FLAGGEEKHistorical flag research & documentation

Historical flag books

Flag Books & Catalogues

Manufacturer catalogues and official flag manuals document designs, sizes and materials in their historical context. This reference brings together scanned catalogues and linked editions of Flaggenbuch, flag handbooks and period compendiums.

Flag Catalog Archives

A dedicated archive of original flag catalogues from historic manufacturers such as Bonner, Annin, and others is being compiled and presented here in scanned PDF format. These catalogues provide valuable reference for historical flag sizes, fabric types, pricing, and production ranges. This archive will expand continuously as more verified materials are digitized and cross-referenced.

Vaterländische Fahnenfabrik Köln (1904)

Catalogue · scanned PDF · external file

Imperial-era catalogue from Köln featuring early Kaiserflagge, Kaiserstandarte, naval ensigns and national symbols — a rare pre-WWI German flag reference.

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Fahnenfabrik Bernhard Richter (1927)

Catalogue · scanned PDF · external file

Early interwar Köln am Rhein catalogue featuring association, company, and national flags — one of the oldest known German commercial flag references.

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Vaterländische Fahnenfabrik (1928)

Catalogue · scanned PDF · external file

Partial 1928 catalogue from Vaterländische Fahnenfabrik, Cöln, illustrating organizational and patriotic flag production during the late Weimar period.

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Bonner Fahnenfabrik (ca. 1960)

Catalogue · scanned PDF · external file

West German flag catalogue dated to ca. 1960, useful as a post-war reference for standardized flag sizes, materials, and construction — including former Imperial German Navy flags in woolen naval flag cloth.

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Official Manuals & Flag Compendiums

  • Flaggenbuch 1893 — Imperial naval swallowtails with open wedges. collections.thulb.uni-jena.de Manual / compendium · external digitised edition linked
  • Franz Reinecke – Deutsches Flaggenhandbuch (1900) — Contemporary German flag manual covering national, naval and maritime flags, including practical guidance on Imperial German naval flag sizes and their relationship to vessel size. staatsbibliothek.ewigerbund.org Manual / compendium · external digitised edition linked
  • Flaggenbuch 1905 der Kaiserlichen Marine (Jörg M. Karaschewski, ISBN 978-3-7460-3216-0) — Imperial Navy manual covering national and naval ensigns of all major powers. Updated through three supplements (1909, 1912, 1913), reflecting the complete wartime state during WWI. Bibliographic reference · no digitised copy linked in the source
  • Flaggenbuch 1926 (Reichswehrministerium Marineleitung) — wide swallowtail depictions. digi-hub.de (fullscreen) | digi-hub.de (image) Manual / compendium · external digitised edition linked
  • Flaggenbuch 1939 — Kriegsmarine edition, 1 Dec 1939, swallowtail references. sbc.org.pl Manual / compendium · external digitised edition linked
  • National Geographic Magazine – “Our Flag Number” (October 1917) — A major illustrated flag compendium published during World War I, covering U.S. naval call flags, international signal flags, national flags, ensigns, and maritime references from many countries. The issue is especially rich in material on the history, development, and official use of American flags, making it a particularly valuable period source for U.S. naval and maritime flag identification. archive.org Manual / compendium · external digitised edition linked

Source material from the migrated FlagGeek Resources page.

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