Lot 844

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Description:

FLAG RELIC FROM THE HMS REPULSE?
A vintage Union Jack flag, 36" x 70", reputedly flown on the ill-fated British battle-cruiser H.M.S. Repulse. Originally classified as a Reknown Class Battle cruiser, the Repulse was launched in 1916 and saw limited action during World War I. However, it was at the grand age of twenty-five that she would leave her mark in the annuls of British military Naval history! In Jan. 1941, the Repulse was deployed in the massive British naval hunt in search of the German battle cruisers Schamhorst and Gneisenau. Three months later, she participated in the search for the Bismarck upon the sinking of the H.M.S. Hood. While on reassignment in the South Pacific, on Dec. 10, 1941, the Repulse was attacked by a flotilla of Japanese aircraft, struck by five torpedoes in rapid succession, and sunk. The flag we offer was purchased from the estate of noted archeologist, writer and military historian Mike Minors of Tennessee who sold items to many renowned dealers. Housed in an acrylic display box and labeled: "H.M.S. Repulse - sunk by the Japanese Navy". Unfortunately, the provenance has yet to be located among the many boxes of receipts and papers associated with this collection. It is a fact that many well known dealers and collectors, including Hank Williams, Jr., acquired portions of Minor's collection and faced this same dilemma. Thus, we offer the flag on the basis of the credibility associated with the collection from which it was derived. Other than some minor discoloration, this item is in very good condition. From the personal collection of World War II and Civil War historian Michael Miner. Miner's thirty-year collection was built through an extensive system of contacts he developed with artifact hunters and diggers in Europe and the Far East, and he maintained careful records of the items he amassed.

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January 21, 2010 10:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 + $1,000