EXTREMELY RARE BRITISH UNION OF FASCIST POLITICAL RALLY BANNER/STANDARTE.

Extremely Rare British Union of Fascists (B.U.F) Political Rally Banner/ Standarte , An extremely rare artefact of the political turmoil of the 1930s in Europe being the 30 inch x 20 inch or 82cm x 63cm banner that was hung from the carrying banner pole and banner top. The flag was flown from a banner top very similar to the Germany Awake banner top of the Third Reich incorporating the same lightning flash insignia surrounded by a laurel leaf with a pointed finial with the box below having the wording BRITISH UNION. The scarlet ribbed material backing cloth with applied laurel leaf with the central British Union of Fascists device of a white lightning bolt, the banner is edged with blue and white coloured thread tassels. The reverse has a plain backing cloth. The eight suspension straps are all complete and are secured with two press studs to each loop. The banner has seen much service and it is with some slight discoloration of flooding of colour from the red backing material onto the white laurel leaf, also minor staining and service wear but no damage this single sided banner produced in a heavy red cloth with applied central lightning bolt emblem of the organisation enclosed in laurel wreath. The shield shaped flag has blue and white knotted tassels to the edges, with the top edge having the 8 cloth loops (four each side) where the marching pole would have been fitted through. The flag is single sided. Some staining and wear, with the flag appearing at one time to have got wet, possibly from poor storage in its life and some of the colours have run, but an incredibly rare item from the BUF to find. These official political party banners were produced to replicate the powerful images of the Third Reich in Germany in the 1930's, where the use of the Deutschland Erwache standarte was used to great political propaganda, Sir Oswald Mosley leader of the British Union of Fascists, wanted to recreate these strong political images in Britain before WWII. Many images can be found of official marches and rallies held by the BUF, where these banners are being paraded. Only 34 flags were ever produced, I have only ever seen one of these examples in a museum. The period photos of Mosley and banner are for reference only and does not come with the sale. Please read above for condition

Code: 50937