Since this site is about  Americana, not only during the week set aside during January to celebrate such things, but throughout the year as well, we would be remiss in not mentioning the upcoming auction of American flags and Naval flags at Freeman’s, in Philadelphia, on Monday, April 30th.

The sale features the collection of the late H. Richard Dietrich, Jr., one of the most ardent of  American flag collectors. Included are some of the earliest known and significant patterns of our Nation’s naval ensigns from our country’s most iconic ship, the USS Constitution. This exceptional grouping of 12 flags spanning six decades has been in private hands for more than 150 years and never been on the open market.

These flags are actual artifacts of ‘Old Ironsides’, flown during many pivotal moments in the Nation’s as well as the world’s history.”  The Constitution, a three mast 44 gun frigate named by President George Washington and launched in 1797, has the distinction of being the oldest commissioned naval vessel. In 1997 she sailed under her own power for her 200th birthday. The Constitution will be lauded again with this year’s bi-centennial of the War of 1812.

Eleven of the colors were acquired by Dietrich in 1964 via Horace and Elinor Gordon, friends and advisors to Dietrich on his private collection as well as The Dietrich American Foundation. The colors were sold by Ken Parris, grandson of Virgil Parris (1807-1874), former US representative and state senator from Maine and appointed “Keeper of the Stores” of the Portsmouth Naval shipyard in 1858.

The Constitution arrived in Portsmouth on June 14, 1855, decommissioned from active duty and saved from salvage to be converted to a training ship. During this period, Parris was informed that her “light gear”—sails, rigging, spars, hull timbers, and various instruments, as well as all flags—including small boat and signal– were to be removed and condemned as “unfit for service,” and ordered sold at public auction. Parris purchased the acclaimed vessel’s naval flags and the family retained them into the mid-twentieth century.

The story continues on Philadelphia Antiques Week and at Freeman’s Auctioneers.