Lot 512

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Description:

A fantastic Texas relic with incontestable provenance, a Texas state flag carried ashore and flown by an American Marine during the hard-fought struggle to capture Okinawa. The 40.5 x 27 in. flag bears three edges of yellow fringe, with a rolled and sewn hoist through which the supporting carrying staff or pole once passed. The flag is in good structural condition, with lightly faded colors and non-intrusive staining, consistent with age and heavy use in the conflict. This historic battle relic is sold with a signed letter of provenance from the Curator of the Texas Memorial Museum, A. GARLAND ADAIR, who testifies that he and a colonel in the Texas National Guard gifted the flag to Texas-born industrialist ROBERT RALPH YOUNG (1897 - 1958), best known for leading the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway and the New York Central Railroad during and after World War II. The letter, typed on official Texas Memorial Museum letterhead, reads, in part: '...I have asked Colonel Paul L. Wakefield personally to deliver to you this letter and the historic Texas Flag which it concerns. I was one of those Texans who attended the home-coming banquet in your honor when you were selected by Governor Beauford H. Jester as the first to be honored as a DISTINGUISHED TEXAN. Your achievements are in the tradition of a true Texan...The Colonel and I wanted you to have this flag since it, too, is a symbol of the Texas fighting tradition. It went ashore with a Marine Detachment at Okinawa in the hands of a Texan. It was later sent back to me from Japan by a Marine Lieutenant not a Texan - who said it should be in the hands of our people. You will notice that the red panel in the flag has been replaced since it was so torn and mud-spattered that little of it was left...' Both the flag and letter have been set into a matching set of vintage wooden frames, where they have both likely remained since being gifted to Young in 1948. Certainly one of the most historic Texan flags ever sold, flown proudly during the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

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Shipping

Shipments are sent via FedEx and DHL (for most overseas shipments) or FedEx Ground at the auctioneer's option. Due to complications from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we will ship with USPS Priority Mail only if the buyer submits their request to us in writing and accepts responsibility for delayed shipments. Signature is always required, unless other arrangements are made. Handling and shipping charges will be added to the invoice in one entry. Buyers should be aware that large, framed, fragile or odd shaped items can incur substantial shipping and packing charges. International shipments are invoiced by DIMENSIONAL weight, not the item weight. Please contact us for an estimate before bidding NOTE: Large, heavy or bulky items may not be shipped by the auctioneer - arrangements for shipping of these items via a third-party shipper may be arranged through the auction house. Customers who supply their own courier account number will still be charged a handling fee. Please allow 2-3 weeks for shipments after receipt of payment due to the high volume of packages being shipped.

May 22, 2021 10:00 AM EDT
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000