Vintage Patriotic American Eagle and Flag, Embroidered on Silk, 19th Century

Presented is a patriotic silk and metallic thread embroidered textile, dating to the late 19th century. The textile depicts a glorious gold American eagle with outstretched wings, with a United States flag on a pole in its talons, flanked by stylized olive branches. The central motif is executed in dense, hand-made embroidery, with metallic-toned threads and colored silk or rayon floss. The flag is rendered in red, white and blue thread, with eleven evenly-spaced white stars on a dark blue canton, emphasizing symbolic representation rather than strict flag specification. The eagle and ornamental elements are embroidered onto a light-tan silk field, characterized by a smooth, lustrous weave and uniform finish consistent with late 19th-century production. This embroidered banner was most likely made in Japan as a souvenir sold to traveling American merchants and sailors.

Souvenir shops were numerous in popular Japanese ports, advertising directly to the American sailors and merchants and touting souvenirs for family members and loved ones. Kimonos, tablecloths, shawls, paintings, calendars, and Christmas cards could be found alongside these patriotic embroideries. Following the earlier tradition of British and American sailor-made woolies, these later 19th century embroidered souvenirs featured many of the same design woolies motifs, including flags, eagles, boats and anchors, and patriotic mottos. 

Embroidery shops in Yokohama, Nagasaki, and Tokyo produced large numbers of these needleworks. They often produced catalogs filled with popular nautical or patriotic designs, with options for sailors’ own customization, like the name of their boat, cities they had visited, and even the option to insert small photographs or portraits. With bold colors, eye-catching metallic sheen, and intricate stitching, these embroidered souvenirs were the most popular during the Great White Fleet tour of 1907-1909, but earlier examples can date to the 1890s. Many of the examples we see today are created by the George Washington Company out of Yokohama, Japan, which operated from the 1890s all the way to 1939. 

CONDITION:

Very good+ condition. Tan silk field, expertly embroidered with silk and metallic thread, in gold, red, blue, white, black, and light pink. Embroidery is intact with very minimal pulls, snags, or losses. Colors are vibrant, with the exception of the light pink branches, which could have been faded from another color. Metallic threads remain very bright. Some loss and splits to the tan silk field at top center margins, not affecting embroidered areas. Minor signs of wear, including scratches and snags and wrinkling, to silk field throughout. Unframed Dimensions: 18 1/2" x 13 1/2”. 

Archivally framed and mounted in a custom-built wooden frame with UV glass. 

Accompanied by our company’s letter of authenticity.