: Riveting stripes and shining stars in red, white and blue have
taken over the galleries at Hancock Shaker Village where "The
Stars and Stripes: Fabric of the American Spirit" is now on view.
Some 80 different historic examples in the exhibition document
the history of the American flag. The flags, each of which has
its own distinct story, are parade flags from the collection of
vexillologist (one who studies flags) and co-curator of the
exhibition, J. Richard Pierce.
Parade flags, such as those on view, were made generally to
celebrate, memorialize or advertise particular events or
entities; most were handmade and many were inscribed. Because
they were occasional flags, they were not bound by the strict
guidelines prescribed for the nation's flag. Although all
incorporated the essential elements and colors of the stars and
stripes, the folky variety of their design is stunning, and each
attests to the freewheeling creativity of its maker. Quite a few
are accompanied by notes documenting their origins. Some were
made of cotton, some silk and others of paper, and they were
highly perishable. Accordingly, few survived and those that did
are truly treasures of Americana.
"The Stars and Stripes: Fabric of the American Spirit" is a
colorful tracery of the embellishments that patriotism and
history lent the flag. The flags on view have stories as
intricate as their stitching. Pierce has long had an interest in
the flag. He confesses to a lifelong fascination with history and
politics, having earned a degree in political science in college
and served in the US Army and the Army Reserve thereafter. His
career, however, took him into technology and finance. He and his
wife began collecting flags only in 1991. Since then, though, it
has been full-steam ahead.
