RARE & HISTORIC NAPOLEANIC FLAG.

RARE & HISTORIC NAPOLEANIC FLAG. This is purported to be the very flag used on Napolean’s launch while at the Kingdom of Elba. Lot includes period red & white striped orig flag pole together with the orig early 19th century flag. Flag was acquired from the Calvin Bullock Collection of Napoleonic items. A photocopy of an orig purchase receipt from E. F. Bonaventure Art Galleries formerly located at 745 5th Ave., New York, NY dated April 29, 1941, and made out to Mr. Calvin Bullock of 1 Wall Street itemizes a group of items purchased by Mr. Bullock on that day. Included is “the Flag of the Service Boat used by Napolean at Elba Isles (has orig pole)”. The receipt further indicates “bought at the Meredith Galleries Inc., Wannamaker Collection, Five Empire Flaggs”. This lot is accompanied by a recent letter of authenticity from noted textile expert, Fonda Thompson, affirming that both textile, thread & decoration is early 19th century. Also included is a report from noted flag historian, Whitney Smith, Ph.D., of the Flag Research Center in Winchester, Massachusetts in which he states “all of the materials (fabric, cord, thread, wood & metal) of this flag are consistent with flags previously examined by me and known to have been made & used in the early 19th century.” Mr. Smith goes on to say “The recorded history of the Elba flag is confused and is based entirely on secondary sources. When Napoleon was sent into exile in 1814 to become ruler of the island of Elba, no provision had been made for a local flag. It is claimed that Napoleon discussed that question with his aides on board HMS Undaunted on 3 May 1814. The following day he arrived at the capital of Elba, Porto Ferrajo, where the flag was hoisted. On 9 May, it was displayed in all the towns of the island. The flag continued to be used as a national flag until 1 March 1815 when Napoleon set sail for France”. The flag is described by Dr. Smith as,”The flag submitted is one of the designs used by Elba at the time it was an independent state (1814-1815). The technical characteristics of the flag are documented as follows. All measurements are approximate due to slight distortions in the fabric that have developed over time. The staff is 97″ long. The (white)flag is 47″ wide and its length is 67″. The three 15″ wide pieces of woven fabric constituting the background are apparently of wool. The top and bottom pieces are selvage. The entire flag, including hoist, fly, diagonal stripe, insets, and heading are hand-stitched.

The (red) stripe is 7-1/4″ wide. It overlaps the upper hoist and lower fly corners equally, such that the median of the stripe corresponds to the diagonal median of the flag. There are pieces of white reinforcement fabric, 5″ square, in both the upper hoist and lower hoist corners, of the same material as the flag. The flag is attached to the staff by four pieces of 1/4″ wide white ribbon equally spaced along the hoist. These are tied around the staff in bow knots. The heading of the flag appears to be of linen. Its fabric has been folded over and stitched along the hoist edge to enclose a cord that runs the length of the heading. The hand-stitched seams have been turned under so that the hem appears on the reverse side of the flag.

The diagonal stripe has inset pieces of fabric appliqued to it, equally spaced along the stripe. On the reverse side of the flag fabric of the field has been cut away within the stitching so that the design of the insets shows through. The fabric of the inset pieces appears to be silk, painted with metallic gold and with details rendered in red and brown paint. The design of each inset shows a bee approximately 7″ wide and 5-1/4″ long.

The background fabric has a number of small stains. The fabric of some of the larger stains has rotted away, leaving holes in the flag. There are several small areas on the flag which have been crudely mended, apparently with silk thread. These repairs appear consistent with work that might have been done by a person responsible for maintaining the flag but lacking in technical skills.

The staff to which the flag is attached is made of wood and is spirally painted red and white its entire length. There is a round flat red truck at its top. The bottom of the staff has been shaved to reduce the diameter of the bottom 1-1/2″ of the staff, presumably in order to allow for the insertion of the staff into some kind of tube or other holder mounted on a ship or building. At the top of the staff is a U-shaped metal staple set 1″ below the truck. The staple extends out of the wood approximately 1/2″. There are two holes in the wood 3″ below the truck suggesting that there may have been another staple there which is no longer present. On the staff, 46-1/2″ from the bottom, there is a metal disk, apparently of brass. It is attached to the pole, presumably by a sharp point extending from the reverse of the disk. The disk bears the numeral 4.

