Austria-Hungary Imperial Navy, Ensign, 1869 - 1894.
In 1786, the Austrian Monarchy introduced a new design for a naval ensign featuring the Austrian red-white-red tribar with a crowned Austrian coat of arms superimposed. This design was also used by merchant ships until around 1869. After this date, a new merchant flag was phased in and this particular design was designated for Austrian naval ships during wartime, exclusively.
However, Austro-Hungarian ships navigating the Danube's Austrian section and the coastal Adriatic still continued to use this designed - despite numerous attempts from the Austrian State Ministry of War's naval department to bring a halt to this practice.
This graphical layout was prescribed in 1894, cementing a style that was already in widespread use. Members of the imperial and royal yacht squadrons with special permissions were also granted use of this ensign. Whilst a new war ensign to replace this design was prescribed in 1915, it was never actually implemented due to the unfavorable conditions of war.
Little is known about the history of this ensign. It was acquired at auction in 2008; but the auction description was in error, identifying it incorrectly as the flag of the Archduchy of Austria.
The design of this flag, the construction details and the overall appearance place this hand sewn ensign flag in the 1869 to 1894 period. It was after 1869 that this flag was reserved fro the navy, but before the number of pearls was specified in the crown.
Then this ensign is a variant as the official specifications placed the arms offset towards the hoist.
ZFC Significant Flag
Sources:
Austria-Hungary - Maritime Flags, FAME - Flags & Arms of the Modern Era, 16 November 2011, from: http://zeljko-heimer-fame.from.hr/home.html
NAVAL ENSIGNS & FLAGS, 1700-1918, AUSTRIAN EMPIRE, War Flags Through the Ages & Around the World, 16 November 2011, from: http://tmg110.tripod.com/austria1.htm
Austro-Hungarian Navy, Wikipedia, 16 November 2011, from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austro-Hungarian_Navy
Austro-Hungarian Empire, Flags of the World, 16 November 2011, from: http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/ah.html
Image Credits:
Zaricor Flag Collection
