Lot 340a, Auction 3/19/2026: WWII Era Spanish Merchant Ship Ensign Textile Flag

$260.00

In stock

Western Europe, ca. 1939 CE. A loosely woven cotton or burlap textile flag made in the style of a Spanish merchant marine ensign, constructed from separate red, white, and yellow sections and featuring a black galleon motif at the center. The hoist cloth bears markings including an “A” inside a circle, the year “1939,” and the number “510.” The design reflects variants used by Spanish merchant vessels, with colors arranged in a pattern distinct from naval war ensigns and associated with commercial maritime activity. Such flags may have been carried for ceremonial display or identification in merchant trade, including routes connected with Cuba, or possibly employed during World War II as neutral identification to suggest a Spanish vessel at sea. Size: 69.5″ L x 49″ W (176.5 cm x 124.5 cm)

Condition: Tears, fraying, and perforations with losses to fibers as shown. Stable condition and could easily be mounted for display. Discoloration and stains.

Provenance: ex-private collection, Fairhaven, Massachusetts, USA; ex-collection of the late Malcolm Smith, the long-time assistant secretary to the Battle of Britain Association

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all purchases.

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