I believe these old flags were likely used for semaphore rather than as stand alone signal flags since they are a matching pair, and because can't find a specific nautical signal flag that is yellow on navy, though in the nautical alphabet a white square on blue field represents the letter P. In any case, they are certainly old ones, with the yellow squares hand-stitched onto the very dark blue, all linen. I find the holes and thinning to the fabric quite beautiful, and for me there is something very special feeling about these that comes through the combination of simple geometry + strong color + hand-stitched linen + knotted ties on wooden posts + utilitarian function + many years of use and exposure to the elements; they seem to me like human surrogates, embodying hope and endurance. Ex. Richard Fleischner collection.
Cloth flags themselves measure 17 1/4" w x 17 1/2" t. Wooden posts are 22" long. I think nice to keep them as a pair so am selling as such; price is for the pair. Thinning to the fabric as evident, but overall good, stable condition, not shedding and not especially fragile. Photos document first one, then the other. (First photo of the pair is a composite, with differences in color just product of slightly different lighting conditions.)
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