The Passion of American Collectors: Property of Barbara and Ira Lipman | Highly Important Printed and Manuscript Americana

The Passion of American Collectors: Property of Barbara and Ira Lipman | Highly Important Printed and Manuscript Americana

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 555. Flag: A 25-Star American National Flag Commemorating Arkansas Statehood on June 15, 1836 Made Circa 1821, Updated 1836–1837.

Flag: A 25-Star American National Flag Commemorating Arkansas Statehood on June 15, 1836 Made Circa 1821, Updated 1836–1837

Auction Closed

April 14, 05:34 PM GMT

Estimate

12,000 - 18,000 USD

Lot Details

Description

Flag: A 25-Star American National Flag Commemorating Arkansas Statehood on June 15, 1836

Made Circa 1821, Updated 1836–1837


The hand-sewn double-appliqued cotton muslin stars configured in five straight rows, with some variation to the vertical axis, on the four-piece hand-sewn wool bunting canton. The canton, of a rare cornflower blue color atypical of the period, is hand-sewn to the stripes, and sits on a red stripe, also known as a "war" or "blood" stripe. The stripes are hand-sewn wool bunting; there are multiple whip-stitched grommets throughout the linen sleeve, which still retains a period hemp rope threaded through them.

Approximately 9 ft. 3 in. by 12 ft. 4 in.

The American Flag Collection of Thomas S. Connelly (Sotheby's New York, 23 May 2002, lot 111)
It is possible, and perhaps likely, that this was originally a 24-star flag, with four rows of five stars sitting on a final row of four stars, which subsequently had a 25th star added when Arkansas was admitted to the Union.  The 25th star is somewhat larger than the others, and is arranged in an off-balance position.