Description
Rare Federal Shield with 44 Stars Circa 1890. Hand made hand watercolor on heavy weight yardstock. 25″ wide 30″ high . Antique Federal Shields are very rare and highly collectable. Dates to 1890.
The forty-four star flag represents the inclusion of Wyoming to the Union. Wyoming was admitted on July 10th, 1890, and this flag became official on July 4th, 1891. Presidents Benjamin Harrison and Grover Cleveland served under this flag.
In 1889, Congress considered adding the Dakota Territory as a single state. What happened, however, was that the Dakota Territory was split it into two states: North Dakota and South Dakota, and they were both admitted on November 2nd, 1889. Soon thereafter, on November 8th, 1889, Montana was admitted as the forty-first state, and on November 11th, 1889, Washington was admitted as the forty-second. When Congress went on break, flag makers began producing anticipatory forty-two star flags for the following July 4th, 1890.
To the surprise of many, on July 3rd, 1890—just one day before the forty-two star flag was going to be official—Congress admitted Idaho as the forty-third state. As a result, the forty-two star flag never became official, but the forty-three star did. Just a few days later, on July 10th, 1890, Congress admitted Wyoming as the forty-fourth state. As a result of this rapid succession of state admissions, flag makers made large quantities of unofficial forty-two star flags and official forty-four star flags, but hardly any forty-three star flags (despite it being an official star count).
The forty-four star flag is relatively rare when compared to, for example, the forty-five star flag, as a result of it being used after the Centennial, but before the Spanish American War. The forty-four star flag was the official flag for five years up until July 4th, 1896, the time at which the forty-five star flag became official and began to represent the inclusion of Utah in the Union.
Historical Americana has been buying and selling antique American Flags, Americana & rare and unique relics for over twenty years. I have personally seen and handled and purchased thousands of antique flags over the years.
I have consulted with numerous museums across the country including The National Archives, PBS, various film production companies for national TV Shows, major motion pictures, major collectors, and large and small auction houses over the years in selling, loaning, describing, documenting, and identifying various antique flags and antique textiles.
I have been interviewed for many national magazines and newspaper articles on antique flags and rare Americana.
Our flags and rare Americana have been featured in numerous antique trade publications, newspapers and major national decorator magazines, national TV shows and major movies.
I have also worked with numerous major retail corporations, major on-line retailers, major on-line catalogs, many prominent national interior designers, and architects.
Historical Americana has been buying and selling rare, unique antique relics and rare American Flags and Americana for over twenty years. I have personally seen and handled and purchased thousands of antiques & antique flags over the years.
We use modern museum framing technology to frame our antique flags.
Please do not be intimated by dealers that have outrageous prices on their flags and say if any flags is sold for less than their (highly inflated prices) it can’t possibly be real. Really?…
If you want to pay more for the same flag, please do
I have more experience on antique flags than most museum curators, auction house appraisers who may see only a few flags each year and most flag dealers sometime make erroneous statements and opinions on flags because of lack of experience.
Conservation
Our in-house professional framers use only conservation framing methods used by museums. We only use acid free cotton rag mats and gas free materials along with safe ultra-clear UV acrylic. The UV acrylic is clearer than glass and unlike glass it will not break. Our flags are museum mounted using safe acid free hinges, which does not damage the flag/item in any way like sewing flags down does. The hinge mounting is completely reversible which is the prime focus to achieve in conservation framing.
Sewing a flag down as some framers and company’s do is very costly to the customer and can damage the flag. Sewing flags down is an out of date, old process that can and usually does damage the flag over time as it hangs in the frame. In some cases, sewing the flag down can cause irreparable damage and ruin your investment in the flag you purchased.
This is what happened to the Old Glory Flag in the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian conservators spent millions of dollars to repair and reverse the damage to the flag caused by sewing the historical flag down. Framers have used the sewing method in the past and some do now because they do not know any better and are stuck with a failed technology and the main reason is they make much more money from the customer by charging huge fees to sew a flag down. Time has proved sewing a flag down is damaging to the flag and very costly to the customer. Our mounting process is safe, cost effective and preserves the antique flag for generations to come.
We do all this and sell our flags at very reasonable prices unlike many dealers…
Selling only Genuine Authentic antiques & rare American Flags
Contact us at: flaginfo2012@gmail.com
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