen stars; mixture of hand and machine-sewing
Comment: The date of this flag is enigmatic. Some of its features point to the possibility that it was made in the early Federal Period (1789-1800). These include the use of linen for the stars and the fact that the stars are six-pointed, a feature most common in 18th and early 19th century U.S. flags. The stars, furthermore, are arranged in the form of a great six-pointed star, identical to the pattern that the 13 stars took in the final rendition of the United States coat of arms adopted in 1782. On the other hand, portions of this flag are machine-sewn, which would preclude manufacture prior to 1850. It has been suggested that the machine stitching represents later repair to a much older flag. Accordingly, the verdict on the correct date of this flag is still not final.
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC0604) in 2002 from the Mastai Flag Collection through auction at Sotheby's of New York City.

Private Showing
Night of Flags
In celebration of
George Washington's Birthday
The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in California Patriotic Services Committee
James Ferrigan, Curator, Flag Center
Ben Zaricor, Director, Flag Center
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Octagon House, San Francisco
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

This was a power point slide presentation on the period 13 star flag and Presidential flags in the Flag Center/Zaricor Flag Collection and comments by Ben Zaricor wherein the image of this flag was displayed.

Publications Title information is available upon specific request. Additional information available upon request to researchers, writers and others demonstrating special circumstances. In some situations, information may not be available.
Publication Copy	Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 15. 13-Star United States Flag The dating of this flag has been an enigma to those conservators and vexillologists who have studied it. Its 13 six-pointed stars are arranged in the form of a six-pointed "grand luminary." In both the overall configuration of the star pattern and in the utilization of six-pointed stars, that design duplicates the star arrangement in the 1782 Great Seal of the United States, as adopted by the Continental Congress. The flag stars, however, are made of cotton, a material rarely if ever found in American flags until 1800. Moreover, the date of the thread used in hand-sewn sections of the flag, also of cotton, is open to contention. It was once thought to date no earlier than 1840, but more recently it has been hypothesized that cotton thread may have seen limited use 15 to 25 years earlier. While the two types of machine-stitching discovered in the stripes can date no earlier than 1850, these are repairs from a reuse of the flag in a later period. Accordingly, the "final chapter" on this flag has yet to be written.

Publications

Publication Copy

Madaus, Howard M., Dr, Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 15.
13-Star United States Flag
The dating of this flag has been an enigma to those conservators and vexillologists who have studied it. Its 13 six-pointed stars are arranged in the form of a six-pointed "grand luminary." In both the overall
configuration of the star pattern and in the utilization of six-pointed stars, that design duplicates the star arrangement in the 1782 Great Seal of the United States, as adopted by the Continental Congress. The flag stars, however, are made of cotton, a material rarely if ever found in American flags until 1800. Moreover, the date of the thread used in hand-sewn sections of the flag, also of cotton, is open to contention.
It was once thought to date no earlier than 1840, but more recently it has been hypothesized that cotton thread may have seen limited use 15 to 25
years earlier. While the two types of machine-stitching discovered in the stripes can date no earlier than 1850, these are repairs from a reuse of the flag in a later period. Accordingly, the "final chapter" on this
flag has yet to be written.