A very deluxe flagpole?
November 3, 2020 6:17 AM Subscribe
What is the flag-topped structure depicted on the lawn in this 1843 drawing of a house on Guernsey?
Best answer: It looks like a signal mast for flags.
You get them on buildings that face the sea, like yacht clubs, as well as on ships.
Belvedere yacht club (not a great pic)
Signal Mast of the USS Arizona
"The Language of Flags" (not a great pic)
Harbor Springs city marina
posted by richb at 6:30 AM on November 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
You get them on buildings that face the sea, like yacht clubs, as well as on ships.
Belvedere yacht club (not a great pic)
Signal Mast of the USS Arizona
"The Language of Flags" (not a great pic)
Harbor Springs city marina
posted by richb at 6:30 AM on November 3, 2020 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks, both. richb, that picture of the Arizona's signal mast is identical!
It's harder to figure out in that drawing of the house, because there's no indication there's water nearby. But that must be it.
posted by Weftage at 6:49 AM on November 3, 2020
It's harder to figure out in that drawing of the house, because there's no indication there's water nearby. But that must be it.
posted by Weftage at 6:49 AM on November 3, 2020
> there's no indication there's water nearby.
Guernsey is a small island, so most big houses probably do face the sea and most people will have had some connection to sailing ships at that time.
I have no idea what messages they would have sent to passing ships though! :-)
posted by richb at 2:12 AM on November 6, 2020
Guernsey is a small island, so most big houses probably do face the sea and most people will have had some connection to sailing ships at that time.
I have no idea what messages they would have sent to passing ships though! :-)
posted by richb at 2:12 AM on November 6, 2020
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posted by zamboni at 6:30 AM on November 3, 2020 [3 favorites]