Antique Flag CANADIAN RED ENSIGN WW2 ERA WOOL BUNTING Design Of 1921 - 1957
Item History & Price
Antique Flag CANADIAN RED ENSIGN WW2 ERA WOOL BUNTING. Condition is "Used". Shipped with USPS Priority Mail.
This large rare vintage Canadian flag displays the NationalCoat of Arms adopted in 1921 and used until 1957. This was the version of theCanadian flag used during World War II. This impressive looking flag is fabricatedof wool bunting and measures 106 inches long (2.7 meters); the hoist, withrope heading, measures 48 inches tall (1.2 meters); the fly end is 51 inchestall... (1.3 meters.) . The Union Jack is entirelysewn panels, and the arms are printed and inserted into the two-piece field.The Red Ensign, from which this historic flag wasadapted, was the official flag of the British Merchant Marine. By definition, it was meant to be flown on ships at sea. Early in the 17th century, it hadbeen a flag of the Royal Navy, but King Charles II had confirmed it as themerchantmen's pennant in 1674. The Hudson's Bay Company, chartered in 1670 andthe oldest commercial corporation in the Americas, therefore flew it aboardtheir ships, with the letters HBC on the fly. Since the flag clearly symbolized Britain and 'TheBay, ' it became the practice to fly the Red Ensign at The Bay's York Factoryheadquarters and at the various trading posts throughout Rupert's Land, theenormous territory that stretched eastward from the Rockies and encompassed allthe lands that drained into the Hudson's Bay. This Ensign also fluttered overthe English colonies all along the northeastern coast until the Stars andStripes replaced it in the United States in 1777.The Red Ensign had crept almost surreptitiously inlandall along the eastern seaboard over the years and was already in use bymerchantmen in Canada, a use that was finally made official under a BritishAdmiralty warrant issued in 1892. Local versions of the Ensign were allowed.The adaptation of the Red Ensign in Canada, therefore, was never made preciselyofficial and never approved or adopted by Parliament, but Sir John A. MacDonaldmade sure it flew over Parliament and above Canadian public buildings. In 1891, the Governor General, Lord Stanley (he of the Stanley Cup in hockey), declaredit to be "the recognized Flag of the Dominion, both afloat andashore."The Royal Union Flag, or Union Jack, was the'official' flag of Canada, having been used by successive Governors General.But Canadians loved the Red Ensign and in 1921 the Government of Canada askedthe crown to allow the Red Ensign to be Canada's flag, with the substitution ofa coat of arms for Canada to replace the combined coats of arms of the provinces.The approved flag went into service in 1922 but was not actually 'approved' forgeneral use until 1945. That means that this version of the Red Ensign was theCanadian flag during the Second World War. It was part of the Italian campaign, the liberation of Holland, Hong Kong, and the Battles of Britain and the NorthAtlantic. Later, it supported Canadian troops in Korea. In 1957 a modification to the arms was made. Theformal heraldic description of the Maple Leaves is: "Argent, three mapleleaves, conjoined on one stem proper". The heraldic term"proper", of course, can be read as "any naturally occurringcolour of the object", which in the case of a maple leaf, can be red, green, or yellow, (depending upon the species depicted and the time of year).The original 1921 submission to the College of Arms, London, asked for greenmaple leaves, hence this is how the authorities subsequently interpreted "proper", once the grant was made.However, there was some discontent, among certainsegments of Canadian society, over the choice of green as the interpretation of"proper". This seemed to stem from the fact that at about the sametime HM King George V formally declared red and white to be Canada's officialcolours; hence, some people argued that the 3 maple leaves in the shield, (meant, of course, to represent Canada, along with the Dominion's 4 foundingnations -- England, Scotland, Ireland, and France), should therefore be red onwhite, (or argent/gules). The influence of this opinion seemed to grow as timemarched on, since subsequent renditions of the maple leaf, (when meant torepresent Canada), tended to be presented in red instead of green: e.g.., thec. 1940 Canadian Army Battle Flag; as well as numerous Royal Canadian Navy andAir Force wartime badges, as well as the Canadian Army Flag formally adopted in1947.Finally, on 8 Oct 1957, the Canadian governmentformally announced changes to the design of the Red Ensign's, (and CanadianCoat of Arms') shield, to wit:a) the proper maple leaves were henceforth to be red;andb) (at the Queen's pleasure) the "female"Irish harp was replaced with the traditional Celtic version of the harp.The Red Ensign is a powerful Canadian symbol, whichhas a long, affectionate, and great history in Canada, having flown over early settlements, distant outposts, government buildings, schools and post offices, and cemeteriesand war graves, for well on three hundred and fifty years. The overall condition of this flag is good, with minorwear to the fabric and a number of small moth nips which attest to the age ofthis scarce flag. Very minor fading tothe red field can be seen on the obverse. Please see the photos for condition details. I am a vexillologist and flag collector, and have been a member of the North American Vexillological Association for over 45 years. I served as NAVA President from 1994 to 1996. I would be glad to answer any questions you have about this flag, or about any flags in general. If I do not know the answer I will very likely be able to forward your inquiry to a member of NAVA with the necessary expertise.
