Comments on: Name this flag

Question: Name this flag

Bighappyfunhouse — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:48:23 -0800

My Google-fu has failed me. I cannot for the life of me find any information on this flag. It's big 62" x 42", five stars, red and white stripes and this stamp located on the edge. Seems to have some age. Maybe WW2ish. Thanks!

By: Brockles

Brockles — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:01:09 -0800

Is it related to this flag, maybe?

A province within it, or something?

By: yeti

yeti — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:07:27 -0800

Very similar to the fan flags.

By: gregvr

gregvr — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:09:29 -0800

Well, I ended up finding a fantastically cool website as a result of this question:

FlagID.org

The link is to a query for "5 white stars". It doesn't seem like there is one similar...

By: parmanparman

parmanparman — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 12:49:06 -0800

ooh rare, methinks it's an old Thailand Army or Navy rank flag. I am searching for more info. Watch this space.

By: munchingzombie

munchingzombie — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:03:16 -0800

It is written in Texas' constitution that it can, at any point, split up into five states.... probably not related to your question but it is an odd fact I don't get to use much.

By: cashman

cashman — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:09:00 -0800

If you find it, update the wikipedia entry (flags with white, five-pointed stars). I didn't see it there, though there are a hell of a lot of flags with stars on that page. Could it be some attempt at a political statement - a cross between the U.S. flag and Iraq's flag, as in we're occupying?

By: Bighappyfunhouse

Bighappyfunhouse — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:21:21 -0800

It's older than the current confilct. The flag is at least 40 years old (I'm just guessing)

By: cashman

cashman — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:23:16 -0800

It's just US Flag bunting, like yeti suggested.

By: mumkin

mumkin — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:23:22 -0800

This is vexing, Bighappyfunhouse. I've dug fairly deeply into FOTW, but to no avail. Does that stamp on the edge read W.D.C.? I can't quite make it out. Is there some context you could give us? Is this a swap meet find?

By: mumkin

mumkin — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:26:34 -0800

Oh, and re cashman's bunting suggestion, I think I see a grommet in the upper left corner, which would suggest that's not the case. Hard to make out, though. Are there grommets for running this thing up a flagpole?

By: cashman

cashman — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:38:28 -0800

Yeah perhaps it isn't bunting - upon further review the bunting does seem to be slightly thinner than the picture Bighappyfunhouse posted, though it looks almost exactly alike.

By: Bighappyfunhouse

Bighappyfunhouse — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:47:19 -0800

There is one brass grommet in the left corner and a tear in the right corner fabric (where another one was). It originally seems to have had two grommets (man, I love the word grommet)

By: Bighappyfunhouse

Bighappyfunhouse — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:49:37 -0800

The stamp has four letters. something - something - D. C. I can't make out the first two letters. It was found in the estate of a fairly wealth gentleman here in Chicago. The family had no idea where it came from.

By: beagle

beagle — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 13:54:25 -0800

At bottom of this page are some mockups of the proposed Czechoslovak national flag in 1919. Text describes these as the creation of Isidor Zahradnik and influenced by flags used by the Czechs and Slovaks in America. Your example could be another variation on his theme, with the stars in one row rather than two.

By: ericb

ericb — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:16:23 -0800

Could it be a mercantile flag? Or, a House Flag for a shipping company?

By: ericb

ericb — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:19:03 -0800

Check out the two House Flags for Myanmar Five Star Line. Similar, but not your flag.

By: Max Power

Max Power — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:10:01 -0800

I vote for a vertical hanging decorative flag, akin to the bunting suggested above.

Or a naval flag? The colors could be U.S. French, or Russian.

Good luck.

By: mumkin

mumkin — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:14:27 -0800

I looked through all of the US company flags, ericb, and those of several other nations, thinking the same. No joy, of course. It's an awesome trove of data, but FOTW is hellish to navigate.

Bighappyfunhouse, when you say there's a tear from a missing grommet in the right corner, you mean the upper right of your photo, in the red stripe? I would've expected one in the lower left, since it appears to have a seamed left margin (which FOTW implies is the "hoist").

Confound it. I hope this wasn't a rich man's personal flag.

By: Bighappyfunhouse

Bighappyfunhouse — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:36:24 -0800

In the photo, the grommets would be on the upper left corner and lower (not pictured) left corners.

By: dhartung

dhartung — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 00:27:02 -0800

My first instinct runs to bunting, as well. There used to be a lot more random bunting in use, especially during periods like WWII, and not only did people make their own but they mixed and matched, as opposed to getting the exact same crappy nylon fan bunting that doesn't even open up all the way like Wal-Mart sells.

That said, it's possibly an actual flag, but personally it doesn't look like a very sturdy heading ("hoist" just refers to the "hoist side of the flag"), but that's the sort of thing that can vary as well, so just maybe. That kind of rules out it being a heavy-duty naval or battle flag of some kind, which is the second most logical option in my mind.

The colors could be U.S. French, or Russian.

Ah, but not the stars. The stars make it American nearly beyond doubt.

In any event, without other information to go on you must go back to the source and research the man's life. It's likely a clue would arrive that way.

By: Bighappyfunhouse

Bighappyfunhouse — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 10:19:01 -0800

I just sent pics to one of the big auction houses that deals in Americana. I'll post their reply when it arrives.

By: ericb

ericb — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 10:51:14 -0800

The stars make it American nearly beyond doubt.

Not necessarily. Check out the two house flags from the Myanmar Five Star Line (as per above).

By: ericb

ericb — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 11:09:00 -0800

Ah, but not the stars. The stars make it American nearly beyond doubt.

What about this red, white, blue flag with five white stars? American. Nope. From the Netherland Antilles.