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This is a beautiful, authentic vintage Portuguese national flag, heavily indicative of a mid-century maritime ship's ensign or government utility flag. Measuring 49" x 72 1/2" (Matches original 6' x 4' naval sizing with slight natural historic textile shift), this piece features the traditional robust construction built to withstand harsh outdoor elements. Perfect for serious military collectors, maritime historians, or high-end rustic display.
Historical Note & Era:
Given the classic multi-piece sewn construction, original wood toggle mounting hardware, and specialized screen-dyed crest on a heavy wool-linen bunting blend, this piece strongly aligns with pre-WWII to WWII-era maritime manufacturing standards (1930s-1950s). While it lacks a stamped date code, the textile weave, natural materials, and authentic wear heavily point to this historic pre-synthetic era.
Key Features & Construction Details:
*Fabric: Organic woven wool & linen blend bunting panels, offering a beautifully textured period-accurate feel far superior to modern synthetic polyesters. Heavy canvas linen hoist band.
*Assembly: True multi-piece sewn construction. The vibrant green and red fields are individual fabric blocks meticulously stitched together rather than printed on a single sheet. The weave features structural warp reinforcement ribs, historically known as "ribbed bunting" or "storm weave". This flag has 6 distinctive vertical lines running down the length, ( spaced 6" apart) where the fabric is tightly reinforced.
*Graphics: Coat of Arms, The central armillary sphere and Portuguese shield are dyed-screened printed directly onto the fabric, allowing the intricate heraldic details to remain crisp and clear against the woven texture, visible on both sides.
*Rigging: Features authentic Admiralty rigging configuration, complete with its original wooden toggle at one end of the header and a heavy rope loop at the other for rapid shipboard hoisting.
*Markings: The canvas hoist band is stamped "6 X 4 PORTUGAL" on both sides in worn black ink, with a clear, handwritten red ink "PORTUGAL" identifier on the front side, typical of period ship flag-locker inventory marking.
Condition Report:
This historic flag is in very good vintage condition and displays a beautiful, authentic aged patina. It features one small hole near the center crest, a pinhole at corner, white surface mark on the red field which transcends through the fabric on both sides, and generalized age-related discoloration on the canvas header. These minor character marks do not detract from the piece but rather enhance its authenticity, making it an incredible display item for maritime collectors, history enthusiasts, or unique interior design. The colors remain bold, the stitching is tight, and the rigging remains completely structurally sound. Thank you for looking.
Sold as-is.
Weight: Approximately 1 LB. (flag itself, not packaged)
