July 12-14, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2022
This is a quite wonderful first national Confederate flag, typical of those made of found materials by young girls in a display of patriotism and incipient sewing skills. Completely handsewn, the flag features a square canton of blue, somewhat awkwardly placed low in the upper red stripe, and embroidered in white with a 5-pointed star at center surrounded by a circle of smaller stars, slightly more delicate in construction, ten of which survive. Instead of fringe, the flag is provided with a lace border that, if not repurposed from something else, was within the domestic skills imparted to young women of the time. The white center stripe has been enhanced by large, somewhat awkwardly cut-out letters spelling "JEFF DAVIS" with a large period at the end, and a smaller inverted exclamation point in the middle, and a large "A" placed on its own under "Davis." The use of Confederate President's name with an emphatic or defiant exclamation point is reminiscent of some early war Confederate images, often thought to have a Mississippi connection, displaying a "Jeff Davis and the South!" beside the soldier. In this case the "A" might have been intended for just such a motto on the flag, thwarted by the poor spatial judgment of unsupervised young sewers. The same explanation may lie behind the placement of the exclamation point, though its inversion might point to Spanish influence in the deep south. CONDITION: Very good. Losses to the edges, including the upper edge of the canton, as shown. Narrow stains to portions of the hoist perhaps indicating it was glued to a stick. Lettering applied to one side only. Framed in double glass. Not examined out of the frame. Interested parties should consult competent textile authorities.