48 Star American "Whipple Pennant", 1912 "Peace Pennant"
This small cotton pennant is still mounted to its staff and bears the well-documented "Whipple" pattern star-field, designed by Wayne Whipple (1856-1942). Whipple was well known as the author of popular juvenile books and other works on American history; in 1910 he conceived of what he called the 'History Flag'. It was a 46 star United States flag with the stars arranged in a new and symbolic pattern.
Central to this distinctive arrangement was a large six-pointed star made from 13 small five-point stars arranged 1-4-3-4-1 (Please see ZFC0604 for a similar arrangement.) This represents the 13 colonies that created the United States in 1776. Surrounding this centre star was a single ring of 25 stars, for a new total of 38 stars, representing the states at the time of the United States Centennial Celebration in 1876. In each of the four corners were two accent stars to represent the remaining states, for a total of 46, the proper star count at the time of manufacture.
To update the flag to 48 stars he added stars and placed them around the inner single ring. He referred to his own suggested starfield design as anything but a 'historic flag' and challenged his readers to come up with their own, more pleasing, designs. He popularized this particular design on the cover of his book, 'The Story of the American Flag'. Originally published in 1910, subsequent editions replaced a traditional flag with the Whipple pattern on the front cover.
This pennant was made by John Dettra of the Dettra Flag Co. of Oaks, Pa and was so marked along with the patent application identification. The Detra Flag Co. helped promote the design as both a flag (See ZFC0635) and as a pennant; which Dettra trademarked in 1917. These were marketed to commemorate the end of World War I, and it may have been through this activity that the design acquired the nickname 'the Whipple Peace Flag'.Â
ZFC Significant Flag
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