1863 DATED NAVY COMMISSIONING PENNANT

1863 DATED NAVY COMMISSIONING PENNANT

Hover to zoom

Image 1 Image 2 Image 3 Image 4 Image 5 Image 6

$3,500.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 1179-1423

Shipping: Determined by Method & Location of buyer

To Order:
Call 717-334-0347,
Fax 717-334-5016, or E-mail

Red, white and blue US Navy commissioning pennant, measuring about 16-1/2 feet (roughly 198 inches) long overall. These pennants were hoisted when a ship was commissioned and with a few exceptions, such as the presence of a flag-officer on board, was flown while on active service. This all sewn, not printed, and has a narrow canvas hoist 1-1/4” wide and 9” long with two hand-sewn grommet holes. The flag itself is wool bunting. The blue canton measures 58” from the canvas hoist to the red and white stripes, narrowing from 9” at the hoist to 7” where stripes join it, each stripe starting out about 3-1/2” wide and tapering its roughly 138” length. The canton contains 13 sewn white cotton stars, arranged 7 over 6, each, measuring 3-1/2” point to point, with the blue fabric cut away on the reverse to show the star as well. The pennant has strong color and only minor small holes and edge loss, mainly on the fly and toward the very end, with just couple of very small holes in the stars and no substantial damage to the canton.

The hoist has the number “12” stamped in old brown ink near the upper grommet hole of the obverse, with the initials “J.P.W.” embroidered in now brown thread next to it in large letters, with the “W” extended in faded black ink letters to form the name “Willets” with the date 1863 underneath. This comes with a circa 1900 photograph by a Jersey City, N.J., photographer, showing a middle-aged man with mustache from mid-chest up, identified on the reverse in old ink: “John Perry Willets / Jersey City N.J.”

John Perry Willets 1850-1924, son of Isaac and Kate Willets, was born in Baltimore in 1850. This is not too young for him to have served in the war in some capacity- young boys serving as “powder monkeys,” carrying powder buckets to gun crews, attracted a fair amount of attention, but we find no record of service for him and his obituary makes no mention of it. In later life he lived in Jersey City. The 1880 census picks him up as gas-fitter and he later became an electrician. Our best guess is that as 13 year-old boy he acquired this flag in some fashion from a neighbor, friend or relative in the U.S. Navy and kept it as a memento.

This was formerly in the Texas Civil War Museum as part of their naval collections, has bright color, and would make a great addition to a Civil War navy display.   [sr] [ph:L]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS.

THANK YOU!

Inquire »

Inquire About 1863 DATED NAVY COMMISSIONING PENNANT

should be empty

featured item

A BEYOND RARE CS ARKANSAS FROCK COAT AND "BONNET DE POLICE"

Mr. Ray Richey, owner of the Texas Civil War Museum, purchased this uniform coat and hat directly from an Arkansas estate in 2003. Twenty-six years prior to this it was acquired from the Beneux Plantation in Mulberry, Arkansas. Positive… (1268-057). Learn More »

Upcoming Events

02
Oct

Oct 1 - 5: NORTH-SOUTH SKIRMISH ASSOCIATION FALL NATIONALS Learn More »

Instagram