$2,500
Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000
A Grand Old Flag: The Stars and Stripes Collection of Dr. Peter J. Keim
Auction: November 24, 2019 1:00:00 PM EDT
Hand-sewn, single appliqued cotton stars arranged in a 7,6,6,6,6,7 pattern on a two-part wool bunting canton, machine-sewn wool bunting stripes, canvas hoist with two brass grommets and three hand-sewn hemp ties, the hoist inscribed, "C. Vonnegut, Jr." on both sides, as well as a cotton tab label with embroidered "V," and "Now J.G. Mueller" on both sides.
6 ft. x 9 ft.Provenance: The Flag is accompanied by hand-written post card from Kurt Vonnegut.
Note: The names on the hoist belong to Clemens Vonnegut Jr. (1853-1921), of Indianapolis, Indiana, the great uncle of author Kurt Vonnegut (1922-2007), and John George Mueller (1860-1932), Clemens' brother-in-law. Kurt Vonnegut's grandfather, Bernard Vonnegut (1855-1908), Clemens Jr., and Mueller all married sisters from the prominent Indianapolis Schnull family. The Vonnegut and Mueller families were extremely close and summered near one another for decades on Lake Maxinkuckee, Culver, Indiana. The Schnull-Mueller-Vonnegut family photographs are in the Collection of the Indianapolis Historical Society.
In 2005, Peter Keim contacted Kurt Vonnegut to ask if he would like to have the Flag. Vonnegut followed with a phone call, and a post card, writing: "Clemens Vonnegut, An Indianapolis Hardware Merchant, Was My Great Grandfather, A 'Free-Thinker.' I Know Nothing About The Flag. I Have Said We Should Add Another Star To Old Glory, For Our State Of Denial, Anent Our Addiction to Petroleum. Cheers!"