Mike,

The stitching does not bother me. There are double hemmed CS flags out there, like those from the Augusta Depot along their exterior borders. Machine stitching was also used on parts of making flags if the maker had access to such a machine and the proper thread. Thread for sewing machines then was a problem and it was not until 1866 when the Clark 3/2 cable thread came into the market place that this was resolved. But you can see lots of ANV flags that have machine sewing on them, for example.

One way to get this flag authenticated is to have a proper textiles person look at the thread. One, for the type of thread that it is and, secondly, if the thread has a S-twist or Z-twist on it.

Greg Biggs