Flag Questions and Answers (FQ & A)

Occasionally members and the public pose questions to NAVA about flags—their design, usage, history, identification, and protocol. Below is an ongoing compilation of significant or interesting questions and answers from NAVA experts. To pose a question, use our contact form. If needed, we will respond with a request for images.

Questions About the United States National Flag

Questions About Flag Etiquette and Protocol

Questions About Flag Identification and Their Histories

Miscellaneous Flag Questions

 

Identifying a WWII Japanese Flag Taken in the Philippines (3/31/21).

Q: We are having a hard time identifying a particular flag in our collection. The flag was recovered from an Imperial Japanese soldier during the campaign to retake the Philippines. More specifically, the flag was recovered in the province of Cagayan, in northern Luzon in 1945. The flag consists of a white field with a red eight-pointed star in the center. The star is enclosed by an open red circle. One point on the star (the point pointing straight up) has a small red diamond affixed to it perpendicular to the direction of the star point. Our records indicate the original donor believed it to be an Imperial Japanese Army unit flag. Any help in identifying this flag, or indicating any resources that may lead to its identification, will be greatly appreciated. — Regan Grau, Director of Collections and Exhibits at the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas.

A: According to a member of JAVA, the Japanese Vexillological Association (Kazutaka Nishiura), the flag is considered to be a “sign flag” granted by the Maritime Bureau. “Sign flag” means a flag indicating that the ship is registered with the Maritime Bureau. According to military decree, it is displayed as a “sign（標識）” indicating that it has been registered. Therefore, it translates into English as “sign flag (標識旗)”. Another translation would be “signal flag”.

The Imperial Japanese Army established a military administration in the occupied Philippines, Borneo, Malay, and Java. A Maritime Bureau was set up to coordinate shipping operations in the southern region. It was an external bureau of the Imperial Japanese Army’s military administration. Civilian vessels (ships that did not belong to the Army or Navy) registered their operator, tonnage, and specifications with the Maritime Bureau. The ship was given a registration number, a registration document, and a sign flag. By raising the sign flag, the registered vessels were able to operate freely outside the sea areas where the military was prohibited from entering.

The design of the sign flag was not mentioned in the official document, which makes conclusive identification of this flag difficult. But from “registration number No. 217 (登録番号第217号)” in the lower left corner it is likely that this is the sign flag granted by the Maritime Bureau. Moreover, the compass mark is also a symbol that matches the name of the Maritime Bureau. In addition, since it is a flag given by the military administration organization of the IJA, it does not contradict the museum record that it was taken from IJA soldiers.

NAVA experts (Stan Contrades & Jim Ferrigan) add:

A similar flag sold in November of 2013 at Echoes of Glory in Virginia Beach was identified by the auction house as an “Imperial Japanese Army Coastal Defense Flag” with attribution to the consignor. This clearly seems to be the inspiration for the modern Japanese Coast Guard. I am somewhat dubious of the “Army” attribution by the auction house.

The central emblem, without the circle, seems to match closely a Japanese Merchant Marine College emblem…and many Merchant Marine cap and rank insignia. However, that merely shows commonality with this flag.

The National WWII PT Boat Museum had the same question to FOTW in 2009: https://www.fotw.info/flags/ufe09.html (UFE09-4. “Japan Merchant Marine College-like Flag”). It was not successfully identified then.

We’ve now seen four examples of this flag, which confirms its broad use.

 

Exploring the use of circular star-patterns on Revolutionary War flags (02/25/21)

Q: I am aware that there is a great deal of controversy around the Betsy Ross story, however my question is about the flag design itself. The earliest depiction of a stars and stripes U.S. flag featuring a circular arrangement of stars is from William Barton’s great seal design 1782. With this being the case, I was wondering if flags with circular star arrangements were in use during the American Revolutionary War? — Elliot Weatherill

A: I think it’s safe to say that the short answer to your question is “probably not”.

Just about all Revolutionary War-era depictions show the stars in rows or irregular patterns. The circle pattern seems to have shown up much later, popularized by the 1893 Weisgerber painting of Betsy Ross. If you haven’t run across it yet, you might be interested in Dave Martucci’s page on 18th-century stars-and-stripes images, which has a catalog of known depictions with extensive commentary. (See: The 13 Stars and Stripes: A survey of 18th Century Images) As you’ll see, he includes the Barton seal design as well as a couple of images that are more-or-less circular, but they’re definitely a small minority and not really authoritative .— Peter Ansoff, NAVA President.

 

Using a city’s flag to create merchandise (1/24/21)

Q: Is it legal to use elements of a city’s flag to make and sell items such as stickers or clothing? The flag is the city of Madison, Wisconsin. At one point in my search I thought I read somewhere that the rights to the design were held by some national clearinghouse of some sort but I can’t find that information now. I just don’t want any trouble with me making up some stickers and maybe clothing. Any knowledge you could provide would be greatly appreciated. — Jerry Logemann

A: In my experience, this is very common. In rare cases a city will attempt to control the use of the flag, through copyright or other means, but most of the time the design is freely used by the people. And if it is a good design, it is more likely to be turned into merchandise. I don’t know of any restrictions associated with Madison’s flag, nor am I aware of any national clearinghouse (some places – such as NAVA publications – may own the copyright to artwork for certain city flags, but you can get Madison’s artwork from the city’s website). Note the design was recently updated, so make sure you use the current version! I expect that in the unlikely case the city wanted to control the image’s use, there would be some messaging on its website. Also, the Madison City Code is silent. I also note that clothing, stickers, etc. using that flag are already available online. I think the coast is clear! — Ted Kaye

 

Identifying a double-feather flag from WWII (12/21/20)

Q: We have what I believe to be a WWII-era “Double Victory” flag in our collection. I am trying to verify that by identifying the maker’s mark which has been stamped on the flag. However, I am having some trouble doing that as the mark is quite blurry from absorbing into the fabric. Could you possibly point me to any resources that might help me identify the mark? If it is indeed from the Double Victory campaign, it’s likely that the flag was made in the Pittsburgh area as the Double Victory campaign was started by the Pittsburgh Courier in February 1942. You’ll also see the mark in the bottom right corner of the full flag image. The flag is double-sided and you’ll notice that it has some paint damage (it appears to have been used as a drop cloth at some point in its life). We purchased the flag at auction so we don’t have much information on it. — Patri O’Gan, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of African American History and Culture.

