[AmericaHurrah]

Bill's example shows 13 stripes. At least one example has come to market that had 13 stripes--perhap's it had 16 originally or perhaps not. I am not sure, but it was an early example. They usually have 16, yes, but it's possible others had a different count.

Now for the punch line. I actually own one of these Commercial Ensigns.

No, I am not of the tyrannical/communist mindset about its existence or origins. I don't know what it is, but it is very possible that it is 18th century.

It has 9 stars for whatever reason, justified in 3 rows. The center one is big. They are blue on a white field and there are not 13, not 16, but 17 stripes. Starts on red and ends on red. The stripe count might actually date it to the 1803-1812 period. It certainly has the correct fabrics and construction--course, homespun wool that you see on the very earliest of flags.

It's a prototype of some sort I think, or else it was never finished. It's one-sided. It might have been an idea never expaned upon. Patterns were made of paper to make the stars; early newspaper with Germanic text. I am guessing the German newspaper is from a European immigrant, say in Philadelphia.

The paper patterns were left inside the appliqued stars, which is a unique occurence in my experience. If I un-sewed one, which I will not do right now and have not for the 8 or so years that I have owned it, I might find a date. That's a tough decision of course. One piece of the 9 might have a date on it, or none might, but in there perhaps lies the answer.

Maybe it was made as a demonstration for a meeting of some sort of maritime committe. But it's fantastic whatever it is. As early as anything I have owned and a mystery.

[csaanv]

Hi AmericaHurrah,
Could you shoot us a picture of your flag?