40 Star U.S. Flag, 1889, extremely rare marked variant pattern, H.A. Bowman & Co. Makers.
This professionally made, machine sewn, wool 40 star United States flag was most likely converted from a 38 star flag. Interestingly, the 40 star flag was never officially adopted and was created with the addition of the Dakotas to the Union, both of which became states in 1889. The two additional stars representing these two states can be found sewn on the hoist ends of horizontal rows 3 and 5.
Along the upper obverse hoist is a stenciled maker's mark, "H.A. BOWMAN & Co., MAKERS, WORCHESTER, MASS 10 X 15." Bowman was known as a maker of quality bunting flags in the late 19th century. The company was also well known for making political campaign banners out of recycled United States flags with obsolete star counts. They also made flags for schools and hotels, as well as burgees, house flags, and streamers. Due to their habits of making use of all flags and flag materials, it is also likely that they altered this flag.
This flag is an oddity because it was interestingly converted from being an official flag to an unofficial flag. 38 star flags were current from 1877 to 1890, but it would seem that this flag was made specifically to represent the statehood of North and South Dakota, even though the 40 star flag was never made official due to the imminent admission of the states of Montana, Washington and Idaho into the Union.
As a Conversion Flag this flag represents the common American practice of updating flags with obsolete star counts into current versions of the flag.
Provenance: Acquired at auction from James D. Julia, Fairfield, ME, 4-7 October 2004
ZFC Significant Flag
Sources:
Madaus, Howard M.- Whitney Smith, The American Flag: Two Centuries of Concord and Conflict, VZ Publications, Santa Cruz, 2006. p 144.
The Rochester Directory, Vol. XLII, Drew Allis & Co., Rochester, 1891, p. 1072.
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
