M3216

The Stars and Stripes

Centennial Flag, 1876

Collins Cover Announcement 

The Stars and Stripes 

The Evolution of "Old Glory"

The United States flag has evolved over the past two centuries since the days leading up to our Revolutionary War and our struggle for independence. The flags featured in this wonderful set include a variety of local, regional, and national designs and encompass unofficial, semi-official, and official versions. The twenty designs chosen for the set are based upon the most recent and accurate research available. Americana and history have always been favorite topics of my cachetmaldng endeavors, and a chance to tell the story of "Old Glory" on a set of First Day Covers is an opportunity I'm glad to have.

In the years preceding our War for Independence, a group of patriots in the New England colonies became activists for American rights. Known as the Sons of Liberty, these patriots protested extreme British policies such as high taxes. The first hand painted cachet that you'll receive documents the Boston Tea Party as the Sons of Liberty dress as Indians and board British ships in the harbor to dump chests of tea overboard. It was the strong negative reaction to the Stamp Act that sowed some of the first seeds of revolution. The stamp on this cover is the Sons of Liberty Flag that used 13 horizontal stripes to represent the unity of the colonies and probably first inspired the stripes that ultimately appeared in Old Glory.

George Washington's military secretary proposed that all American ships fly the Massachusetts Navy flag. As a result of this suggestion, a New England pine tree was combined with the national colors of red, white, and blue creating the New England Flag which was flown on American ships. My cachet for the second cover in the set features an American seaman fastening this flag to the very top of the tallest mast on his ship. It's a colorful and dramatic scene.

The third cachet (see enclosure which shows final pencil sketch) in the set features an American Minuteman. These citizen soldiers were farmers, merchants, and tradesmen who would pick up their muskets on a moment's notice to defend their rights against tyranny. Some formed local militias and had handsome uniforms such as the one I feature on my cachet The Forster Flag stamp featured on this third cover in the set was, according to tradition, captured by Minutemen from the British on April 19, 1775 - the very first day of the Revolutionary War. As you can tell from the cachet sketch, the finished watercolored version of this First Day Cover is one that will be stunning.

It's my goal to produce the finest group of cachets to complement this historic American Flag set. Exciting topics will result in exciting hand painted cachet scenes for the remaining flags. The Continental Colors carried by General Washington's forces. The Francis Hopkinson Flag in which this member of the Continental Congress introduced stars to "represent a new constellation." The Brandywine Flag was carried at that battle on Sept. 11, 1777. After John Paul Jones aboard the Bonhomme Richard captured HMS Serapis, a Dutch artist did a watercolor painting of the flag Jones hoisted in victory. That work gave us the attractive John Paul Jones Flag, featuring four blue stripes - considered America's prime national color. The Pierre L'Enfant Flag was a design proposed to honor a veteran's organization for Revolutionary War officers, and this flag completes those in this set that pertain to our War of Independence.

Indian peace Flags were presented to Indian tribes to represent the friendship of the American government. In the War of 1812, a really unique flag was carried into battle by the First Company, First Regiment of Volunteers from Easton, Pennsylvania. That community designed the Easton Flag that actually reversed the positions of the stars and the stripes. A flag that was sure to be represented in this set was the Star-Spangled Banner. It inspired Francis Scott Key to write our National Anthem. The Bennington Flag was originally thought to date from the Revolution but now is believed to have been created either during the War of 1812 or for the 50th Anniversary of the Revolutionary War in 1826.

An 1818 Act by Congress established that the flag include a star for each state and 13 stripes. In 1837, naval hero Samuel Reid recommended arranging the individual stars into the Great Star Flag. Starting in 1845, diamond patterns became standard on garrison flags flown at large Army posts. In 1847, the 29 Star Flag was created when Iowa was admitted. The Fort Sumter Flag was flying over Charleston's military base when the Civil War began on April 12, 1861. The Centennial Flag in 1876 helped Americans celebrate the 100th Birthday of their nation which then stretched from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans.

In 1912, rows of stars became standard on all American flags. Until that time, flag makers could use imaginative designs. The 38-Star Flag shows one such design which includes a large star for the new state of Colorado in the center of the constellation. The Peace Flag of 1891 symbolized American dedication to world peace. The 48-Star Flag was the official version from 1912 to 1959 which was the longest period of time for a single fixed pattern. World War I and World War II were fought and won under this flag. The 50-Star Flag was adopted on July 4, 1960 when Hawaii became a state, and it was then when our current Stars and Stripes was born. May it, in current or future versions, always fly over the "Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave."

As with other large sets, I will be offering the "STARS AND STRIPES" at the rate of one per month. Each individually hand painted cachet will be superb. The Sons of Liberty and their Boston Tea Party * The American Minuteman poised to fight for Freedom * Washington's Continental Army as it battles the British * Revolutionary Naval hero John Paul Jones * Meeting with Indian tribes in the nation's move westward * The star spangled banner at Fort McHenry * The patriotic Bennington flag *The Civil War • The Centennial of our nation * World War II * Hawaii joining the Union. All of these and more - totaling twenty superb Collins cachets - that will document the history of the Stars and Stripes. The story of Old Glory told on hand painted First Day Covers. It's a set you won't want to miss.

At one cover per month, this Flag set is affordable for every collector. Each month, I will send one new cover and invoice you for the next one until the set is complete. To do a cachet sequence with a common theme stretching from the Boston Tea Party to our Western Expansion to the Civil War to our Centennial to both World Wars to Hawaiian Statehood will be a very rare occurrence indeed. Since I'm only offering these covers as a set, they will ultimately be sought on the open market not only as a complete unit but also as individual cachets by topical collectors. Obtaining this set for your collection is an opportunity to be seized. Patriots pouring tea into the sea. A Continental sailor proudly flying the new Pine Tree Flag from the mast. A young, determined Minuteman with musket and powder horn ready to fight for a new nation. And 17 more superb and dramatic cachets featuring the evolution of the Stars and Stripes. It will be a beautiful set.