“Teach him to hold the flag holy and high, for the sake of its sacred dead.” The quote runs down the left side of this early 1900s chromolithograph like it was always meant to be read standing still. The figure — Columbia in white robes, American flag draped over her arm, sparkler wand in hand — lights the holiday into existence against a blaze of gold. One of the most serious and beautiful Fourth of July postcards ever printed. The Faded Label Co. put it on a garment-dyed heavyweight tee.
Printed on a Comfort Colors 1717 garment-dyed heavyweight tee — 6.1oz, relaxed unisex fit, soft vintage wash finish. DTG printed. Machine wash cold, tumble dry low. Available in multiple colors — sizes S through 3XL.
American holiday chromolithography reached its artistic peak in the early 1900s, when publishers commissioned illustrators to produce cards that were genuinely moving — not just decorative. This postcard belongs to that tradition. The gold lettering, the draped flag, the cascade of firecrackers at her feet, the shield border — every element was deliberate. The verse appeared on multiple patriotic pieces of the era and captures the holiday at its most serious.
The perfect gift for vintage Americana collectors, Fourth of July enthusiasts, lovers of early 20th century illustration and postcard art, and anyone who takes the holiday seriously enough to wear the history.
The Faded Label Co. — keeping the golden age of American art alive, one product at a time.