A: That item you call a “maker’s mark” looks to me to be a “union bug”, a marking to denote that the flag was printed in a unionized shop. If so, it represents the union, not the manufacturer. My guess is that they were far too common for you to be able to decipher the one on your flag. Beyond that, you appear to be asking if we can help verify whether that flag is associated with the “Double Victory” campaign (winning the war AND winning civil rights). It looks to me instead like a bond-drive or other fundraising flag. I will consult our experts. — Ted Kaye

A: Your banner is not related to the “Double Victory” effort; rather, it is for the National War Fund. The eagle on it was designed by Charles Coiner and adopted in 1941 for the National War Fund. The idea behind the Fund was that with so many different organizations asking for money, one umbrella organization could collect single donations and spread them out among the different needs. As the war progressed, it was known variously as the United War Fund, the War Chest, the United Fund, and the Community Fund in different parts of the country. It followed the existing model of the Community Chest (now United Way). An example of the National War Flag (above) was made by Annin & Co. (the eagle looks black but is actually a very dark blue).

The feathers are a rendition of quills, used for writing with a pot of ink back “in the old days”. The imagery was utilized extensively during World War II symbolically to link the people in that era with their Revolutionary War ancestors. The thought process went something like “They had the courage to sign the Declaration of Independence for our country so you should have no problem signing up and pledging to support the country now.” Most bond drives and other fund-raising drives involved making a pledge by signing one’s name and later making the payment (or having it deducted from one’s pay at work). It makes sense for a drive to “give double” to have two quills.

The October 18, 1942 Pittsburgh Press full-page ad you also sent provides the answer. The campaign for the United War Fund in Pittsburgh asked people to double what they previously donated. It didn’t have anything to do with the “Double Victory” campaign. There were many local campaigns in different cities and states and we don’t have a good handle on the symbols used in all of them. Above is a “cut sheet” for the NWF from early 1944 that could be bought and used in campaigns. Notice the “union bug” at the lower left side of the page. Thanks for sharing this. I have never seen it before and it is a welcome addition to our knowledge of the symbols of this period. — David B. Martucci

Thank you so much for these incredibly informative responses! This is fascinating history—thank you for sharing. I will be sure to pass this along to my colleagues as well. Thanks to you and everyone at your organization for helping us to determine the true history of this banner. It was a real pleasure working with you all. — Patri O’Gan, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of African American History and Culture.

 

Displaying national, tribal, and state flags appropriately (12/19/20)

Q: I have a protocol question. The Montana state house just constructed a flag display. It appears all ten flag poles are of the same height and are in a semi-circle. The U.S. and Montana state flags are in the center, flanked by four tribal flags. Wouldn’t it be correct to have the U.S. flag to the observer’s left facing the capital building, then the 8 tribal flags, and to the far right the Montana state flag? Wouldn’t the tribal flags supersede the Montana flag since the tribal flags represent Native American nations? — James Croft

A: This query, about the protocol status of Native American tribal flags, is coming up more and more and this response is probably far more than you needed.

There are currently 574 federally recognized tribal entities, currently styled as “domestic dependent nations” with another 11 in the process of seeking recognition. Recognition by the U.S. acknowledges that dependent Native American tribes have limited “rights of sovereignty” but are not in and of themselves sovereign nations. These limited rights allow them self-government and self-determination. These tribes possess the right to establish the legal requirements for membership. They may form their own government, enforce laws (both civil and criminal), tax, license, and regulate activities, zone, and exclude people from tribal territories. Limitations on tribal powers of self-government include the same limitations applicable to states; for example, neither tribes nor states have the power to make war, engage in foreign relations, or coin money. Many, but not all, of these tribes are vexilliferous.

As the popularity of Indian gaming rose in the 1980s and was codified in the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988, Indian casinos became more prevalent and there was a modest surge in the adoption of tribal flags. (At Paramount we called then “cop-car-door” flags, as most placed the tribal seal on a plain field.) However, their use was mostly confined to the casinos or the administrative buildings of the tribes (or their central meeting rooms). The flags were rarely officially encountered off of tribal property.

This has begun to change. On 18 January of 2003 the first major Lewis & Clark Bicentennial event took place at Monticello, in Charlottesville, Virginia. Eventually, as a part of the subsequent “signature events” and the National Park Service’s “Corps of Discovery II” traveling museum/roadshow, flag displays represented all 17 states which the Corps of Discovery traversed, and many of the 56 tribes they encountered along the way, at times including the appropriate eastern tribes’ flags as well. The question of protocol came up: “Where do the tribal flags go? And in what order?” Since the Flag Code is silent on the subject, organizers decided that the states would go after the U.S. and other federal flags (e.g., military), either by date of ratification of the U.S. Constitution or alphabetically in English. This was because the states are the internal political subdivisions that create the “Union” represented by the U.S. flag. Dealing with the tribes presented another challenge. Are they sovereign nations? The answer was no, they are dependents of the U.S. and not internal political subdivisions.

However silent the Flag Code, other U.S. federal level actions have shed some light on the status of tribal leaders and the tribes they represent. On 29 April 1994 President Clinton invited the leaders of 566 tribes to the White House to discuss economic development, tribal sovereignty, health care, education, and government-to-government relationships. This was the first such meeting since 1822, and it changed and upgraded the way the federal government dealt with tribes. Leaders from 322 tribes attended and during the meeting Clinton pledged to uphold the government’s trust obligations to all tribes, outlining three guiding principles for federal-tribal relationships: 1. To respect tribal values, religions, identity, and sovereignty, 2. To provide full government-to-government partnerships between the federal government and the tribes, and 3. A commitment that the federal government would “improve the living conditions of those whom we serve”. Since that time tribal leaders have been considered as co-equal with state governors.

The question became how were the tribal flags to be placed? Do they go in order of creation? In order of federal recognition? The only practical answer was to arrange them alphabetically, in English. This was the protocol followed throughout the events of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial, the first modern, nationwide intermingling of U.S., state, and tribal flags. Among the other official tribal flag displays are those in Oklahoma’s Indian Flags Plaza in Tulsa, which displays 35 of Oklahoma’s 36 federally recognized tribes, and now Montana’s flag plaza, which displays eight flags. In both cases they seem to display them alphabetically in English as well.

Your query about the placement of the flags on co-equal poles is interesting, and the answer in Montana’s case is that the preferred protocol would be the U.S. on its own right, and not in the center, as the press photographs indicate. The notion that a tribal flag would be flown superior to a state is highly unlikely, especially within that state. Some tribes assert that they are “sovereign” nations and act accordingly, mostly in sporting events, but this protocol is not universally accepted. — Jim Ferrigan, former retail sales manager, Paramount Flag Company.

