December 15, 2020 Edged Weapons, Armor & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/15/2020
A scarce artillery battery flag. Guidons were officially sanctioned for individual batteries, but units seeing independent field service in the Civil War often adopted their own battle flags, by necessity scaled down somewhat closer to guidon size. The red silk field of this battery flag measures 23" by 17" exclusive of a silver fringe. The hoist shows four button or grommet holes. The central motif is a yellow applique outline of the New York state seal with the supporting figures of Justice and Liberty (the latter holding a liberty cap on a staff) with eagle-on-globe at top, "Excelsior" motto in ribbon underneath, and crossed cannon below that at lower center. Some line detailing of the figures is evident. The central part of the seal is oil painted with a scene of the Hudson River, showing mountains, the river and sailboats. This was mounted and framed within the past 40 years or so with an artillery captain's shoulder strap at the bottom center. The strap appears to have oxidized silver bars, which would date it to 1872 or later. The flag would likely date to the same period, but could be earlier, as the oil-painted central scene on the state seal might indicate. CONDITION: Good, but needing careful handling until re-framed. We have not examined this out of the current frame. Several older runs in the fabric, which is to be expected with an old silk flag, were repaired using tape on the reverse, which has bled through. A couple of others are not closed. These are more at the fly end and the field is largely intact, with no missing fabric and good color. The oil painting has extensive craquelure and some minor losses, again, to be expected of oil paint on silk. The shoulder strap shows good color to the velvet center and oxidation to the bullion border, but good color to the jaceron wire edging. This is a good flag that displays well and is worthy of some minor restoration. SR
Item Dimensions: Frame: 23 - 3/4" x 29 - 3/4" x 3/4".