Nelson’s Battle of Trafalgar Flag Shatters Auction Expectations, Sells for £297,000
A rare fragment of a flag believed to have flown on HMS Victory during the iconic Battle of Trafalgar has shocked collectors by selling for a staggering £297,000 – nearly three times its estimated price.
Historic Flag Fetches Huge Price
The hand-woven woollen piece, made up of eight red, white, and blue panels, measures 86cm by 92cm (34in by 36in). Experts date the flag to between 1801 and 1805, placing it right at the time of the famous naval clash.
The auction started with a guide price of £80,000 to £100,000 but the winning bid rocketed to £240,000. Added fees pushed the total to a whopping £297,000.
Flag with a Story of Valor
This torn fragment once belonged to Captain Hugh Dobbie, a Royal Navy officer who served from 1783 to 1817. Dobbie gifted the flag to the Museum of the Royal United Services Institute.
HMS Victory, now preserved at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, flew several flags during the battle, including two Union flags and a St George’s Ensign.
Nelson’s Legacy Lives On
Admiral Lord Nelson was fatally shot on Victory’s quarterdeck during the battle against the French in 1805. His death cemented his status as one of Britain’s greatest heroes.
Only two complete Union Jacks from Trafalgar have survived. One, from HMS Minotaur, is displayed at the National Maritime Museum. The other, flown from HMS Spartiate off the Spanish coast, sold in 2009 for £384,000.