 

Deciphering a tag on a 48-star U.S. flag (12/13/20)

Q: I have a 48-star American flag with a tag stapled on it. The tag reads “VS/VS ROSE”. I was wondering what that means. — Mark Palladini

A: The flag looks like a 1940s cotton, printed, sheeting kit flag. The small paper item attached to the lower fly looks like a dry-cleaner tag. — Jim Ferrigan

 

Investigating a 2nd Texas Infantry Guidon (11/18/20)

Q: I recently acquired a seemingly authentic flag from Texas 2nd Infantry, but cannot find anything like it online or through reverse-image searching. — Caleb Montag

A: It is highly unlikely that this flag derives from the 2nd Texas Infantry from the period of the American Civil War for several reasons. The style does not comply with any known Texas regimental flag. It appears very small; genuine regimentals were much larger. The stress seems caused intentionally instead of natural wear and tear. The stitching is very primitive, almost too primitive as early war flags were almost all made by women very skilled with a needle. The stenciling is common to replicas (such as those recreated by veterans for patriotic and nostalgic purposes). — Jim Ferrigan

 

Displaying and honoring historical U.S. flags (10/14/20).

Q: I understand that historical U.S. flags (such as Betsy Ross, Star-Spangled Banner, etc.) are still considered legal and may be flown/displayed as such. Is this found in U.S. Flag Code, or somewhere else? I couldn’t find it there. — Capt. Justin A. Buda, USAF

A: You are correct, that concept is not in the Flag Code but it exists as a deeply held long-term custom. Every historical U.S. flag retains the same symbolic value as a current 50-star flag and is entitled to the same respectful treatment. There are many customs and standards in flag usage that are not found in the code but, due to their well-established use over time, are considered proper and sufficiently widespread in acceptance that they are considered standard. Some examples of these are the widespread use of an eagle as the ornament on an indoor mounted set or on a parade flag and the use of gold fringe as a decorative enhancement without meaning on parade or indoor flags. Neither tradition is mentioned in the flag code. I have searched the Army, Navy, and Air Force flag manuals and find no reference to any written regulation that explicitly states earlier U.S. flags are entitled to the same protection as the 50-star flag. See further explanation below. — Al Cavalari, retail flag merchant (the Flag Guy®)

A: This question came up often while I was at the Flag Store in San Francisco (1978–1989) from both the U.S. Army at the Presidio and the U.S. Navy at Treasure Island. Basically, it was “Do historical U.S. flags bearing less than the current complement of stars rate a salute from uniformed service personnel?”. I could find nothing in the U.S. Flag code, nor the Army (and by extension the USAF) or Navy regulations. I did find numerous instances in practice.

In the U.S. Navy it was custom, by tradition initially and later by codification, to salute flags in small boats. In the beginning these bore 13 stars. From the first quarter of the 19th century they started to acquire the full complement of stars, but not always. After the creation of the U.S. Navy’s bureau system standardization occurred and in the 1850s these flags used only 13 stars in a variety of star patterns, most common were the 4-5-4 or the 3-2-3-2-3. This practice continued until 1916. Incidentally, after 1900 U.S. submarines were classified as “boats” and flew these as 13-star ensigns with all honors thereunto appertaining.

In the U.S. Army, there was initially little standardization of the national flags. Eventually there were circulars detailing the star patterns, but these were all before the American Civil War. During that conflict, the U.S. Army adopted a Stars & Stripes guidon for U.S. mounted troops, made with both 34 and 35 stars. After the war, there were sufficient stocks of these for them to be issued until the 1880s. These too, were accorded all salutes and honors, despite not bearing the full complement of stars.

In 1848 Congress created the U.S. Yacht Ensign for registered American yachts. Still popular, it bears a single ring of 13 stars encircling a fouled anchor. It was intended for civilian use only by properly papered domestic pleasure craft, however, its use rapidly spread to all civilian pleasure craft. Initially this flag was ignored by the U.S. Navy. The use of this flag was ubiquitous and questions constantly arose as to its status as it was not a national flag, but rather a flag of national character.

In 1939 the Judge Advocate General of the US Navy, Rear Admiral Walter B. Woodson, issued the following: “The Judge Advocate General is of the opinion that a ship of the Navy should return a dip made by a yacht flying the yacht ensign and that the yacht ensign may be properly made the object of a hand salute to be rendered on boarding or leaving a yacht.” * This was accepted as precedent enough by the protocol offices at both the Presidio of San Francisco and at Treasure Island.

By deductive logic then, any flag used as a national flag, regardless of the number of stars, remains a flag of national character and warrants a salute by those in uniform. — Jim Ferrigan, former retail sales manager, Paramount Flag Company

* Siegel, Jay M., Capt., Origins of the Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps, A History of Legal Administration in the United States Navy, 1775 to 1967. Washington, DC. U.S. Navy, Judge Advocate General’s Corps, U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 912, 1997. Page 345.

 

Identifying an Islamic-themed flag outside Walter Reed (10/12/20)

Q: I have been watching the news about President Trump’s visit to the hospital. Among the flags being carried outside of the hospital was a light blue flag showing the Muslim crescent and star prominently in the middle. I own a copy of The World Encyclopedia of Flags published by Anness Publishing Limited in 2004 but the flag is not pictured there. Can you identify the flag for me? — William Schinkel

A: That is the former flag of East Turkestan, home of the Uyghurs, a Turkish-speaking Muslim group in northwestern China. It’s a variant of the Turkish flag; the star and the crescent moon represent Islam and the blue represents the sky. The flag is currently used as a symbol of the East Turkestan independence movement and Uyghur activists fly it in protests involving China’s reeducation camp system in Xinjiang. The flag’s use outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center when President Trump was a patient likely signified support for the Uyghurs against China. In fact, the “East Turkistan National Awakening Movement” took credit for the flags, wishing Trump a speedy recovery and asking him to take stronger action against China for their treatment of the Uighurs. — Ted Kaye

 

Determining the color of semaphore flags used at Pearl Harbor in 1941. (10/9/20)

Q: My grandfather was a signalman on the USS Solace during the attack at Pearl Harbor. I want to know what color the semaphore flags were at the time. I believe they were red and white, but they have since changed to red and yellow. — Craig Lammes

