[Capedolan]

Hey all,

I've had this flag folded up properly for about 15 years.. stunk to high heaven.. so i hand washed in cold water with woolite.. Smells great now!

anyway... this all came about because of a fallen marine neighbor and i wanted to hang the flag.

I never realized this was a 48 star flag.. so i've been doing some research and know the most popular answers to the flag, however. I haven't been able to find any info on the manufacturer.

Label is :
Sterling
Res. U.S. PAT. OFF.
All wool double warp
Bunting

5x8 is written on the reverse side of the header along with some unidentifiable markings that are faded out.
dimensions are actually 4.7" x 7.9" maybe the wool shrunk

The stars are cloth, looks like linen. however have the zigzag stitching.
The corners of the flag next to the dark grommets is triple thickness in a triangle.

not looking for info on $$.. thats not important.. any other info on this type of flag would be cool.

Love this forum too!

Thanks

[NAVA1974]

Hi,
Your flag was made by Annin and Co., of New York (since moved to New Jersey.) Sterling was their brand name for one of their grades of wool bunting. The stars are cotton, as is the heading. 5x8 was a common commercial size flag, not an official government size, nor is it the size of internment flags. That's about all I can think of off the top of my head. What else are you looking for in the way of info?
Regards,
Nick

[Robin Hickman]

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GOOD Answer, Nick !

Good Answer !


Robin Hickman
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[NAVA1974]

Originally Posted by Robin Hickman

.

GOOD Answer, Nick !

Good Answer !


Robin Hickman
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thankyou, thankyouverymuch
Nick

[Capedolan]

Thank you for the quick reply.

Knowing that there is a 47 year period for 48 stars, and wool flags ended around '39, I guess there isn't much else to know.

Any idea why there are the "thicker" triangles near the grommets before the header?

Thanks again.
Matt

[NAVA1974]

"Any idea why there are the "thicker" triangles near the grommets before the header? "

Absolutely. The bunting was doubled in the corners to reinforce the fabric of the flag - that is where the most stress occurs. There is a lot of stress at the "fly" corners as well and they quickly get tattered in the wind, but the fly end of the flag is easily trimmed off and re-hemmed, making the flag look good as new (a little shorter, maybe, but nice and square.) However, once you get a tear between the edge of the flag and the hoist there isn't much you can do to save the flag.
Nick

[Capedolan]

Very good. Thank you for the explanation.

Appreciate the help!!

Matt

[NAVA1974]

One last bit of info. "Double Warp Bunting" means that the wool yarns that are held in parallel rows by the loom (the warp) are made of two threads of wool yarn twisted tightly together, sometimes known as "double ply". The "weft" is the yarn in the shuttle that zips back and forth through the warp to create the woven fabric. Single ply bunting was common on non-powered machines in the early 19th C. By the US Civil War period, double ply bunting was being imported from England (no wool bunting was made in the US until after the Civil War.) By the time your flag was made, double ply warp bunting made in the US was commonplace, but spelled out as an advertising gimmick I guess.
Nick