This large rare vintage Canadian flag displays the NationalCoat of Arms adopted in 1921 and used until 1957. This was the version of theCanadian flag used during World War II. This impressive looking flag is fabricatedof wool bunting and measures 106 inches long (2.7 meters); the hoist, withrope heading, measures 48 inches tall (1.2 meters); the fly end is 51 inchestall... (1.3 meters.) . The Union Jack is entirelysewn panels, and the arms are printed and inserted into the two-piece field.The Red Ensign, from which this historic flag wasadapted, was the official flag of the British Merchant Marine. By definition, it was meant to be flown on ships at sea. Early in the 17th century, it hadbeen a flag of the Royal Navy, but King Charles II had confirmed it as themerchantmen's pennant in 1674. The Hudson's Bay Company, chartered in 1670 andthe oldest commercial corporation in the Americas, therefore flew it aboardtheir ships, with the letters HBC on the fly. Since the flag clearly symbolized Britain and 'TheBay, ' it became the practice to fly the Red Ensign at The Bay's York Factoryheadquarters and at the various trading posts throughout Rupert's Land, theenormous territory that stretched eastward from the Rockies and encompassed allthe lands that drained into the Hudson's Bay. This Ensign also fluttered overthe English colonies all along the northeastern coast until the Stars andStripes replaced it in the United States in 1777.The Red Ensign had crept almost surreptitiously inlandall along the eastern seaboard over the years and was already in use bymerchantmen in Canada, a use that was finally made official under a BritishAdmiralty warrant issued in 1892. Local versions of the Ensign were allowed.The adaptation of the Red Ensign in Canada, therefore, was never made preciselyofficial and never approved or adopted by Parliament, but Sir John A. MacDonaldmade sure it flew over Parliament and above Canadian public buildings. In 1891, the Governor General, Lord Stanley (he of the Stanley Cup in hockey), declaredit to be "the recognized Flag of the Dominion, both afloat andashore."The Royal Union Flag, or Union Jack, was the'official' flag of Canada, having been used by successive Governors General.But Canadians loved the Red Ensign and in 1921 the Government of Canada askedthe crown to allow the Red Ensign to be Canada's flag, with the substitution ofa coat of arms for Canada to replace the combined coats of arms of the provinces.The approved flag went into service in 1922 but was not actually 'approved' forgeneral use until 1945. That means that this version of the Red Ensign was theCanadian flag during the Second World War. It was part of the Italian campaign, the liberation of Holland, Hong Kong, and the Battles of Britain and the NorthAtlantic. Later, it supported Canadian troops in Korea. In 1957 a modification to the arms was made. Theformal heraldic description of the Maple Leaves is: "Argent, three mapleleaves, conjoined on one stem proper". The heraldic term"proper", of course, can be read as "any naturally occurringcolour of the object", which in the case of a maple leaf, can be red, green, or yellow, (depending upon the species depicted and the time of year).The original 1921 submission to the College of Arms, London, asked for greenmaple leaves, hence this is how the authorities subsequently interpreted "proper", once the grant was made.However, there was some discontent, among certainsegments of Canadian society, over the choice of green as the interpretation of"proper". This seemed to stem from the fact that at about the sametime HM King George V formally declared red and white to be Canada's officialcolours; hence, some people argued that the 3 maple leaves in the shield, (meant, of course, to represent Canada, along with the Dominion's 4 foundingnations -- England, Scotland, Ireland, and France), should therefore be red onwhite, (or argent/gules). The influence of this opinion seemed to grow as timemarched on, since subsequent renditions of the maple leaf, (when meant torepresent Canada), tended to be presented in red instead of green: e.g.., thec. 1940 Canadian Army Battle Flag; as well as numerous Royal Canadian Navy andAir Force wartime badges, as well as the Canadian Army Flag formally adopted in1947.Finally, on 8 Oct 1957, the Canadian governmentformally announced changes to the design of the Red Ensign's, (and CanadianCoat of Arms') shield, to wit:a) the proper maple leaves were henceforth to be red;andb) (at the Queen's pleasure) the "female"Irish harp was replaced with the traditional Celtic version of the harp.The Red Ensign is a powerful Canadian symbol, whichhas a long, affectionate, and great history in Canada, having flown over early settlements, distant outposts, government buildings, schools and post offices, and cemeteriesand war graves, for well on three hundred and fifty years. The overall condition of this flag is good, with minorwear to the fabric and a number of small moth nips which attest to the age ofthis scarce flag. Very minor fading tothe red field can be seen on the obverse. Please see the photos for condition details. I am a vexillologist and flag collector, and have been a member of the North American Vexillological Association for over 45 years. I served as NAVA President from 1994 to 1996. I would be glad to answer any questions you have about this flag, or about any flags in general. If I do not know the answer I will very likely be able to forward your inquiry to a member of NAVA with the necessary expertise.