A: In December 1941 U.S. Navy semaphore flags were red and yellow or blue and white, according to the Bluejackets’ Manual, 1940, page 103. At the time the U.S. Army used diagonally-divided red and white semaphore flags. Today semaphore flags depend on if the signals are sent by sea or by land. At sea, the flags are colored red and yellow (the Oscar flag), while on land, they are white and blue (the Papa flag). — Dale Grimes, collector of WWII-era naval flags and Pete Loeser, historian

 

Returning a WW2 Japanese flag (9/9/20)

Q: This flag (probably silk) was given to my father-in-law, who served in WW2, in Yokosuka, Japan. A young boy gave it to him as he was walking through a neighborhood in August 1945. Do you have any thoughts about it? We were thinking about giving it to our favorite sushi restaurant. — Shirin Forsyth

A: This appears to be a Yosegaki Hinomaru (good-luck flag) carried by a Japanese soldier. The flag may be of great sentimental value to his family, and thus have a higher use than display in a restaurant. You might consider sending the flag to the Obon Society: https://obonsociety.org/eng/, a U.S. organization with a successful track record identifying and returning these flags to those families in Japan. — Ted Kaye

 

Determining the history of a U.S. Flag with clues on the header (8/25/20)

Q: I have a flag in my possession. It’s an American flag with writing, stamps, etc. on it. I’m unsure of what the meaning is and if the flag is of importance. — Mary Kate Walsh, Liverpool, England

A: We see on the heading “GOLDEN HINDE” and “PRESENTED TO THE GOLDEN HINDE AT PANAMA” and an apparent circular postmark/stamp “Golden Hind 7 Dec 197—”.

We theorize that the flag was presented to the replica ship Golden Hinde II during her maiden voyage by a U.S. military or Canal Zone official when passing through the Panama Canal on December 7, 1974. See this video of the event. The ship is currently moored in London as a tourist attraction.

The flag is 3’6″ x 6’7-3/4″, which is a standard government size, and in official proportions (10:19). It appears to be in pristine condition. The fabric looks like the lighter-weight nylon commonly used for government-issued flags in the 1970s. There may be some nominal collector value to the flag; although quite possibly the current staff of the ship might be interested in having it back! — Jim Ferrigan and Ted Kaye

 

Demystifying a U.S. flag with 48 stars and 15 stripes (7/11/20)

Q: I have a 48-star, 15-stripe flag that appears to be authentic and in good condition. Printed on it is “3 X 5 FT / DETTRA’S FLAG PRODUCTS / STANTEST BUNTING FLAG”. My neighbors found it in a shed rolled up and fastened to an old section of cane pole. They believe it had been there for decades, and had belonged to a veteran that fought in WWI. I’m trying to find information about this flag, its age, etc. Is it possible that the flag manufacturer made it with extra stripes for a special occasion, event, or timeframe? — Bob Boyd

A: It is a manufacturing variant. I have a good theory on how this occurred, based on my experience at Paramount Flag. Operators of sewing machines at a flag company are generally arranged by both the task and its sequence in the manufacturing process. While I’ve never seen this variant, I have seen 15-star cantons on 13-stripe fields, 50-star cantons on Bennington style stripes, and inverted starfields. These often occur when an incorrect canton is inadvertently attached to the short stripes before being joined to the long ones. This generally happens if a canton strays from one pile of the works in progress into another “production line”. Most of these are caught along the way, and the “error” can be corrected. Sometimes, they make it through production to inspection and labeling and they generally get pulled there. Rarely, such a flag makes it all the way to packaging and inventory. This is likely such a product variant. — Jim Ferrigan (former retail sales manager of Paramount Flag Co. in San Francisco and currently the curator of the Zaricor Flag Collection)

 

Typical U.S. Naval Jack used during World War II.

Identifying U.S. Jack Flags from WWII (7/9/20)

Q: I’ve recently purchased a flag on eBay and would like to learn more about it. Do you know of a good source that discusses the manufacturers, production, and modification/evolution of U.S. Jack Flags during WWII? Most of the info I’m finding on the internet is from people trying to sell a product and does not have the information I’m looking for. — Chris Carey

A: Unfortunately there is no source like you are seeking. Before 1946, flags for the Navy were either made at one of the Navy Bases or under a contract that required no manufacturer identification. During the war, flags were made for the Navy at maximum production so even the Navy Yards did not mark every flag. About the only identification factors to look for if there is no marking might be the grommets. Although many flags lacked the markings, some grommets bore a stamp that consisted of an anchor and usually two digits indicating the year, for example “43”. Often, however, there is only a single digit, usually “2”, that indicates the size of the grommet. In 1942 brass was scarce so many Navy flags made that year had steel grommets. Some of us are trained to be able to determine to some degree the manufacturer by observing the type of stitching and thread used. But it’s much better if there’s a marking of some kind. — David B. Martucci, Professional Flag Assessment and Appraisal Services.

 

Operation Enduring Freedom American Flag Art

Asking if military ribbon flags are OK to make (7/6/20)

Q: I am hoping you can help me out. I am a flag builder in Minnesota, and I construct each flag out of wood. Some of my flags are traditional, and some of them are Blue Line flags and Military Ribbon Flags. Recently, someone challenged my work as defacing the American Flag. I take this very seriously, as I am a veteran and I want to be known for quality craftsmanship, and for honoring our American Flag. — Kevin Heilman

A: The issue you raise doesn’t have an airtight answer, but here are some thoughts. First of all, the relevant reference in the U.S. Flag Code is Section 8(g), which says: “The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture or drawing of any nature.” The Flag Code is the law in the sense that it was adopted by Congress and signed by the President, but it is (in its own words) a “codification of existing rules and customs pertaining to the display and use of the flag of the United States of America…” It’s intended only as guidance and is not enforceable by law. However, I think your question is about whether your creations are “appropriate”. One argument might be that they are not actually flags, but graphic depictions of flags. The Flag Code does mention flag images in a couple of places (for example, it says that they should not be shown on disposable items like napkins), but for the most part it’s focused on display and use of actual cloth flags, not representations like yours. The point is that a picture or sculpture of a flag is not the same thing as an actual flag, and (arguably) Section 8(g) does not apply to it.

