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Pre-Revolutionary War flag found in Southold (Bought for a few hundred dollars - worth 1 million)
Newsday ^ | July 3, 2006 | BY BILL BLEYER

Posted on 07/10/2006 9:28:52 PM PDT by 11th_VA

A lifelong history buff, Gary Laube of Southold decided to spend several hundred dollars to buy an 18th-century trunk at an estate sale in his hometown in 1992 because it contained a woven 19th-century coverlet made by a member of one of the town's oldest families.

It was only when he got his purchase home that he discovered a textile balled up in the bottom of the trunk -- one that has proved much more historically and financially valuable than the coverlet and that quickly launched him on an ongoing historical detective hunt.

What the 52-year-old Revolutionay War re-enactor and historic house restorer had purchased, according to experts, is the oldest-known relatively intact flag made in America, probably dating to the mid-1700s..

(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cross; crossofstgeorge; flags; pinetreeflags; revolution; stgeorge
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This never happens to me ... why ???


1 posted on 07/10/2006 9:28:56 PM PDT by 11th_VA
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To: 11th_VA

Wow.


2 posted on 07/10/2006 9:30:40 PM PDT by pax_et_bonum (Whatever happened to Cynthia McKinney?)
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To: 11th_VA

'Cuz you don't buy old trunks.

Is that an early St Andrews Cross?


3 posted on 07/10/2006 9:30:57 PM PDT by Pelham (McGuestWorkerProgram- Soon to serve over 1 billion Americans)
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To: Pelham

It looks more like St. George's cross.


4 posted on 07/10/2006 9:32:37 PM PDT by Young Scholar
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To: Pharmboy

You might be interested in this.


5 posted on 07/10/2006 9:34:49 PM PDT by hedgetrimmer ("I'm a millionaire thanks to the WTO and "free trade" system--Hu Jintao top 10 worst dictators)
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To: snippy_about_it; bentfeather; Samwise; Peanut Gallery; Wneighbor; Valin; alfa6; Iris7; SAMWolf; ...

Old Flag Ping


6 posted on 07/10/2006 9:35:17 PM PDT by 11th_VA
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To: 11th_VA

How exciting for this person!

God bless him for his decision not to sell it.


7 posted on 07/10/2006 9:36:32 PM PDT by LurkLongley (Ad Majoram Dei Gloriam-For the Greater Glory of God)
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To: Young Scholar

I wonder if that might be a pine tree in the corner?


8 posted on 07/10/2006 9:39:00 PM PDT by Pelham (McGuestWorkerProgram- Soon to serve over 1 billion Americans)
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To: 11th_VA
Looks like a Bunker Hill flag:


9 posted on 07/10/2006 9:42:21 PM PDT by bnelson44 (Proud parent of a tanker! (Charlie Mike, son))
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To: bnelson44

http://www.fanshop-online.de/fahnen-flaggen-infos/us-bunk.html


10 posted on 07/10/2006 9:45:00 PM PDT by bnelson44 (Proud parent of a tanker! (Charlie Mike, son))
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To: Pelham
I wonder if that might be a pine tree in the corner?

According to the article it is.

11 posted on 07/10/2006 9:45:09 PM PDT by 11th_VA
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To: 11th_VA; Pharmboy

What the 52-year-old Revolutionay War re-enactor and historic house restorer had purchased, according to experts, is the oldest-known relatively intact flag made in America, probably dating to the mid-1700s.

Laube didn't immediately go public, waiting until experts had examined the flag. And all of those who saw the banner have been unanimous: It's the real deal.

The object he found in the trunk was a dark beige wool flag, 31-by-33 inches, with a green-fabric pine tree, the symbol for New England in colonial times, and a red cotton cross of St. George, the symbol for England, in the upper left corner.

In the past few years, Laube has unearthed important new information. While he initially believed the flag came from a Long Island military unit in the late 1600s, he is now certain it came from a Connecticut regiment in the following century.

And he has a strong hunch on who carried it in that regiment and how it ended up in Southold.

After buying the trunk at a sale of items from the estate of Bill and Frances Woodward of Southold, Laube guessed the flag was made before 1700 and later used in the French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763.

"I knew about pine tree flags," he said. "I was pretty sure there were no existing pine tree flags, and with the St. George's cross we had a pre-Revolutionary War flag."

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-liflag044805400jul03,0,2482374.story?coll=ny-linews-headlines&track=rss


12 posted on 07/10/2006 9:45:43 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: bnelson44

Wow - good catch !


13 posted on 07/10/2006 9:46:19 PM PDT by 11th_VA
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To: 11th_VA
I came across one of the oldest know starcraft boats in about the same manner. It was given to me and the guy didn't know who the maker was.
14 posted on 07/10/2006 9:51:19 PM PDT by Beagle8U (Liberals get up every morning and eat a big box of STUPID for breakfast)
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To: Beagle8U
I came across one of the oldest know starcraft boats in about the same manner.

Like I said, this never happens to me - we'll, I do have my grandpappy's WWI uniform - minus the leggings ... And my great-great grand pappy's bayonet from Pickets Charge ... but no flags

15 posted on 07/10/2006 9:55:59 PM PDT by 11th_VA
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To: 11th_VA

I bought George Washington's ax that he used to fell the cherry tree. The guy I bought it from said that the head has been replaced twice and the handle three times. But it is George's ax.


16 posted on 07/10/2006 10:10:34 PM PDT by super7man
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To: potlatch; ntnychik; PhilDragoo


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1663493/posts


17 posted on 07/10/2006 10:18:40 PM PDT by devolve (fx 9125_AMERICANS_KILLED_2003_BY_ILLEGALS MEX_ILLEGAL_GOT_911_TERRORISTS_ID NO_NUEVO_TEJAS)
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To: 11th_VA

Do you collect antiques ?


18 posted on 07/10/2006 10:19:28 PM PDT by Beagle8U (Liberals get up every morning and eat a big box of STUPID for breakfast)
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To: devolve

Hmmm, maybe you should take your antique map tray to the traveling Antique Road Show for appraisal!


19 posted on 07/10/2006 10:22:05 PM PDT by potlatch (Does a clean house indicate that there is a broken computer in it?)
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To: Beagle8U
Do you collect antiques ?

I try, but my wife keeps setting the 'junk' out by the curb.

20 posted on 07/10/2006 10:23:08 PM PDT by 11th_VA
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