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Hand-Painted Patriotic Banner With The Seal of the State of Illinois

About the Item

HAND-PAINTED PATRIOTIC BANNER WITH THE SEAL OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS AND GREAT FOLK QUALITIES PROBABLY MADE FOR THE 1868 DEMOCRAT NATIONAL CONVENTION AT TAMMANY HALL IN NEW YORK CITY: Swallowtail format, patriotic vertical banner bearing the name and the seal of the State of Illinois. Made in the period between 1861 and the 1876 centennial of American independence, the textile is entirely hand-painted on heavy cotton. This is the only stars & stripes format, 19th century banner with this heraldic image that I have ever encountered in private hands. Note the bold and interesting imagery, which includes a modernistic, folded streamer on a cornflower blue field of 22 visible stars and an interpretation of the device of the state, executed in a folk style. Below this, on a field of 11 vertical stripes, is a medallion set within beautiful, gilded scrollwork. The seal is a loose interpretation of the actual. It shows a bold, spread wing eagle, facing to the right, with a billowing red streamer in its beak and a federal shield set before it with 17 stars. None of the star or strip counts here have any specific reference and are merely decorative. The eagle stands upon a rock before what, on the actual seal, is Lake Michigan. The motto “State Sovereignty National Unity” typically appears upon the streamer, but is absent here. Also absent is the rising sun and olive branches. The design displays a blend of elements present in both the 1st and 2nd official design, adopted in 1819 and 1825, respectively, and the one adopted in 1868. In the 1868 version, the eagle is in a less attractive side pose and facing the other direction. Based upon both this banner and related ones that are known by the same hand, it seems likely that the painter was working with verbal descriptions only. Banners of this type were often hoisted on single vertical staffs that held the rope aloft in the center. This basic style was both carried in parades and affixed on mounts indoors. Similar decorations and banners can be seen along the walls at early political conventions, or hoisted among benches, where they denoted the positions of the seating of attendees from various states. This particular example was found among a series of banners representing Mississippi, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Louisiana, and New York City. Ones representing Kansas and Massachusetts are also known. The presence of the New York City example suggests that whatever event they were used at occurred in New York. The 1868 Democrat National Convention was held in Manhattan at Tammany Hall. A colorful illustration, printed for Joseph Shannon’s Manual of the Corporation of the City of New York, shows the interior of the building masterfully festooned with patriotic banners, medallions, and buntings of similar nature, but none that match this particular style. Only the front and central interior are pictured, but two full sets of state identifying decorations are shown. This banner and its mates could well have hung elsewhere on the premises. No Republican National Conventions were held in New York during the 19th century. An alternative possibility is that the banners were used in festivities pertaining to the centennial of American independence in 1876, either in New York or at an event such as the Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, a six-month long World's Fair event, where a city like New York probably had its own pavilion, along with each individual state. Whatever the case may be, the textile is a boldly graphic, colorful survivor of the latter 19th century and one of only two banners of this period or prior that I have encountered with the device of Illinois.   Construction: Painted cotton, tacked to a wooden staff with acorn finials that is original to the banner. A length of red wool tape was used to reinforce the point where the tacks are affixed. Mounting: The banner was mounted and framed within our own conservation department, which is led by masters degree trained staff. We take great care in the mounting and presentation of flags and have preserved thousands of examples; more than anyone worldwide. The background is 100% cotton twill, black in color. The mount was placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding. A shadowbox was created to accommodate the staff. The glazing is U.V. protective plexiglass. Feel free to contact us for more details. Condition: There is minor soiling and there was very minor paint loss. A very minor amount of professional restoration was undertaken. There is some breakdown around the left eye of the soldier. Many of my clients prefer early flags to show their age and history of use. Flag Size (H x L): 65" x 34"
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 65 in (165.1 cm)Width: 34 in (86.36 cm)Depth: 1 in (2.54 cm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    1868
  • Condition:
    See Item Description.
  • Seller Location:
    York County, PA
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: pat-2501stDibs: LU84977665203

