Page Title: Betsy Ross Flag:   Other Historical Flags

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Betsy Ross GraveBetsy Ross Grave Click to enlarge images of Betsy Ross' grave at the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia.  

Betsy Ross Flag

All the flags on this page can be displayed both horizontally or vertically.

 

Cotton

 

Betsy Ross Flag on the left is cotton with embroidered stars and sewn stripes

Made in USA

The upper left star is the embroidered star.

The bottom star is a dyed star. (No longer available)

 

 

Flagpoles sold separately

 

Finished with canvas heading with brass grommets

 

Type

Size

Model #

Price

Cotton Flag with Embroidered Stars and Sewn Stripes

2x3'

BR23C

$53.50

Cotton Flag with Embroidered Stars and Sewn Stripes

3x5'

BR35C

$62.50

Cotton Flag with Embroidered Stars and Sewn Stripes

4x6'

BR46C

$76.50

 Betsy Ross Stick Flag

Betsy Ross Stick Flag #SPH12B

12x18" Polyester sleeved and stapled to a 30" x 5/16" staff

  Dozen  
  $14.95 Closeout  
This flag is of beautiful quality, made in China and so stamped on the staff

THERE IS A DRASTIC NEW POST OFFICE SURCHARGE OVER 30". THREE FLAGS SENT BY MAIL WOULD COST $49.95 INCLUDING POSTAGE!!

All stick flags are exclusive of shipping costs which must be quoted based on a specific shipping address

 

 

Nylon Betsy Ross Flag MADE IN USA. These all have canvas heading and brass grommets.

 Item #

Size 

Price 

#BR12ND

12x18" Dyed Stars and Stripes Betsy Ross Flag

$15.95

#BR23N 

2x3' Embroidered Stars, Sewn Stripes Betsy Ross Flag

$53.50

#BR35N

3x5' Embroidered Stars, Sewn Stripes Betsy Ross Flag

 

$49.00

 

#BR46N

4x6' Appliquéd Stars, Sewn Stripes Betsy Ross Flag

$71.00

#BR58N

5x8' Appliquéd Stars, Sewn Stripes Betsy Ross Flag

$117.00

 

 

 

Made in USA

4x6" desk size Betsy Ross Desk flag on a 10" staff

Fine silk like quality. 4x6" flag on 10" spear tip staff. CAUTION: Spear tip, Use with adult supervision.

#UNIBET Betsy Ross Desk Flag shown with stand.

$28.00 per dozen, sold by dozen only.

Bases Sold Separately

 

 

Betsy Ross Flag History

Flag expert Jeff Bridgeman and other scholars dispute the Betsy Ross story:

"What we do know about colonial 13-star flags is that none have a circle of stars like the Betsy Ross design. There is a 1779-1780 painting of George Washington, by Charles Wilson Peale, that depicts, in the background, a flag with a perfect circle pattern of stars. This flag has a blue field and stars, but no stripes. It may be the only evidence in a painting that truly suggests that a circle-pattern flag may have existed in the Revolutionary period; yet it wasn’t a Stars and Stripes, and Peale may have taken some artistic liberty in its inclusion. Peale was known to be very detailed and keen on accuracy; but he made at least four copies of the painting prior to 1782, one of which shows the Battle of Trenton in the background instead of the Battle of Princeton, like the original. So he obviously wasn’t opposed to alterations. There are paintings of Revolutionary scenes by other artists that depict Stars and Stripes flags with perfect circle patterns, but these were painted in the 19th century and so cannot be trusted for their authenticity with respect to the star configurations. The American flag does not have a circle of stars on any of the early naval flag charts, where numerous designs are pictured.

There are colonial currencies that show a Stars and Stripes in the Betsy Ross pattern, but there are no actual flags. In fact, most people are shocked to learn that I have never seen or heard of an American flag with the Betsy Ross pattern of stars that was, with any degree of certainty, made before the 1890’s. And if the original was in this form, with so many 13-star flags existing from the 19th century, it stands to reason that the pattern would have been reproduced. The design is now believed by most scholars to be a creation of Betsy Ross’s grandchildren in the 1870-90 period. Ross’s nephew is first known to have statements about the design in Philadelphia in 1876, revealing the story of the making of the first flag and Betsy’s involvement. But most flag scholars today feel the story was a grand hoax, fabricated by Ross’s nephew, for his own interests. In the late 1890’s through the first decade of the 20th century, Betsy’s granddaughter and great granddaughter made flags in the East Wing of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, selling them to tourists and proliferating the same story. The Betsy Ross house was opened to the public and carried on the belief concerning her use of the circular design. In short, the story stuck and has subsequently appeared in more books than one can count.

Though Betsy did make early flags and there are receipts to prove it, most flag historians believe that Betsy did not even design or make the first flag. The credit is rather placed on one of our founding fathers,
Francis Hopkinson, native Philadelphian, Delegate to the Continental Congress, and signer of the Declaration of Independence. Hopkinson was a member of the Continental Navy Board in 1776, designed many pieces of artwork for Congress, and logic would suggest that he might have been given the task of designing the flag."

An Article For “Focus”, The Semi-Annual Journal Of The Antiques Council, Winter 2006

by Jeff Bridgman, 2006    1 15 23