Abraham Lincoln Mourning Flag
Likely New York or Philadelphia, 1865 - Frame: 7 ⅛ x 9 ½ inches; sight: 5 ⅛ x 7 ⅝ inches
 
A rare printed paper mourning flag issued in the immediate aftermath of Lincoln’s assassination in April 1865, reflecting the profound national grief that followed the President’s death. The design features a 34-star canton above alternating red and black stripes, forming a stark and highly effective visual expression of mourning.
 
Such flags were produced for memorial observances and public displays of grief during the period of national commemoration, including the widely attended ceremonies that accompanied the passage of Lincoln’s funeral train from Washington to Springfield. As ephemeral objects, few examples have survived, heightening their significance as artifacts of collective remembrance.
 
Condition: Very fine, with minor loss at lower right.