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HAND-PAINTED 19TH CENTURY BANNER WITH AN 1867 VERSION OF THE SEAL OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, PROPOSED IN THAT YEAR BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, BUT IN A VARIATION NEVER FORMALLY ADOPTED Banner with the Illinois State Seal, in a rare variation of the design, never adopted. In 1867 Illinois Secretary of State Sharon Tyndale proposed that the phrases in the state motto be reversed. In the wake of the Civil War, (which ended in 1865,) Tyndale suggested that the verbiage be changed from "State Sovereignty--National Union" to "National Union--State Sovereignty,” which made sense given the recent secession of the Southern States, which placed their own interests first. Illinois' own Abraham Lincoln had worked hard to preserve national interests, echoed here in the altering of the language. Though Tyndale’s suggestion was rejected, he was nonetheless charged with creating a new design, which he did and was soon adopted. This displayed the dates of "1818," when Illinois became a state, and "1868," when the seal was officially changed. Interestingly enough, Tyndale did manage to send a message in the new version by turning the word “sovereignty” upside-down , with the surmised explanation that this fit accordingly with the orientation / position of the streamer. The banner is beautifully hand-painted on muslin and retains its original staff. The shape is beautifully scalloped at the bottom edge, which is painted to look as if there is an applied fringe. Most of the elements are congruent with the 1868 version, but there are various differences. Set within a shield-shaped medallion—usually circular—is the expected eagle in a side view, spread wing pose with beak uplifted. The eagle is supposed to be perched upon a rock with one talon, while gripping a Federal shield in the other. Here there is no rock and both talons grip the shield, which displays 13 stars. Note the date of "1867" and Tyndale's preferred order of the wording on the billowing ribbon in the eagle's beak. The foreground of the official design is all grass. Here there are olive branches—a peacetime reference appropriate for a country recovering from war—on a grassy area, set upon a sandy shore before Lake Michigan, with a rising sun on the horizon. Mounting: The banner was mounted and framed within our own conservation department, which is led by masters degree trained staff. We take great care in the mounting and presentation of flags and have preserved thousands of examples; more than anyone worldwide. The background is 100% cotton twill, black in color. The mount was placed in a black-painted, hand-gilded and distressed Italian molding. A shadowbox was created to accommodate the staff. The glazing is U.V. protective plexiglass. Feel free to contact us for more details. Banner - 49" x 56.5" Frame - 67.75" x 59.25" About Jeff R. Bridgman Antiques, Inc.: As an advisor to top museums and collectors alike, Jeff Bridgman is the world's leading expert and source for antique American flags and political textiles...
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Ohio State Parade Flag with a Civil War Veterans Overprint
Located in York County, PA
OHIO STATE FLAG WITH CIVIL WAR VETERANS' OVERPRINT FROM THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC POST IN COLUMBUS, MADE IN MOURNING OF THE 1925 PASSING OF NATIONAL G.A.R. COMMANDER IN CHIEF DANIEL M. HALL, WHO ALSO SERVED AS COMMANDER OF THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF THE G.A.R., AS WELL AS THE LOCAL CHAPTER Flag of the State of Ohio, printed on oilcloth-like cotton, affixed to its original wooden staff. Made for Civil War veteran's use, the flag bears a stamped overprint in the striped field that consists of an open wreath of laurel branches, inside which is the following text: “GAR [Grand Army of the Republic] Post, Dan Hall, Columbus, OH”. Born on October 20th, 1842, Daniel M. Hall enlisted with the Union Army as a Private at the age of 18 on August 25th, 1861. On October 8th of that year he mustered into the Co. H of the 2nd Ohio Cavalry. Discharged for disability on June 28th, 1862, he reenlisted approximately 17 months later, on November 11th, 1863, and mustered into Co. F of the 12th Ohio Cavalry at Camp Cleveland. He was at some point promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and, on February 21st, 1864, to the rank of Corporal. He mustered out at Nashville on November 14th, 1865. Hall mustered into the Hamlin Post of the Ohio G.A.R. on May 23rd, 1883. He would go on to serve not only as Commander of the Dept. of Ohio for the organization, but as National Commander of the entire Grand Army of the Republic. The Grand Army of the Republic was the primary veterans association for Union Civil War soldiers. Founded in 1866, its members dressed up in Civil War uniforms, attended parades and reunions, and the organization was somewhat more fraternal in nature than today’s VFW or American Foreign Legion. Flags overprinted for the purpose of advertising are a specialized form in American flag collecting. A flag with a basic G.A.R. overprint is the most common type. This might be accompanied by a post number and a date. More elaborate the overprints are more highly desired, such as this one, which is the only variation I know of that honors a particular person who was not the namesake of the chapter itself. It is of interest to note that a sister variety of 48 star parade flag is known, printed on the same fabric, that bears the same overprint, accompanied by the words: “We Mourn Our Comrade." From the additional text on the 48 star variety, one can extrapolate that the flags were made to mourn the passing of this important leader of Civil War veterans on October 19th, 1925, just one day before his 83rd birthday. The State Flag of Ohio was designed in 1901 by Cleveland architect John Eisenmann, who designed the Ohio building for the state's exhibition at the Pan American Exposition World's Fair in Buffalo, New York. It was officially adopted by the Ohio legislature on May 19th, 1902. It's elements are centered on a red disc, set against a circular white ground that forms a letter "O." This simultaneously represents a buckeye, the fruit of the state tree and an iconic Ohio symbol. The flag's 5 stripes are said to represent the state's waterways and roads, while the triangular shape of the union is said to illustrate hills and valleys. The presentation of 13 stars along the hoist end, arranged in a semi-circular medallion with two off-set stars above and below, reflects the original 13 colonies. The diamond of stars, towards the fly end. bring the overall count to 17 to reflect Ohio's admission. When the design was adopted by the state legislature, the position of these stars was changed slightly, moving them further around the circle to form a wreath. Flag expert Whitney Smith, who coined the term Vexillology in the late 1950's (the accepted term for the study of flags), pointed out that the format of the flag itself was reminiscent of Civil War cavalry guidons, carried by Ohio regiments throughout the state. These were of swallowtail form, though with 13 stripes, all horizontal and 90 degrees to the hoist. Most often these had circular star patterns around an open center, which makes them even more similar to the Ohio flag...
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