Antiques Roadshow

GUEST

I purchased this 12 or 14 years ago. We got it at a military antique store in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

APPRAISER

Tell me what you know about it.

GUEST

Well, it has 34 stars, and I read that 34 stars denotes when Kansas came into the Union.

APPRAISER

It's a Civil War period flag. They hung it from windows and from balconies when soldiers marched by to give them moral support. It was only meant to be hung on one side, because the back side is not finished. And it's all hand stitched, it's all homemade. Tell me, what did you pay for it?

GUEST

I believe we paid either $125 or $150 for it back then.

APPRAISER

Well, if I had it in my show in New York, I would ask between $7,500 and $10,000.

GUEST

Oh, my goodness.

APPRAISER

It's really a wonderful piece of American sewing, and it's just great. I would take it to a textile conservator, and have them fix it so that it could be suspended properly.