Another consideration is that customs change over time. The “blue line” flag in particular seems to have become accepted by a significant segment of the population, and is not generally thought of as being disrespectful. This is true of other aspects of the Flag Code. For example, the Code says that the flag should never be displayed flat or horizontally, but that’s frequently done nowadays at sporting events and in parades. The bottom line is that your creations are certainly legal. Whether they’re appropriate or not is really a matter of individual opinion. — Peter Ansoff, President, NAVA

 

Flying the Pan-African Flag (7/1/20)

Q: I joined NAVA on U.S. Flag Day this year. From that, I received the June issue of the Vexillum with Beatrice Jones’ piece on the Pan African flag. I did obtain that flag among my collection but am a bit hesitant to fly it because I’m not black, what with all the recent talk about cultural appropriation.

It would be nice to know if it would be appropriate to also display the red/black/green banner on my house pole probably on Aug 31 and perhaps on Juneteenth. Can you please solicit from applicable members if there would be any issues with doing so? Thanks. — Dennis Fazio, Minnesota NAVA member

A: As you know, this flag has no official status, since the Universal Negro Improvement Association is no longer active. Hence, there is no official etiquette around the flag, except the rules that apply to flying other flags alongside the U.S. flag. So you are free to fly it as you choose.

That said, I do understand your concerns about a person who is not black flying the flag (I am not black, either). It is really a judgment call—if you believe that your neighbors are likely to react poorly, then it may be wisest to refrain from displaying it outdoors. However, I will say that generally most of the negative reaction to occasions of so-called “cultural appropriation” occurs online rather than in interpersonal interactions. Unless you have a high profile Twitter account, you’re not likely to attract notice beyond your street. And furthermore, most people appreciate rather than denigrate a person from outside their group who shows an interest in the symbols, ideas, and cultural products that are important to them. For example, I have delivered more than one paper on African American flags at NAVA meetings, and the few African Americans in attendance were very happy to have their group’s history discussed.

In these days of social media, our attention is directed to the most plangent voices, which distorts our understanding of how most people perceive the world. I would venture that it is likely your black neighbors would be glad to know you are aware of the UNIA flag and have an interest in African American history, rather than any other reaction. But you know your community best. — Steve Knowlton, First Vice President—NAVA and Librarian for African American Studies at Princeton University.

 

Finding information and a source for military streamers (6/17/20)

Q: I’m building a retirement gift that includes the division’s colors and associated streamers. Is there a download for these streamers anywhere? — Ed Harm

A: Making some assumptions based on the content of your question, I offer the following:

  1. Since the question involves divisional colors, the presumption is you’re asking about U.S. Army streamers (could be USMC)? If so, you may find the following website useful for the campaigns covered by Army streamers: https://history.army.mil/html/reference/campaigns.html
  2. As not all streamers may be for campaign service, some are awards, I’ve attached Army Regulation 840-10 (Flags, Guidons, Streamers, Tabards, and Automobile and Aircraft Plates), please refer to Chapter 9 (it covers all streamers authorized by the Army).
  3. If you are wondering what streamers have been awarded to Army units at various levels and time periods, the archived lists of streamer awards on the following webpage may prove useful: https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Unit%20Award%20Info

We hope this helps you with your retirement gift preparations. — Stan Contrades, Col, USAF (ret)

 

Naming the oldest physical flag in the world (6/16/20)

Q: I’ve been wondering recently what the oldest flag in the world is. I don’t mean the oldest design but rather the oldest physical flag that is still intact today, who used it and where it is located. — Charlie Knox

A: There are several claimants to “oldest extant flag”, one a reputed 3rd-century A.D. Roman standard in the Pushkin Museum in Moscow; another a metal Iron Age proto-vexilloid in the National Museum of Iran. Other sources cite the Pennon of the Conquest of Valencia, 1238. — Jim Ferrigan.

 

photo by Joon Leffmann

Dressing a ship (6/15/20).

Q: I am a former commodore of my yacht club. The former and current commodores are getting together this Sunday for a ceremony at the yacht club to “send-off” a colleague and former commodore who has passed away. Because of COVID distancing restrictions, we cannot all stand together on the dock, so some of us will be adjacent to the dock on my sailboat. Is it appropriate to “dress ship” for this ceremony? — Ned Brooks

A: To my knowledge, there are no hard-and-fast rules about when to dress ship. The general sense, however, seems to be that one does it to celebrate holidays, birthdays, and other such upbeat occasions. The U.S. Power Squadron Operations Manual says “Dressing ship is a custom long used to add a festive air to a vessel or fleet”. For a memorial, I think one could go either way—it depends on the tone that you want to set for the event. In case you need it, the USPS Ops Manual recommends a standard sequence for dressing ship, using the flags from the standard ICS flag bag. — Peter Ansoff

 

Pursuing flag studies (6/10/20)

Q: I am interested in learning about flags. Is this a self-taught, self-researched endeavor? Are there particular courses I could take somewhere? — Lynn R.

A: We know of no formal course programs in vexillology, although occasionally academic classes do deal with flags. Most of our members are self-taught. While some have advanced academic training in political science, sociology, or history, and a few have trained in heraldry, nearly all have developed their expertise informally. Of course, it helps to study general history, geography, political science, and design.

We list important books here: https://nava.org/bibliography-for-building-a-flag-library/. Hundreds more have been published. Our publications, and those of other flag-studies groups, constitute a tremendous resource. Nearly all are available here: https://nava.org/publications/. We also track flag-related academic publications: https://nava.org/flag-related-publications/, and our entire website, and those of our sister organizations, can provide a wealth of information. Check out our “Flag Resources” page.

Thank you for your interest, and we encourage you to join NAVA! — Ted Kaye, NAVA Secretary

 

Considering an African-American U.S. Flag variant (6/9/20).

Q: I work at a small independent boarding high school in Claremont, California. We have a tradition of hanging flags in our dining hall that represent the countries of our students and their diversity. Our students have submitted proposals to also hang the LGBTQ and Transgender flags as well. These proposals have been approved and the flags hang proudly with the others. Recently, we’ve been asked to consider hanging the Black American flag, which is the U.S. flag in the colors of the Pan African flag, red, green, and black. We would love to consider this approval, but are not sure of the integrity of this flag, as we have only read about its history as a piece of art developed by David Hammons. Can you assist with some guidance on this particular flag? — Sarah Lantz

A: This is an excellent question without a clear answer, as there isn’t a flag that the black community has chosen to represent itself that is analogous to how the LGBTQ and Transgender flags have been adopted by those respective communities to represent their identities and rights. See: African-American flags (U.S.) for the broad range of such flags.

