Postcard of the Original Star-Spangled Banner

Object Details

Author

Curt Teich & Co

Subject

Star-Spangled Banner (Flag)

United States National Museum

Arts and Industries Building

National Collections

Category

Historic Images of the Smithsonian

The original Star-Spangled Banner is the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write his song of the same name after the American defeat of British forces at the Battle of Fort McHenry (September 14, 1812) during the War of 1812. The flag is on permanent exhibition at the National Museum of American History, in accordance with the wishes of its donor, New York stockbroker Eben Appleton.

#4A-H2188. Genuine Curteich-Chicago "C.T. Photo-Colorit" Post Card. Curt Otto Teich (1877-1974), a German immigrant, founded Curt Teich & Co., which was a postcard printing company that operated from 1898 to 1978. The company specialized in view and advertising postcards, and was the largest volume printer of this type in the world from the 1920s to the 1940s. C.T. Photo-Colorit was a printing process used by Curt Teich & Co.

This postcard is located in Accession #03-140, which is part of Record Unit 95.

For another version of this postcard, see Negatives SIA2013-06667 and SIA2013-06668.

Summary

Postcard of the original Star-Spangled Banner which at the time was hanging in the United States National Museum, now the Arts and Industries Building. It is shown against a yellow background, and the front has white edging. The message side is blank.

Contained within

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 95, Box 45, Folder: 27

Contact information

Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu

1934

Standard number

SIA2013-07232 (front) and SIA2013-07233 (back)

Restrictions & Rights

No restrictions

Type

Postcard

Linen

Physical description

Number of Images: 2; Color: Color; Size: 5.5w x 3.5h; Type of Image: Postcard; Medium: Linen

Place

United States

Smithsonian Archives - History Div

Topic

Postcard

American Flag

Emblems, National

Flags

Museum exhibits

Exhibitions

United States - History--War of 1812

Record ID

siris_sic_13804

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply