AMER WINTER 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, February 3, 2016.
CONFEDERATE CIVIL WAR 12 STAR 11 STRIPE FLAG.This very unusual flag has quite a "folk art" feel, probably made 1861 as exclusionary flag citing only the twelve supposed Confederate states at time of manufacture. Flag is totally hand sewn made from red, white and blue cotton. The heavy canvas hoist has four irregular hand-whipped eyelets. The twelve double-applique hand sewn stars range in size from about 5-1/4" to 6" each. In what apparently started out as an eleven star canton with a circle of six stars, a central star and four in opposite quadrants, the twelfth star appears added during construction as an afterthought to show sentiment of a border state such as Missouri hoping to join the eleven Confederate states. Note, there are eleven stripes. The flag shows little use, though there is some fraying and reductions at top and bottom edges of fly, and there are eight or nine rust stains from probable nails that attached this flag to pole. This flag is very typical of early war Confederate flags, measuring 46" on hoist by 90" on fly. Large ratios of 2-1, fly to hoist, are often seen in early 1861 on Confederate Regimental flags used in the field. SIZE: CONDITION: Good to very good overall. Good colors, stitching mostly intact with few reductions and only a few tears, one several inches long in bottom red stripe, about 3" or 4" in an "L" shape which is easily repaired. Reductions at corners of fly, the largest on bottom is about 3" x 4". White stripes show areas of water staining and soiling which do not affect overall aesthetics. This flag recently discovered in a Maine estate could easily have been a souvenir brought home by a Maine Civil War soldier 49804-1 JS (4,000-6,000)