New York City artist David Hammons’s “African-American Flag” of 1990 is certainly a striking design and a powerful artistic statement. Its meanings are rather complex and rooted in the political situation in New York City upon the inauguration of its first black mayor, David Dinkins. (It still has a somewhat New York City-centric connotation, and outside of museums is most commonly seen in Harlem.) In addition to referring to the U.S. national flag, Hammons refers back to an earlier flag, also rooted in a particular historical moment, the red-black-green tricolor created in 1920 by Marcus Garvey to represent his black nationalist, pan-African political movement. This tricolor flag goes by a number of names: Pan-African, Marcus Garvey, UNIA, Afro-American, and Black Liberation.

Part of the impact of Hammons’ design comes from it being a commentary on or response to the U.S. national flag, suggesting that African Americans live in an alternate version of America, and alternate reality that ought to be called out and made visible. In this way, the Hammons flag is different from all others (LGBTQ, Trans, and Black Liberation) in representing the United States in particular, rather than a broader international identity. Playing with the colors of the U.S. national flag makes the Hammons’ design “edgier” in a way that conservative adherents to the U.S. Flag Code could see as disrespecting the American flag, which can be interpreted as prohibiting modification or repurposing, or using the flag to promote or “advertise”. (Note that the Flag Code, though Federal law, is most properly understood as a guide to flag etiquette, as the Supreme Court has ruled that its provisions do not supersede First Amendment rights and so are unenforceable.)

I hope this gives some useful background to take into consideration in choosing a flag to show respect and inclusion for black students at your school. I think an argument could certainly be made to use either Hammons’ flag or Garvey’s, despite—of perhaps because of–the particular political and historical meanings they carry. My own advice would be to also consider using the Black Lives Matter flag—a design clearly relevant to the important cultural moment America is experiencing, and one that carries both a broad, universal message—about no longer devaluing black lives—and very specific meanings related to racism and police violence.

Race is such a complicated and emotional topic in America, so it’s not surprising that there isn’t a straightforward way to represent black Americans with flags. But please don’t let this deter you from choosing a flag that works for your circumstances and desire to make a public statement supporting your black students. — Scott Mainwaring

 

Identifying a flag with many national flags on it, flown at Rockefeller Center in the 1990s. (6/2/20)

Q: I was hoping that I could be pointed in the right direction. I was cleaning out my dad’s house and came across a 10 x 15 ft. flag. It hung at Rockefeller Center in the early 1990s and has several countries’ flags together on this one flag—it’s beautiful. The central circle is 8 ft. in diameter. I know to the right person it would be a treasure. If you can provide me with someone who would know the value or would be interested in having it, I would be grateful. — Ann-Marie Bontempo

A: You have the flag of the Organization of American States. Here is an image from the OAS website. The flag especially interested me as I used it in the flag design guidebook Good Flag, Bad Flag as a negative example of challenging symbolism—it depicts the flags of all the member countries and must be changed each time one joins, drops out, or changes its flag. You might be interested in a photo of member flags displayed at the OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, which I took after our flag congress there in 2011—it appeared on the cover of our publication NAVA News. If you are trying to sell the flag, you’d probably do best to offer it on eBay (and if you do, we could alert our members). — Ted Kaye

 

Explaining the ribbons on U.S. military flagstaffs seen on Memorial Day (5/25/20).

Q: What do you call the strips of fabric hanging at the top of some flags during outdoor ceremonies such as today’s Memorial Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery? The U.S. flag didn’t have them, but the other flags did—maybe to keep them from flying in the breeze during ceremony? — Tom Riordan

A: You describe the campaign streamers attached to the staffs of the flags of the services of the U.S. armed forces. They commemorate significant campaigns, battles, or actions in which the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard participated.

Campaign streamers (also called battle streamers) are 3 or 4 feet long (depending on the branch of service) and 2 3/4″ wide and their color scheme often matches the corresponding medal or service ribbon. The Army began using campaign streamers in 1920, then the Marine Corps (1939), the Air Force (1956), the Coast Guard (1968), and the Navy (1971). A staff might hold up to 190 streamers. — Ted Kaye

 

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Wondering about public flag display when international relations sour (5/22/20).

Q: I was asked a question from my director (a NAVA member) about the airport international flag display. Is there any protocol about when to remove a flag if relations sour? Or what about times of war? Or if diplomats are expelled and an embassy in DC is closed?

I cannot find anything in the flag code or anywhere else that says anything about this. Would this be an issue that requires a presidential order before we change the display or is there some protocol I’m not finding that addresses this question. Thank you for your time and assistance. — James Carlin, Protocol & International Affairs Representative, Miami-Dade Aviation Department

A: There’s no single protocol regarding the topic of “Soured Relations”. Traditionally the selection of flags for inclusion of a flag to display is determined by context or use. History, as in a snapshot in time, or to reflect a current situation can also play a role. In the absence of a written protocol or Standard Operating Procedure that determination is generally reserved for the prevailing executive authority, be it an individual or a board. In time of declared war, diplomats are generally expelled and exchanged and the flags of the hostile nation are no longer displayed, but this is practice rather than law. You are correct in that the U.S. Flag Code is, sadly, silent on this subject. — James J. Ferrigan III, NAVA Protocol Officer

A: In Canada we do not have a flag code. One of our buildings does have a complete international flag display. The only time it is changed is if a country flag changes, country name changes or a new country is added. We recently did have an embassy leave due to a diplomatic issue, but their flag was not removed (the ambassador has since returned). I would imagine our Prime Minister or the Minister of Global Affairs would have to make a formal request to have a flag removed. I have never seen this happen. The only country I can think of that we do not currently have diplomatic relations with is North Korea, and its flag remains on display with the rest of the international flags. — Carmen Barcena, Head, Ceremonial and Protocol Services – ECM, Real Property Branch, Public Services and Procurement Canada/Government of Canada

 

Identifying a flag on silk with messages in several Asian languages (4/25/20).

Q: I have a flag with 48 stars made out of silk with 7 different languages on it. It is numbered 106356. Not sure if this has any value. I purchased my home about 25 years ago and found this flag with a few other trinkets in the house. I know the gentleman who owned the house was in WW2. How can I find out about this flag? Thank you. — Rose Puccio

A: You have a World War 2-era “blood chit” from the Pacific Theater. Per Wikipedia, a blood chit is “a notice carried by military personnel and addressed to any civilians who may come across an armed-services member—such as a shot-down pilot—in difficulties. As well as identifying the force to which the bearer belongs as friendly, the notice displays a message requesting that the service member be rendered every assistance, and offers a reward.” They are still used today. The book Cloth Maps, Charts, and Blood Chits of World War II, by John G. Doll covers them extensively. Also see Last Hope: The Blood Chit Story, by Thomas Wm. McGarry and R. E. Baldwin.