Further information from an unknown source accompanying the flag states “A week after leaving Fontainebleau, the entourage arrived at Frejus where a French sloop was supposed to be waiting to transport Napoleon to Elba and afterwards remain his personal property. Only the English frigate, ‘The Undaunted” lay waiting. When the French frigate arrived from St. Tropez under a Bourbon flag, Napoleon refused to board, preferring he said to sail under a foreign flag than that of the French king. He sailed for Elba on the 29th.

It was on board the Undaunted that the Emperor designed the present flag. As a newly sovereign and independent state, Elba required its own emblem for its independent existence. Certainly Napoleon required a standard, not least for the recognition of his shipping to and from the island.

Bonaparte set to the task and devised a flag based on the Medici design when Florence ruled Elba, a red diagonal against a white background. The three golden bees (a favorite symbol) he had already included in his arms as Emperor, and he added these again. The ship’s tailor quickly stitched two examples of the new flag, one to fly from the ramparts of the fort when the new king landed and the other to adorn the ship’s slip that carried him ashore. Given the size of the present flag, it might be surmised that it was put to a similar use, to fly from a small launch or similar vessel.”

This source also goes on to state, “One contemporary illustration of the Elba flag of 3 bees on a red diagonal against a white field has been found during this research, depicted in a small woodcut vignette on the cover of a London exhibition catalog, A Short Description of the Island of Elba, and town of Porto-Ferrajo, publihsed in 1815 as a guide to a painted panoramic view of the island then on tour. It of course matches the design of the example acquired from Calvin Bullock.”

As mentioned earlier, the flag was acquired from the famous collection of Napoleonica formed by financier Calvin Bullock, the majority of which was sold in Christie’s London 8 May, 1985, this flag was never consigned to Christie’s, but was from a group of items retained by the family and later sold privately to the present owner in 1995. This banner had for many years been displayed along with the rest of Mr. Bullock’s collection at No. 1 Wall Street, accompanied by the following placard underneath: “The Flag of the / Service-Boat / used by Napoleon / at Elbe Isle / Original pole and flag of / service-boat used daily by Napoleon during his sojourn / on Elbe Isle. Napoleon / probably used this boat to / reach the French shore at / Golfe de Juan in 1815”.

This is a very rare opportunity to acquire what is believed to be Napoleon’s personal launch flag used at Elba before he returned to France one final time. 4-56962 (95,000-125,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2005

