ZFC Item Section - U.S. 38 Star Grand Luminary 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 (ZFC1423) 38-STAR "GRAND LUMINARY" UNITED STATES FLAG Date: About 1876-1888 Medium: Wool with printed stars; machine stitched Comment: The thirty-eight star flag is the last commercially manufactured flag wherein the stars were arranged in the form of the "grand luminary" or "great star" that had been proposed by Captain S. C. Reid sixty years earlier as the form that would best express the concept of "E Pluribus Unum", the national motto. Although the circular pattern or concentric ring pattern would survive another decade, the centennial era rang the death knell to Reid's insightful proposal. The arrangement of the stars in rows had been standard for navy flags since its rebirth in 1798, and the army gradually was won over to the same concept during the Civil War. Still it would be 1912 before all agencies of the government would follow a common pattern of star arrangement. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1423) in 1994 from Arkansas. Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY V (ZFC1423) 38-Star "Grand Luminary" United States Flag Date: About 1876â€“1888 38 Stars: July 4, 1877/July 3, 1890 (Colorado statehood August 1, 1876) Medium: Wool; machine-stitched with printed stars Comment: The 38-star flag was the last commercially-manufactured flag in which the stars were arranged in the form of one great star, the "Grand Luminary" that had originally been proposed by Captain S. C. Reid almost 60 years earlier. He held that it was the form that could best express graphically the concept "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of Many, One), the national motto. Although the circular or concentric ring pattern would survive another decade, the centennial era essentially brought an end to Reid's insightful and handsome proposal. The arrangement of the stars in rows had been standard for Navy flags since its rebirth in 1798 and the Army had gradually been won over to the same concept during the Civil War. Nevertheless it would not be until 1912 that all agencies of the federal government would come to follow a common pattern of star arrangement. Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1423) in 1994 from Arkansas.

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
(ZFC1423)
38-STAR "GRAND LUMINARY" UNITED STATES FLAG
Date: About 1876-1888
Medium: Wool with printed stars; machine stitched
Comment: The thirty-eight star flag is the last commercially manufactured flag wherein the stars were arranged in the form of the "grand luminary" or "great star" that had been proposed by Captain S. C. Reid sixty years earlier as the form that would best express the concept of "E Pluribus Unum", the national motto. Although the circular pattern or concentric ring pattern would survive another decade, the centennial era rang the death knell to Reid's insightful proposal. The arrangement of the stars in rows had been standard for navy flags since its rebirth in 1798, and the army gradually was won over to the same concept during the Civil War. Still it would be 1912 before all agencies of the government would follow a common pattern of star arrangement.
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1423) in 1994 from Arkansas.

Second Presidio Exhibit, 2003 - GALLERY V
(ZFC1423)
38-Star "Grand Luminary" United States Flag
Date: About 1876â€“1888 38 Stars: July 4, 1877/July 3, 1890 (Colorado statehood August 1, 1876)
Medium: Wool; machine-stitched with printed stars
Comment: The 38-star flag was the last commercially-manufactured flag in which the stars were arranged in the form of one great star, the "Grand Luminary" that had originally been proposed by Captain S. C. Reid almost 60 years earlier. He held that it was the form that could best express graphically the concept "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of Many, One), the national motto. Although the circular or concentric ring pattern would survive another decade, the centennial era essentially brought an end to Reid's insightful and handsome proposal. The arrangement of the stars in rows had been standard for Navy flags since its rebirth in 1798 and the Army had gradually been won over to the same concept during the Civil War. Nevertheless it would not be until 1912 that all agencies of the federal government would come to follow a common pattern of star arrangement.
Provenance: Acquired by the Zaricor Flag Collection (ZFC1423) in 1994 from Arkansas.

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. 98. "38-Star "Grand Luminary" United States Flag The 38-star flag was the last commercially-manufactured flag in which the stars were arranged in the form of one great star, the "Grand Luminary" that had originally been proposed by Captain S. C. Reid almost 60 years earlier. He held that it was the form that could best express graphically the concept "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of Many, One), the national motto. Although the circular or concentric ring pattern would survive another decade, the centennial era essentially brought an end to Reid's insightful and handsome proposal. The arrangement of the stars in rows had been standard for Navy flags since its rebirth in 1798 and the Army had gradually been won over to the same concept during the Civil War. Nevertheless it would not be until 1912 that all agencies of the federal government would come to follow a common pattern of star arrangement. There is no law that requires the citizens of the country to follow the same pattern. The 38-star Stars & Stripes flew during the presidencies of Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, and Benjamin Harrison.

Publications

Publication Copy

Madaus, Howard M., Dr. Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict. Santa Cruz: VZ Publications, 2006, p. 98.

"38-Star "Grand Luminary" United States Flag
The 38-star flag was the last commercially-manufactured flag in which the stars were arranged in the form of one great star, the "Grand Luminary" that had originally been proposed by Captain S. C. Reid almost 60 years earlier. He held that it was the form
that could best express graphically the concept "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of Many, One), the national motto. Although the circular or concentric ring pattern would survive another decade, the centennial era essentially brought an end to Reid's insightful and handsome proposal. The arrangement of the stars in rows had been standard for Navy flags since its rebirth in 1798 and the Army had gradually been won over to the same concept during the Civil War. Nevertheless it would not be until 1912 that all agencies of the federal government would come to follow a common pattern of star arrangement. There is no law that requires the citizens of the country to follow the same pattern. The 38-star Stars & Stripes flew during the presidencies of Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland, and Benjamin Harrison.