[FLAGS]. 42-Star 7th Cavalry Regiment parade Guidon. Ca 1889-1891. 

24 x 34 in. parade guidon printed on cotton with 42 stars. Stenciled overprint reads, "7," over crossed sabers representing the 7th Cavalry Regiment and "US." Thin strip of cotton stitched to hoist end.

Provenance: Found in a wooden crate at Fort Sheridan, outside of Chicago in the early 1970s, while the fort was being decommissioned; Collection of Jeffrey Kenneth Kohn, MD.

It is believed that parade guidons such as the example offered here were originally made for recruitment efforts at the Presidio in San Francisco, California, ca 1889. The parade guidons were subsequently transferred to Fort Sheridan and used periodically for parades and ceremonies. One of the common ceremonies of the late 19th century was "Pass in Review" of visiting regiments of infantry and cavalry on the Fort's parade ground.

42 Star flags were official for a narrow period of two years- between 11 November 1889 and 4 July 1891, with the admission of Washington as the 42nd state and the subsequent admission of Idaho as the 43rd state.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.