The textile manufacturer Frederick C. Fletcher commissioned this remarkable brooch from Black, Starr & Frost as a patriotic symbol in the midst of World War I. Black, Starr & Frost was one of the nation’s oldest jewelry houses, having descended from the firm of Frederick Marquand established in New York in 1823. While the name of the firm changed several times in the 19th century with changes in partnership, it remained one of the largest and most successful jewelry and silver retailers. It was one of the few American firms to display its work at the 1851 London Crystal Palace Exhibition. When its landmark store opened in 1860 at Broadway and Prince Streets, the remarkable edifice boasted fireproof construction, enormous plate glass windows, a steam driven elevator, and the first modern vault system in the country. Fletcher purchased the flag brooch with the intention of donating it to a charity auction, to raise money for the war effort. But, by the time the brooch was finished, the war was over; instead it became a treasured family heirloom.