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 It
is often very difficult to precisely attribute a flag to
the place and name of an actual manufacturer, especially
if the flag does not have a maker's mark or some other
solid documentation accompanying it. In some rare circumstances,
however, a consistencies in the construction
and design of a flag might allow a reasonably reliable
attribution. Such is the case for this flag. There
are perhaps half a dozen flags of this precise star
pattern, star count, size and construction which have
surfaced and are known today. One such flag was attributed
through research and documentation to
the company of Mr. Jabez W. Loane, a Baltimore, Maryland
manufacturer of flags and militaria.
Certain very specific attributes of this flag makes
it almost certainly a sibling of the other Jabez Loane
flags.
First and foremost, it is in the exact same pattern and
of precisely the same size, to the inch, as the other known examples. One particular consistent trait of
all known examples, which is especially beautiful, is
the precise alignment of the stars, such that the "head"
arm of each star points directly toward the center, and
the upper "arms" of the star are perfectly aligned tip
to tip with the arms of its neighbors. The
wreaths of stars are in perfect circles, the medallion
is precisely centered on the field, and the number of
stars in the wreaths are exactly the same as in other
known examples attributed to Loane. The 35
stars of the flag place its manufacture squarely in the Civil War
years, and its attractive wear, aged toning and
relatively small size, make it a rare flag of the
highest caliber and well deserving of its place in the
Rare Flags Showcase.
The flag descended in the
Arntz family of Slinger, Wisconsin. For many years, it
was kept in a cardboard box labeled Arlington Shower
Curtains. Accompanying the flag is an early hand written
note that says "Done Service in Civil War 1861-1865 Note
Formation of Stars". The note is written on stationary
from Wm. F. Bindrich Furs, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. An
early carbon copy of this note was also included. Verbal
provenance of the Arntz family is that the flag was
actually carried in the Civil War, but an original
letter written by Mr. Edward Arntz' grandmother that at
one time accompanied the flag was lost by one of the
children during a school show-and-tell many years ago.
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