Lot 491: Rare 38 Floral Star American Flag

American 38-star flag, linen with printed stars arranged in an unusual floral pattern in the canton. No maker's marks. Housed under glass in a wooden frame with gilt wood rabbet edge. Flag – 13" H x 21 1/2" W. Sight – 14 1/2" H x 23" W. Framed – 19 3/4" H x 28 1/4" W. Late 19th century. Provenance: Private Crossville, TN collection. Note: Letter in which Jeffrey Kenneth Kohn, M.D., Elkins Park, PA, the original dealer of the flag, writes to the consignor describing the rarity of the flag, stating that "I have never before seen this configuration of 4 clusters of 8 stars between, all encirling a star within a star. There is nothing like it in the Mastai book but if you have the Sotheby's Mastai Auction catalog there is a similar larger sewn flag that has just 4 clusters of stars but no 'star within a star'" included in the photos. CONDITION: Overall good condition. 1 1/4" area of loss, top left of canton. Holes, largest 1/2", surface of flag. 1/2" x 1/2" area of repair, lower center of flag.