[gabbatemarco]

Hello All,

I could use some help from the experts. I have a 46 Star Flag that measures about 8' x almost 12'. The Flag looks machine sewn, but the Stars look hand sewn. I know its from between 1908-1912. But why is it so large? Was it for a coffin? Any help and further information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[gabbatemarco]

I forgot to mention: The Flag has brass o-rings for hanging on the left side.

[NAVA1974]

Large? Put a 12 foot long flag on a ship, or at the top of a tall building and it will hardly be visible. One of the earliest flags in my collection is a 34-star US flag that measures 15 x 23 feet. It was flown on a yacht owned by a New Hampshire millionaire. The typical 3x5 foot flag we know and love these days was the exception rather than the rule until the early to mid 20th century when single family homes became the American dream.

[american_flag_uk]

wow Nava - a 15x23 ft flag? that even beats the biggest flag in my collection of 9x17 ft...

Have you got any picturess of it / could you take some? id love to see it!

[NAVA1974]

Originally Posted by american_flag_uk

wow Nava - a 15x23 ft flag? that even beats the biggest flag in my collection of 9x17 ft...

Have you got any picturess of it / could you take some? id love to see it!

Hello american flag uk. Sorry, but the only photo I have is a relatively poor one I took when my brother was building his house some 30 years ago. I scanned it and have attached it FYI.

I purchased the flag at an antique furniture store in NorhtHampton, New Hampshire on February 3, 1973. The dealer was asking $15 for it but we got it for $12. That comes out to about 3 and one half cents per square foot of flag. The flag is wool bunting with cotton stars sewn on the front and cut out on the reverse (the side you see in the photo.) It is of the 1861-1864 peroid, and has a rope heading.

The story that came with the flag was that it flew from the yacht owned by a New Hampshire millionaire by the name of Merril. The yacht was later used by a newspaper to cover the action during the Spanish American War.

[american_flag_uk]

Wow that IS A NICE FLAG!

and $12 too... thats a steal! - you would never pay so little for such a flag these days!

[gerry]

hi ia am gerry i have A 46 star flag can you tell me where i can look in ,massachusetts for flag restoration?- thanks

[NAVA1974]

Gerry,
I suggest you contact the American Textile History Museum in Lowell. Their web site is here:American Textile History Museum in Lowell, Massachusetts They will very likely have contact info for textile conservators.

I believe they have a conservation lab, but I don't know if they do outside work.

Before you commit to having you flag conserved, you should consider its value (typical 46 star flags are valued at $25 to $125 or so) versus the cost of having a flag-sized textile conserved ($1000 to $5000)

Is there some special history or provenance documented with your flag? If not, and you want to disply the flag, you might just visit a framing shop and have them used museum quality materials to frame the flag for $300 to $500 or so (if the flag is less than 3 feet long, that is. Larger flags get very expensive to frame, and that assumes the flag is already in good enough condition to display. If not, add the cost of framing to the cost of conservation.) These costs are the reason that the Civil War battle flags in many state collections need to raise millions of dollars to properly preserve these priceless relics.

Regards,
Nick