Need help with this flag from 1906

[viperclaw]

I have a flag which says " U.S ENSIGN N0 5 Navy yard New York NOV 1906 C.7927" It is a larger flag, about 6'x10' with 45 stars on it. Can anyone help me and give me any info about this flag? Please ask me any questions. Thanks.

[NAVA1974]

I have a flag which says " U.S ENSIGN N0 5 Navy yard New York NOV 1906 C.7927" It is a larger flag, about 6'x10' with 45 stars on it. Can anyone help me and give me any info about this flag? Please ask me any questions. Thanks.

Hello Viperclaw, and welcome to the USA Flag Forum!

The markings tell you much about the flag. An "ensign" is the national flag flown from the stern of ships. (A "Union" or "Jack" is just the canton of stars but no stripes and is worn at the bow when a ship is in port.) The size of the flag is indicated by the "Number 5" which, according to the US Navy's 1899 book "Flags of Maritime Nations" was supposed to measure 5.14 feet along the host and 9.75 feet to the fly. It was sewn at the US Navy Yard in New York in November of 1906. The final number is a stock number of inventory purposes.

I have a Union Jack that is just a few years older that you can see on flickr.com:
All sizes | 45 Star Union Jack New York Navy Yard | Flickr - Photo Sharing!


Your flag is very likely made of wool bunting with cotton stars applied by zig zag machine stitching. Unless you received other information with the flag there is no way of telling which ship the flag may have been used on.

Nick A
Columbia Maryland

[viperclaw]

Thanks for the reply! We got this flag from my grandfather after he passed away a few years ago. We don't know anything about it, so atleast you gave us some info. Does this flag have any value? Its pretty cool in that my kids are learning about U.S history now so to see and feel something from that long ago is neat. Thanks again.

[csaanv]

Hi,
Could you post some photos of your flag. It would help in evaluating it. If you need help prepping them for the web send them to me at emmalpass(at)yahoo(dot)com and I will prep them and upload to the site.
Thanks!