The flag, which is the emblem of the second regiment in Spartanburg, came to public view only three years ago, and now belongs to the Spartanburg County Public Libraries. Before it is installed there, Ms. Whelan will remove dust and dirt, design a protective mount and commission a blue background that matches the flag’s three widths of silk, which are joined to create the banner.
Ms. Whelan, who works from her studio in Philadelphia, said that in every project, her aim was to preserve rather than restore — so her efforts must remain “invisible, reversible and anonymous.” When she worked on Washington’s battle standard, which was heavily damaged, she held her breath to prevent the silk from rippling with every exhalation.
It can be intimidating to engage with such fragility, she said, “but you’re doing good work, so you just have to keep going.”
For Ms. Whelan, what stands out about the Spartanburg flag is its rarity. Of the estimated 500 flags flown by American revolutionaries, this is one of only 30 that are believed to have survived, according to the Museum of the American Revolution. “It gives you hope,” Ms. Whelan said. “Maybe there’s another one out there, who knows? Don’t throw things out in your attic! All you hoarders out there, unite!”