Yours probably was carried by an airman flying in Asia, perhaps ferrying aircraft to China. It is printed on silk with a U.S. flag image and carries the message in seven languages: “I am an American aviator. My plane has been destroyed. I do not speak your language. I am an enemy of the Japanese. Please protect and treat me and take me to the nearest Allied military office. The government of my country will pay you.” (The languages are French, Annamese (Vietnamese), Thai, Lao, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.) The U.S. flag is the 48-star version, current 1912–1959. Perhaps the previous owner of your house carried the blood chit during his wartime service. It looks to be in very good condition.

Such blood chits are available on eBay—just search on “Blood Chit”. Values appear to range from $30 to $300. Thank you for sharing it with us. — Ted Kaye

 

The flag in question is at the upper right

Identifying a replica historic flag—possibly of Washington’s Headquarters (4/4/20).

Q: There is a flag in a display at my work where 6 flags are depicted. The flags include the Bennington flag, the Presidential flag, the Commodore Perry flag, the Betsy Ross flag, the 50-star U.S. flag, and what looks to be Washington’s flag. However, Washington’s flag is missing the center star and I don’t know why. Would there be a historical reason why the center star is missing? — Dusty Statler

A: The top flag on the right does indeed look like Washington Headquarters flag with the middle star missing. The stars are also much “fatter” than the ones on the actual artifact. I’ve never heard of a version with fewer stars, and it’s hard to imagine why anybody would make one. The original is at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia (in fact, the museum uses the star design as their logo), and it definitely has 13.

Also, the flag in the middle of the bottom row is curious. It’s not the presidential flag, which is blue rather than white. It looks like the Seal of the United States on a white background, which is not used as a flag as far as I know. The vice-president’s flag is white, but it has the U.S. arms instead of the seal. The modern version of the VP’s flag also has 4 stars, one in each corner. There was an earlier version that did not have the stars, but it still had the arms rather than the seal. — Peter Ansoff

 

Identifying a flag in an image of George Washington and the Count of Rochambeau accepting British surrender in 1781 (2/28/20).

Q: I am working on an exhibit about the Count Rochambeau in America. I have a 1781 French print of him and George Washington. The white flag behind Washington is the French flag but the other one, red in alternate corners and blue in alternate corners divided by white bands, is not known to me. It appears to be like the present flag of the Dominican Republic (sans the coat). Can you help me? — William Coles

A: The flag you seek to identify appears to be the standard of the (13th) Bourbonnais Regiment, one of four which landed with Rochambeau in July 1780. In 1781 the regiment took part in the siege of Yorktown. Its colonel was the Marquis de Laval de Montmorenci with the Viscount of Rochambeau (son of the count) as second in command. The regiment and its colors appear (in tiny detail) in Van Blarenberghe’s 1786 painting “Surrender at Yorktown”.
Source: Standards and Colors of the American Revolution, Edward W. Richardson, U. of Penn. Press, 1982, pp. 150, 232. — Ted Kaye

Thank you so much–this answers my question and contributes valuably to the quality of my text panels for the exhibit! Good luck with continued high-quality vexillology! — William Coles

 



Verifying “royal flags” flown on the SS United States when the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were aboard (1/25/20).

Q: I have 3 royal flags (or pennants?) that flew over the SS United States whenever the Duke and Duchess of Windsor were aboard. I was given them by the Executive Purser of the ship, Henry Moreno, many years ago. When he retired from the ship lines, Henry and his wife, Stella, purchased our home in Eastham, Massachusetts, where they lived the rest of their lives, across the street from us. According to Henry, he and the Duke and Duchess were very good friends. He once told me that they would not sail on any other ocean liner other than the United States. I would love to learn more about these flags and find out if they have any value. — Elizabeth E. Clark-Miller

A: The three pennants are:

  1. the Royal Yacht Squadron, United Kingdom
  2. the Royal Danish Yacht Club, Denmark
  3. the Real Club Nautico de San Sebastian, Spain

The Duke was a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron (UK). I don’t know if he was a member of either of the others. My best guess is these may have been hoisted in his honor simply because they had crowns on them, even though he had given up his crown, if, in fact, they were displayed at all when the Duke and Duchess were on board (it seems a little far-fetched to me). Indeed, protocol, certainly something the Duke would be very familiar with, would dictate they would NOT be flown on a cruise ship unless it were sailing under a master or owner who was a member of these clubs. An unlikely scenario, in my opinion. They are certainly NOT Royal Flags.

Their value as flags (apart from the connection with the Windsors) is minimal. Their value as celebrity-related items would be better appraised by others. — David B. Martucci

 

Flying the POW/MIA flag below the American flag and above state flags (1/8/20)

Q: Recently, Congress passed a law to have the POW/MIA flag fly below the American flag on every Post Office and federal building in the whole country. The local Post Office said up till now they were to fly it on only chosen holidays, 5 or 6 times a year, but now it’s every day. Although I know Congress can do whatever it wants to, but isn’t this flag an improper display on government locations? The POW/MIA flag is not a governmental entity. Now, if it’s the national, state, county, even city or township flag, OK. But, as much sympathy as I or anyone may have for the memory of POWs and MIAs, they are NOT a governmental entity. What say you? — Brian Stucky

A: Your observations are quite correct.

As you may recall the POW/MIA flag was given special status by the 101st Congress who designated it as “…a symbol of our Nation’s concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing, and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation.”

Because of this special status it enjoys a dual status as both a national symbol and the flag of a private organization. Previously the Post Office accorded this unique status on only six days:

  1. Armed Forces Day — Third Saturday in May
  2. Memorial Day — Last Monday in May
  3. Flag Day — June 14
  4. Independence Day — July 4
  5. National POW/MIA Recognition Day — Third Friday in September
  6. Veterans Day — November 11

On these six days, it was officially second in precedence to the United States flag. At all other time it is the flag of an organization, the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, although it by practice has come to represent POW and MIAs from all wars.

