That Grand Old Flag
Many are Quite Collectible

By Robert Reed

As seen in The Antique Shoppe Newspaper, July 2010          

Increasingly the Grand Old Flag of America’s past is being sought out by serious collectors.

            The proud American flag, in its many unique and historic forms, is now steadily included in leading antique and collectible price guides. Prime examples are also offered in the nation’s leading auction houses and elsewhere.

            “Over the past few years the popularity of vintage (American) flags has grown dramatically,” notes Schroeder’s Antiques Price Guide, a best-selling annual edition, “and prices have risen greatly as a result.”

            That particular price guide lists numerous American flags with the number of stars varying from the original 13 to 48, even 50 and beyond. Some 51 star flags have been issued to indicate symbolic statehood for the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or some other location. Experts point out that there is some U.S. flag somewhere for virtually every state that was added to the Union—authorized or not.

            American flags that are collectible today in no way conflict with standards calling for such symbols to be properly maintained and respected.

            “Because most people are patriotic enough to properly dispose of tattered and worn flags by carefully burning them, flags that depict the earlier confirmation of the Union of the States are hard to find,” notes Nancy McCarthy author of book Antiques Across America, “unless they have been stored in a cupboard somewhere.”

            In fact many privately owned American flags were well cared for over the years. They were often stored away in chests, closets, or trunks. Then they were displayed only in favorable weather and on special occasions.

            Like many other aspects of the United States, the American flag evolved over the decades from various designs and devices. Originally the Continental Congress of 1777 adopted a flag which included 13 stars to represent the unity of those founding states. Initially the stars were placed in a circle which was then considered a “constellation” pattern.

            In 1818 the Act to Establish the Flag called for a permanent 13 stripes. It further simplified officially that states would be recognized only by stars. Interestingly however it included no provision for the exact placement of the stars, but did recommend they “be formed into one great star.” Consequently the first “Great Star flag” was hoisted in April of 1818, and others continued to be created through the end of the Civil War in the1860s.

            One such ‘Great Star’ flag, ca. 1860, was sold at the Skinner Inc. auction gallery in recent years. Complete with hand-stitched red and white stripes, its canton—or upper left quarter---included white-painted stars arranged in a five-pointed star formation. The overall flag, mounted on a wooden frame, was more than 50 by 75 inches in width and length.

            By the latter part of the 19^th century displaying the American flag in public places became gradually more and more fashionable. The Montgomery Ward catalog of 1895 offered a considerable assortment of U.S. flags ranging in size from three to ten feet. They cautioned however, “a six foot flag is the smallest that 44 stars can be put on. All flags six feet and over have 44 stars.”

            At the time Montgomery Ward also offered what were called “procession flags” aimed “to amuse the children and for decorating purposes.” Such flags were sold in lots of a dozen and varied in size from a few inches to three feet.

            President Howard Taft issued executive orders in 1912 prescribing the exact configuration of the American flag, including the precise width of the stripes and the diameter of its stars. Ironically, until that time, there was no ‘official’ arrangement of stars on the American flag—thus many variations had been produced.

            The year of the Taft declaration, Arizona and New Mexico were added to the Union. Those additions created a 48-star flag. It was first hoisted on July 4, 1912. It remained unchanged for 47 years, the longest period in history without a change in the American flag.

            American flags for public display were offered extensively in Sears, Roebuck and Company catalogs of the late 1920s. These flags with “all wool bunting and U.S. War Department standard guaranteed fast colors” varied in size from a few feet to more than ten feet. Sears recommended “for the average schoolhouse” a five by eight foot flag. It included 48 stars sewed on both sides of the field, plus “stripes sewed with double seams.”

            The Sears assortment simply added to the amazing variety of American flags already in existence. They varied from a hand-stitched flag with five staggered rows of stars in 1819 to a 48-star flag printed on canvas for camouflage helmets worn by soldiers in World War II. Moreover the one-star for one-state rule often was not put into effect immediately, allowing for a second state to join the Union that same year. One consequence was self-styled American flags with odd or otherwise unusual numbers of stars.

            American flags which draw considerable interest from collectors currently are those with 43 or 47 stars, for example. Other notable flags would be those with unusual star arrangements, and those with particular exceptional hand-stitching.

            Records, letters, and other documentation also add considerably to the collector interest of an American flag. Such documents might attest to the fact that a particular flag was carried in battle, was included in a special presentation, or was personally owned by a notable military leader or an otherwise famous person.

            In terms of flag description the hoist refers to the half or edge of a flag nearest to the flag pole. It can also refer to the veridical width of a flag. The fly makes reference to the half or edge of the flag furthest away from the flagpole. It can also refer to the horizontal length of a flag.

            Not any American flag is collectible; however each example takes careful examination and perhaps scholarship.

            Some experts advise, “snatch up every flag you can find—and rejoice if it turns out to have fewer than 50 stars,” concludes author McCarthy. “Also, any flag or banner associated with a military unit of any kind has extra value; get an expert to look at it.”

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