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	3108A.	$0.00	RARE & HISTORIC NAPOLEANIC FLAG. This is purported to be the very flag used on Napolean’s launch while at the Kingdom of Elba. Lot includes period red & white striped orig flag pole together with the orig early 19th century flag. Flag was acquired from the Calvin Bullock Collection of Napoleonic items. A photocopy of an orig purchase receipt from E. F. Bonaventure Art Galleries formerly located at 745 5th Ave., New York, NY dated April 29, 1941, and made out to Mr. Calvin Bullock of 1 Wall Street itemizes a group of items purchased by Mr. Bullock on that day. Included is “the Flag of the Service Boat used by Napolean at Elba Isles (has orig pole)”. The receipt further indicates “bought at the Meredith Galleries Inc., Wannamaker Collection, Five Empire Flaggs”. This lot is accompanied by a recent letter of authenticity from noted textile expert, Fonda Thompson, affirming that both textile, thread & decoration is early 19th century. Also included is a report from noted flag historian, Whitney Smith, Ph.D., of the Flag Research Center in Winchester, Massachusetts in which he states “all of the materials (fabric, cord, thread, wood & metal) of this flag are consistent with flags previously examined by me and known to have been made & used in the early 19th century.” Mr. Smith goes on to say “The recorded history of the Elba flag is confused and is based entirely on secondary sources. When Napoleon was sent into exile in 1814 to become ruler of the island of Elba, no provision had been made for a local flag. It is claimed that Napoleon discussed that question with his aides on board HMS Undaunted on 3 May 1814. The following day he arrived at the capital of Elba, Porto Ferrajo, where the flag was hoisted. On 9 May, it was displayed in all the towns of the island. The flag continued to be used as a national flag until 1 March 1815 when Napoleon set sail for France”. The flag is described by Dr. Smith as,”The flag submitted is one of the designs used by Elba at the time it was an independent state (1814-1815). The technical characteristics of the flag are documented as follows. All measurements are approximate due to slight distortions in the fabric that have developed over time. The staff is 97″ long. The (white)flag is 47″ wide and its length is 67″. The three 15″ wide pieces of woven fabric constituting the background are apparently of wool. The top and bottom pieces are selvage. The entire flag, including hoist, fly, diagonal stripe, insets, and heading are hand-stitched. The (red) stripe is 7-1/4″ wide. It overlaps the upper hoist and lower fly corners equally, such that the median of the stripe corresponds to the diagonal median of the flag. There are pieces of white reinforcement fabric, 5″ square, in both the upper hoist and lower hoist corners, of the same material as the flag. The flag is attached to the staff by four pieces of 1/4″ wide white ribbon equally spaced along the hoist. These are tied around the staff in bow knots. The heading of the flag appears to be of linen. Its fabric has been folded over and stitched along the hoist edge to enclose a cord that runs the length of the heading. The hand-stitched seams have been turned under so that the hem appears on the reverse side of the flag. The diagonal stripe has inset pieces of fabric appliqued to it, equally spaced along the stripe. On the reverse side of the flag fabric of the field has been cut away within the stitching so that the design of the insets shows through. The fabric of the inset pieces appears to be silk, painted with metallic gold and with details rendered in red and brown paint. The design of each inset shows a bee approximately 7″ wide and 5-1/4″ long. The background fabric has a number of small stains. The fabric of some of the larger stains has rotted away, leaving holes in the flag. There are several small areas on the flag which have been crudely mended, apparently with silk thread. These repairs appear consistent with work that might have been done by a person responsible for maintaining the flag but lacking in technical skills. The staff to which the flag is attached is made of wood and is spirally painted red and white its entire length. There is a round flat red truck at its top. The bottom of the staff has been shaved to reduce the diameter of the bottom 1-1/2″ of the staff, presumably in order to allow for the insertion of the staff into some kind of tube or other holder mounted on a ship or building. At the top of the staff is a U-shaped metal staple set 1″ below the truck. The staple extends out of the wood approximately 1/2″. There are two holes in the wood 3″ below the truck suggesting that there may have been another staple there which is no longer present. On the staff, 46-1/2″ from the bottom, there is a metal disk, apparently of brass. It is attached to the pole, presumably by a sharp point extending from the reverse of the disk. The disk bears the numeral 4. Further information from an unknown source accompanying the flag states “A week after leaving Fontainebleau, the entourage arrived at Frejus where a French sloop was supposed to be waiting to transport Napoleon to Elba and afterwards remain his personal property. Only the English frigate, ‘The Undaunted” lay waiting. When the French frigate arrived from St. Tropez under a Bourbon flag, Napoleon refused to board, preferring he said to sail under a foreign flag than that of the French king. He sailed for Elba on the 29th. It was on board the Undaunted that the Emperor designed the present flag. As a newly sovereign and independent state, Elba required its own emblem for its independent existence. Certainly Napoleon required a standard, not least for the recognition of his shipping to and from the island. Bonaparte set to the task and devised a flag based on the Medici design when Florence ruled Elba, a red diagonal against a white background. The three golden bees (a favorite symbol) he had already included in his arms as Emperor, and he added these again. The ship’s tailor quickly stitched two examples of the new flag, one to fly from the ramparts of the fort when the new king landed and the other to adorn the ship’s slip that carried him ashore. Given the size of the present flag, it might be surmised that it was put to a similar use, to fly from a small launch or similar vessel.” This source also goes on to state, “One contemporary illustration of the Elba flag of 3 bees on a red diagonal against a white field has been found during this research, depicted in a small woodcut vignette on the cover of a London exhibition catalog, A Short Description of the Island of Elba, and town of Porto-Ferrajo, publihsed in 1815 as a guide to a painted panoramic view of the island then on tour. It of course matches the design of the example acquired from Calvin Bullock.” As mentioned earlier, the flag was acquired from the famous collection of Napoleonica formed by financier Calvin Bullock, the majority of which was sold in Christie’s London 8 May, 1985, this flag was never consigned to Christie’s, but was from a group of items retained by the family and later sold privately to the present owner in 1995. This banner had for many years been displayed along with the rest of Mr. Bullock’s collection at No. 1 Wall Street, accompanied by the following placard underneath: “The Flag of the / Service-Boat / used by Napoleon / at Elbe Isle / Original pole and flag of / service-boat used daily by Napoleon during his sojourn / on Elbe Isle. Napoleon / probably used this boat to / reach the French shore at / Golfe de Juan in 1815”. This is a very rare opportunity to acquire what is believed to be Napoleon’s personal launch flag used at Elba before he returned to France one final time. 4-56962 (95,000-125,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2005 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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