Now comes H.R. 1579: National POW/MIA Flag Act sponsored by Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.), to amend 36 U.S. Code § 902. National League of Families POW/MIA flag (and a companion bill in the U.S. Senate, S. 693: National POW/MIA Flag Act sponsored by Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) which mandates its display any day the United States flag is displayed.
The legality of this is unchallenged and its Constitutionality remains to be decided, however, your question seems to be about its appropriateness.

Again, you are quite right, it only has special status on six days, therefore the daily display of the flag of a private organization does seem inappropriate.

However, the POW/MIA flag has come to mean a great deal to some veterans, their families, organizations, and by extension, their elected representatives. Additionally, most Americans are ignorant of its true status and just assume that it’s a governmental flag and therefore OK to display.

There are two things we can do to fix this, write our elected representatives and educate the general public. Until then I think that the POW/MIA flag will continue to be a symbolic football. — James J. Ferrigan III, NAVA Protocol Officer

Interestingly enough, because this organizational flag has been granted limited national recognition, it gained the right to be flown above state flags, at least on the six national holidays mentioned above. Seeing the POW/MIA flag flown over a state flag has generated some public comment. — Pete Loeser, historian

 

Folding the Indiana state flag (12/10/19).

Q: When I was watching the television show Parks and Recreation, it showed the Indiana state flag in a triangular case like those used to display the American Flag. I would like to know if there is an established/recommended way of folding the Indiana Flag—or any other flag—so that the center of the flag is shown as it is in Ben Wyatt’s office. It would have to be a different pattern of folding from the American because the end result is having the center displayed rather than the canton. — Patrick Graham

A: As far as I know, there is no official way to fold the Indiana flag. However, several nations with similar flags (i.e., the primary symbol in the middle) have regulations or at least traditions for how to do that. There’s a nice summary of some of them on this FOTW page: Flag Folding. — Peter Ansoff

 

Identifying a flag on a Victorian-era “woolie” held by Mystic Seaport Museum (12/9/19).

Q: In the course of developing an exhibit about sailor art, I’ve run across an image of a flag I cannot identify. From around the 1840s through the 1910s, sailors embroidered wool pictures in their time at sea. They frequently incorporated flags, probably of ports or places that they had been, into their designs. This particular woolie (as they’re colloquially known), was probably made by a British sailor (note the “V[ictoria] R[egina]” at the center top). All of the flags have been identified, except the second flag on the left, between the flags of Britain and the Netherlands.

This unknown flag, as you can see, has blue, white, and blue horizontal stripes, and a gold double headed eagle in the center white stripe. The woolie is badly faded—originally, the blue would have been a much deeper and more vibrant color. I have focused mainly on national or naval flags, as all of the other flags on the woolie appear to be national flags. Any help in identifying this flag, or suggestions of further resources that might help me to do so, would be greatly appreciated. — Mirelle Luecke, curator, Mystic Seaport Museum

A: My guess is that it is an attempt at a flag either of Prussia or Russia. The primitive nature of the flag depictions means wide disparities from actual flag designs. Consulting with NAVA experts, the consensus is “Likely Prussian, perhaps Russian”. (It’s more likely Prussian because of the stripe pattern. Although Prussia used a single-headed eagle; Russia didn’t use the double-headed eagle for maritime flags). Prussia used black stripes. — Ted Kaye

 

Understanding how strings might be used to attach a vintage Cambodian flag (10/30/19).

Q: I have a flag of the Democratic Republic of Kampuchea that has a unique string configuration on the sides that confuses me on the way that it would be hung. It has 3 sets of 2 short strings on one side of it, and is from the late ‘70s to early ‘80s. How would those be used to put this flag on a flag pole? — Ivan Wehner

A: From your description, it sounds like those ties are to attach the flag to a staff, rather than for hoisting on a pole. That’s common in many countries. — Ted Kaye

 

 

Understanding and valuing a 48-star U.S. flag (9/17/19).

Q: I have an old flag with 48 stars and would like to know more about it, like how old it is or how much it is worth. — Carly Peckham

A: Your flag appears to be a 4′ x 6′, cotton, outdoor heading and grommet, “Defiance”-brand flag made by Annin & Co. The flag appears to be used, worn, soiled, but intact and able to support its own weight.

The style of the label is from the 1940s or 1950s. The cotton appears to be a sheeting rather than bunting, but the stars are sewn, which may indicate wartime manufacture. I cannot see the grommets in great detail, but they might confirm the manufacturing era, as WWII-era flags would be more appealing to a collector.

Because of longevity (1912–1959—including two World Wars), 48-star U.S. flags are not uncommon, and readily found at militaria, gun, and antique exhibitions.

The cost of a professional appraisal would likely exceed this flag’s value. If sale is the goal, an online auction site would be a logical venue. — Jim Ferrigan

 

Identifying flags on a 19th-century kite held by the Smithsonian (9/13/19).

Q: The Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum has been offered a kite which features a painting of two men holding flags floating in a balloon. It was most likely made somewhere in Europe in the 19th century. I have been working to identify the two flags on the painting, but have been unsuccessful so far. Would your organization be able to assist me in identifying the flags? — Thomas Paone, Museum Specialist, Curator for the Lighter-than-Air Collection, Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum

A: I think these are fantasy flags, not actual designs. Many objects of the 19th century had fantasy designs on them, sometimes weird variants of actual flags.

The one on the right may be a British type fantasy variant. Who knows? — David B. Martucci
 

 

Valuing a 48-star U.S. flag (2/26/19).

Q: I’m trying to find out the value of a 48-star “Bulldog” bunting flag. It has 48 embroidered stars, 13 stripes, and measures 5’ x 9.5’. It is “moth-proof best by test 2-ply warp and filling. Dyed with everlasting dyes. Dettra’s flag products.” I found it in my mother’s cedar chest. I believe it belonged to my great-grandmother’s husband. — Judy McPeak

A: Flags of this type from this manufacturer are not uncommon. That particular size and fabric were commonly used as interment flags used to cover caskets. Because of this they are readily available at militaria shows, gun shows, and antique shops. More and more are coming to market as the “Greatest Generation” passes.

Valuation is dependent on authenticity, rarity, provenance, condition, size and person with whom associated. Flags of this general type, 5’ x 9.5’ cotton interment flags, routinely sell in the $25 to $100+ range. Collectors seeking flags specific to a certain maker, Dettra in this case, might pay more. A recent search of eBay reveals that a similar flag to the one you described sold for over $220.

It may well be that the family sentimental value exceeds the monetary value. — Jim Ferrigan

 

Have a question to ask about flags? E-mail it into NAVA Flag Questions using your first and last name.