GUN SPRING 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/11/2017
VERY RARE CONFEDERATE "NORTH CAROLINA" 10-STAR FIRST NATIONAL FLAG.This beautiful hand sewn company-sized polished-cotton Confederate Stars and Bars has great collection history, though its unit is unknown. This flag no doubt commemorated North Carolina secession May 20, 1861 and was most likely made about that time and prior to secession of Tennessee (11th State), June 8, 1861. Flag has beautiful aesthetics and patina, still retaining bright indigo blue and red bars have patinaed to a pleasing orange/rust. This flag has great collection history and was most likely a captured Union souvenir based on the pencil description on white bar "Confederate Flag". This is a very rare flag with 6-pointed stars and few are known. At the time of Confederate flag expert and authority Howard Madaus' letter of authentication written in 1979, he noted only six with 6-pointed stars of which four were identified to North Carolina units. Madaus also states that the first state flags issued to North Carolina units in 1861 also bore 6-pointed stars. See accompanying Madaus report. This flag has been professionally conserved and framed by Textile Preservation Associates (TPA) of Keedysville, MD and Fonda Thomsen's report accompanies. The flag is framed by TPA utilizing welded aluminum pressure mount which is still considered the state of the art by most institutions displaying flags. SIZE: 23-1/2" hoist, 36" fly. Frame 31" x 44". PROVENANCE: Reading, PA; Ex-Collection of Civil War historian and authority William G. Gavin, 1950; Ex-Collection Lewis Leigh, 1979; Ex-Collection Charlie Salter, Roswell, GA. CONDITION: Flag is intact with only minor damage at the bottom of the fly end. Flag retains four pairs of 3-1/2" polished cotton ties. There is a 1-1/2" x 1/4" hole in the bottom fly corner. The top bar has 1-1/2" "L" shaped tear near the center bottom. The upper fly corner has 1" horizontal tear. The lower leading edge corner of the fly has a 1/2" square hole. The leading edge has seven holes arranged in three pairs plus one extra at the top and above the ties at the bottom of the canton that appear to be from tacks. The obverse of the flag is soiled with one area in the end of the canton and smaller dark stains in the top bar. The reverse has diagonal soiling in the top bar. The edges of the reverse stars are folded over. Some of the stars have an additional tacking thread repair. The flag has creases from a prolonged period of being folded. 51540-1 JS (20,000-30,000)