"Replica full-size Napoleonic flags?" Topic

Hi …

I've been looking a while to buy a full-size reproduction Napoleonic French flag for my wargames study.

While replica flags of any unit in the American Civil War are easy to find, I have not had similar luck with Napoleonic French flags.

The only ones I've found so far are:

1) A rather ugly and inaccurate flag on eBay: auction 12_W0QQitemZ160134648019QQihZ006QQcategoryZ103964QQcmdZViewI tem

2) Nice, but very expensive:
historylive.us

3) Nice framed set of leger flags, but a little on the small side. Also, he won't sell outside the USA:
auction ance-1812_W0QQitemZ160128845284QQcmdZViewItem

Does anyone know a source of reasonably priced replicas of Napoleonic French flags?

You could try:

link

I understand that they do a nice job, but suspect pricing is high.

Roly -

The flag you mention in 1), 1st Legere, looks accurate to me, and not ugly.

Link number two has a lot of interesting items. I will have to bookmark that one for the future.

Dan, it isn't the accuracy of the design in flag (1) that I question – it is the accuracy of the details of how that design has been done.

auction

For instance, the decorative edging – look how spread out it is (and also look at the ugliness in the untidy corner designs).

And the number written as "IR" – compare how it is written on these flags:

link

Still, it is at least a start, and is reasonably priced. Now, if someone could do a cheap screen-printed flag like that, but with a more realistic design to start off with, it would be a winner!

I don't know if the carry any Napoleonic French ones, but there's a German company that's been the title subject of posts at least twice on TMP within recent memory. I read them on an 18th Century board, that will have fewer posts than the Napoleonic boards, so maybe look for it there? (Or I'll look for you a little bit later.) It was posted by a German TMPer, so maybe look on the German Board too; or post there asking for someone to give you the link?

Here it is--it was on the Flags & Banners message board:
flaggenparadies.de/index.htm
(Although I didn't see any Napoleonic French during my brief surf around the Web site.)

I didn't find a French flag, but found this instead:

link

;-)

Actually, Arteis, that was the site that I was thinking about, not the one I linked.

This intrigued me, because you'd think that somewhere, especially in France, that there'd be a flagmaker that would have modern, printed flags from the First Empire, but it would seem not.

I googled "drapeaux à vendre" +Napoléon and other such variations, and I got nada except for French sporting team flags and a French-Canadian site with mainly modern flags.

Let me try it again with First Empire, too, and see what pops-up.

Sweet Fudge All. And no listings for products at the Les Invalides gift shop of any type.
8=^(

Hmmm … a business opportunity here, methinks! Replica screen-printed flags of all the main armies in the most popular wargaming periods!

I was thinking the same thing: business opportunity (not that I want to be the one to do it though). Several companies show up at Historicon with t-shirts, so why not flags?

OK, I've decided I might look into this. I'm going to get a couple of quotes from custom flag makers. Might try an Imperial Guard flag first … maybe the diamond shaped one, or otherwise the ornate post 1812 tricoleur.

If I can find a suitable maker, I'll see if the prices get lower with quantity. Then I can invite any other interested TMPers to join in on an order.

Hard part might be getting suitable vector artwork (plenty of JPGs and GiFs around on the internet, but scalable vector art might be more tricky to find).

I know of several guys who have taken images of flags and had them made in Korea for a good price. Most have PCS back to the states but if you have a good image and know someone in the Army in Korea it can be done for a good price.
VR
James Mattes

Excellent idea, James. You've just reminded me that I could try to get some flags made in Cambodia, as I have a business trip there in September. So I have just this minute emailed some pictures of an Imperial Guard flag to a screenprinting/embroidery company in Phnom Penh to get a price.

Yeap I have had several friends do that in Thailand as well. My wife just got back from Thailand, and Cambodia in May as well. She goes to Japan and Korea on average about twice a year as well.
VR
James Mattes

Arteis

At a recent Napoleonic event I spoke to the 42nd who have fantastic flags. They were made 'cheaply' in India. For cheap read £800.00 GBP IIRC.

These aren't silk screened but proper embrodiery with metallic thread like the real things. I would like to have a pair for a large wall space but they cost too much. I have also seen some very nice repro durms fully painted for about £350.00 GBP

Just got back prices on the two New Zealand companies I asked for quotes – about $NZ190 … that's too steep for me.

So I'll just have to wait and see if I hear back anything from Cambodia (and hope it isn't like those Indian prices, Timmo!).

Got a very good quote from Cambodia for making embroidered flags … so now I just have to work on getting some suitable artwork before my trip to Phnom Penh in October. Watch this space …

Arteis

Can you let us know how you get on with this project – I'm interested in having something made for me if the price is reasonable.

Hi I would like one if the quantity is good.I have a french Light inf,and a russian flag.these are very good. Barry

Some one talked about t-shirt flags. I did that about 20 years ago at GenCon…when Gencon was a good convention (now its just dumb fantasy, cartoonish crapola). Anyhow, we did well with screen prints of t-shirts. We did most of the Napoleonic flags, France, England, Russia, Prussia, Austria. The year after alot of other vendors came out with t-shirts of flags with stupid sayings ("The emporor is watching"…etc…gag). We did better the second and third year, then we bailed out. Enough money for a few beers!
:-)

Cheers and good luck

Headless