(Mole and Thomas) photographers. A "LIVING PHOTOGRAPH" OF THE UNITED STATES FLAG BY ARTHUR MOLE AND JOHN THOMAS. Great Lakes, Illinois: The Great Lakes Recruit, 1917. Patriotic and very rare vintage matte-finish 10-1/4" x 13-1/4" "living photograph" of an American flag with pole by Arthur Mole for Mayhart Studio, with copyright caption below reading: "Great Lakes Recruit 1917, Navy Relief Society Distributors, Photo Mayhart Studio Chicago U.S.A." Taken in November 1917 at the Naval Training Station in Great Lakes, Illinois, this photo depicts a waving American flag composed of around 10,000 U.S. Navy sailors dressed in either white or navy blue uniforms. Matted and framed to an overall size of 14-7/16" x 18-9/16", with a lower plaque reading: "'A Living Flag,' A living flag covering seven acres composed of ten thousand Blue Jackets under command of Captain W. A. Moffett, at the world's greatest Naval Training Station. Great Lakes, Illinois, November, 1917." In fine condition, with light silvering to the darker areas of the image. The picture was made exclusively for the December, 1917 issue of the Great Lakes Recruit. Following are some of the ground dimensions of the flag: there were 250 men in the ball and the ball was 237 feet long; the pole (not including the ball) measured 550 feet in length and required 700 men; the flag itself measured 293 feet in length at the top, 73 feet in length at the bottom, 428 feet in width at the left end and 128 feet in width at the right end; 1600 men were required for the white stripes, 1900 men for the red stripes, 1800 men for the stars and approximately 3400 men for the blue field. All in all, a pretty amazing feat to have pulled this photograph off. No copies located on OCLC/WorldCat. RARE #000937