United States // 15 star / Commemorative Flag
15-Star American Flag Possibly Celebrating Kentucky Centennial,
Wool, 48 x 65 in., with 15 machine-sewn double-applique cotton stars configured in 5 horizontal rows of 3, on blue wool canton. The fly is constructed of 15 machine-sewn wool stripes, including a "blood stripe." Cotton hoist with Meyer's Shop / Washington, D.C. tag stitched along bottom edge. Gold bullion fringe lines the top, bottom, and right edges of flag. The use of which denotes commemorative use and careful construction with high quality material such as wool which is a 19th century material used in flag making including the cotton stars. The use of gold bullion or high quality gold dye reinforces this use.
Circa 1995. Makers Mark on hoist of the flag identifies this flag as a product from the Meyer's Shops in Washington D.C. that offers wide selection of flags. Given the star pattern and size of the stars suggest this was a replica based on a generic representation of the 15th star flag and not the Star Spangled Banners with 15 stars tilted toward the hoist and aligned closer together than the wide separation offered in this rendering of the 1795 replica. An original Jack 15 star/16 star flag suggest the wide spacing of the stars may have been common in the construction of the US Flag in the late 18th century. See ZFC 0418.
Condition: Few small, scattered holes in flag. Good. Strong Color suggest limited use. Use of zig zag stitching was used during this period.
Even recent replicas are not common or even available used. Very few are ever produced and even fewer have survived from the 1912 to 1914 Centennial period which are highly sought after by collectors and extremely rare. The ones in this collection are the only examples the Zaricor Flag Collection has ever scene which are documented being from the Star Spangled Flag House.
ZFC Noteworthy Flag
