The Mary Baker Eddy Peace Flag, Part I

by Megan Mary Creamer 

Museum Textile Services recently spent a pre-blizzard Monday morning in Boston alongside the Mary Baker Eddy Library staff de-installing the famous century-old Peace Flag. Since 1936, the flag has been hanging in its custom-built bronze and glass case made by the Gorham Company of Providence, RI, on the second floor mezzanine at the Mary Baker Eddy Library. Below the flag is a painted plaque reading, “This flag was made by 400 workers for World Peace and presented to Mary Baker Eddy as a tribute to her efforts in behalf of World Peace." It was given by Eddy to the Christian Science Board of Directors with the words “For the mother Church with love.” 

MTS Director Camille Myers Breeze points out the flag's weak points to Mary Baker Eddy Library staff. Photo by Museum Textile Services.

Walking through the deinstallation steps ahead of time reduces the likelihood of damaging the delicate silk flag. Photo by Museum Textile Services.

Camille and MBE Library curator Pamela Winstead had been discussing this project for several months, and each arrived with a team to get the flag out of the case and safely rolled for transport to MTS for conservation. With plenty of staff on hand to document and assist, Camille laid out the plan for safely removing the flag, accounting for all the variables and potential issues to look out for to get this large, delicate flag off of the wall. The custom case had done an excellent job over the years, but the gasket had failed, allowing dust to work its way in. The ten individual bows of red, white and blue silk tying the flag to a brass rod were now causing the flag to sag under its own weight. Other issues, such as possible breakdown of the silk, light damage, accretion of other substances, and structural issues would be fully assessed after the flag was removed.

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Camille Myers Breeze and MBE Library curator Pamela Winstead open the flag onto a prepared surface prior to rolling. Photo by Museum Textile Services.

Taking down the flag went off without a hitch as two Library staff slowly lowered the brass rod, allowing the flag to accordion itself on a muslin sling. Camille and Pamela then carried the sling over to where clean muslin was laid out onto the floor and gently unfurled the flag. It became immediately apparent that the flag has retained more of the vibrancy of the original dyes on the reverse, though it is unknown whether this occurred while in the case or in the roughly twenty years between its creation and subsequent installation at the library. 

Assessing the structural integrity of the flag, its surrounding silk, and the heavy silk fringe. Photo by Museum Textile Services.

Camille inspected the flag carefully and planned for the best way to pack and transport it. To keep the aged silk from shattering, and not introduce any more fold lines or other stress, the flag was rolled onto a padded archival tube with additional padding between the layers, making a soft and secure package for transport. Over the next two months, MTS staff will conserve this historic flag before returning it to its custom case. Be on the lookout for the next MTS Blog detailing conservation treatments, a new hanging system, and re-installation at the Mary Baker Eddy Library.

Megan Mary Creamer has a BFA in industrial design from Massachusetts College of Art, and is completing an ALM in museum studies at Harvard University Extension School.