Original U.S. Civil War Incredibly Rare 35-Star Flag 1863-1865 with Hand-Stitched Stars - Linen-Mounted for Museum Display - 68 x 88”

Original Item. Only One Available. This is without a doubt one of the rarest flags we have had the privilege of offering! This 35-Star American Flag was manufactured during the 1863-1865 period. This Flag became the Official United States Flag on July 4th, 1863. A star was added for the admission of West Virginia (June 20th, 1863) and was to last for 2 years. This example was professionally mounted onto linen so that it could be displayed in a museum, making it close to displayable now. This is a fantastic opportunity to frame and properly display this piece of history with your collection.

This extraordinary flag features a canton of blue wool on which 35 stars have been hand applied on one side. Several of the stars have small issues like loss of material or partial loss of stitching, but all 35 stars are retained on the flag. There is a 1” canvas on the hoist side with two metal grommets that would have allowed for the flag to be flown. The flag itself is made up of individually stitched stripes which retain most of their stitching. The heavy damage on this flag is mostly towards the edges, which are frayed and torn in some spots, but thankfully the flag was professionally mounted to a linen backing, so it is not at much risk of further deterioration.

There aren’t any markings we could find on the header, which is the case for the majority of Civil War era flags. Overall condition is fair with heavy tearing across the flag and fragile material. Please see photos for damage. The flag is in tremendous condition for its age and it has an undeniable eye appeal, and as it’s already mounted onto linen, it only needs to be framed for a proper display. Any U.S. flag from this period is incredibly sought-after due to their fragility and scarcity. Don’t miss out!