London – Exemplifying the rare and magnificent lots offered in The Exceptional Sale on 1 July at Christie’s, a Union Jack Flown by HMS Spartiate at The Battle of Trafalgar will be a leading highlight during Classic Week London (estimate: £500,000-800,000). One of the most spectacular and consequential naval victories in history, The Battle of Trafalgar ended the threat of an invasion of Britain by Napoleon, setting the scene for a century or more of British dominance of the seas. The flag shows signs of battle damage. Analysis by the Zaricor Flag Collection – from which it is being offered for sale – revealed shards of metal embedded in the fabric in several places, notably in the half-moon shaped loss to one edge, suggesting that this is the ‘footprint’ of a cannon ball. Fragments of wood splinters were also found throughout. It will be on view in London from 26 June to 1 July.

Thomas Venning, Head of Christie’s London Book Department, commented: “Nelson was one of the first naval commanders to fly the Union Jack in battle, and to be able to look at one of the very flags flown by his fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar 220 years ago is both remarkable and inspiring. Please do come and see it, all are welcome.”

HOW THE BATTLE WAS WON

Britain’s victory was achieved at Trafalgar in the face of the numerical superiority of the allied French and Spanish fleets, which had six more ships of the line – vs the 27 British ships – numbering 420 more guns and almost double the manpower of the British fleet: Nelson directed his fleet in two columns to cut the extended Franco-Spanish line at right angles, inducing a mêlée in which the superior seamanship and gunnery of the British fleet were decisive. Twenty of the 33 ships in the Franco-Spanish fleet were captured: the British fleet lost none. The unorthodox tactics of Admiral Horatio Nelson was hailed as a defining moment, all the more poignant due to his death during the battle.

PROVENANCE

This monumental flag – measuring 91 1/3in. (232cm.) high x 138 1/2in. (352cm.) wide – is one of only three intact Union Jacks known to survive from the Battle of Trafalgar. It has been offered on the market just once before in its 220 year history, having been preserved by Captain James Clephan R .N . (1768-1851) who was the Spartiate‘s second lieutenant and then passed by descent until it was acquired in 2009 by Benjamin Reed Zaricor (1947-2022) for the Zaricor Flag Collection. It was common practice for warrant officers or junior officers to take ensigns as rewards after a battle, as Clephan did in this instance.

THE UNION JACK FLAG DESIGN

The Union Jack flags flown at Trafalgar are the second – still current – design of the flag, having been introduced on 1 January 1801 after the 1800 Act of Union with Ireland: the earlier design lacked the cross of St Patrick (the red saltire). As a relatively recent innovation, at the time of the present example being made, the red saltire was often incorrectly executed in examples from the early 19^th century, reflecting the handmade nature of the flags. This HMS Spartiate flag illustrates this, with the white and red saltires not ‘counterchanged’.

Christie’s Classic Week forms part of our programme of auctions, exhibitions and activities for the ‘London Summer Season’ in celebration of the dynamism and creativity London inspires.