United States. An Army 48 Star Glory-Gloss 55 Flag, by Dettra Flag Company, c.1945

Fabricated from 95% acetate (consisting of spun filaments of cellulose taken from wood pulp; classified as a chemical fiber textile or semi-synthetic, acetate is sometimes mixed with silk, wool or cotton to make it stronger) and 5% other fibers called "glory gloss", due to its ability to brighten when light is placed upon it. The flag is composed of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, all of which are individually stitched in place, representing the thirteen British colonies that declared independence from Great Britain and became the first states of the United States. The canton features a blue rectangle, referred to specifically as the "union", with forty-eight individually embroidered 32 mm wide five-pointed white stars, arranged in six horizontal rows of eight stars each. The blue canton along with the six lower red and white stripes carry across the hoist sleeve, with small reinforcing stabilizers stitched in place at the top and bottom of the hoist sleeve. There is an embroidered label bearing the Glory-Gloss insignia and is inscribed in red "GLORY-GLOSS / DETTRA FLAG PRODUCT / MADE IN U.S.A. 55" sewn in place on the top of the hoist sleeve on the reverse. The flag measures 1,470 mm (w) x 840 mm (h) not including its fringe that appears along the top, bottom and right side edges, the fringe composed of multiple long strands of cord held in place by a reinforcing strip stitched in place to the body of the flag. It exhibits light soiling on a few of the white bars, otherwise, near extremely fine.