NAVA 54 Vexibit—Al Calavari: Annin & Co Postcard Recall Notice from 1917

Al Calavari showed us an artifact from 1917 as the United States entered WWI.  During such times the demand for US flags can increase.  Consequently Annin & Co. sent out a post card notice that older price quotes are hereby changed, due to 'unprecedented demand for U.S. flags.'

Often in times of crisis and before the start of new war there is collective patriotic push organically signaled by an durastic demand for US flags.

NAVA 54 Vexibit—Greg Hersh: A New Flag for Kodiak Island Proposal

Greg Hersh presented a vexibit for one of America's largest islands, Kodiak Island.  Currently, the city of Kodiak on Kodiak island has the typical rank and file seal on a field flag (RAFSOAF Flag).  Kodiak City's flag features four creatures: a bear, salmon, king crab, and prawn.

Hersh proposed a Kodiak Flag redesign in the 'Good Flag' style.  It is composed of a field of blue and black divided by a thin diagonal bend, from the lower hoist to upper fly.  In the middle is an eight pointed rose compass of green with white fimbration, with the cardinal points larger than the middle points.


-------------------
As stated in the opening speech by the current ICV president Zeljko Heimer, this is not vexillology.  Specifically, creating and designing flags is not vexillology.  But talking and writing about a newly designed flag flag is vexillology.  Likewise, the countless flag designs that become are not vexillology, until another person describes the flag: as within the descriptive-data collection field of vexillology.  It is a weird corner that the founder of vexillology has painted himself into and other would be vexillologists.

Further, Whitney Smith's fame as the founder of vexillology is critically dependent upon himself designing one particular flag... for Guyana.  Smith owes much of his gravitas and fame for not doing vexillology.  Ironically, the world remembers Whitney Smith best, for his non-vexilological work, which he himself does not consider to merit the inclusion within the definition of vexillology.

Smith's key footnote to world civilization is (from his perspective) as an artists, than as an academic.  The quandry for Smith is that he will always be best remembered as a vexillologist for a "non-vexillological achievement" as the primary flag designer for the nation of Guyana.  It seems quite illogical that excluding the creation of flags as a non-vexillological exercise.  Yet, Smith was able to recognize his own imperfections, he once stated it might have been a better idea to spelled this discipline as vexology or vexilology instead of vexillology.  Unto this day, vexillology catches flack from spell checks across the internet, as it is yet to be considered a real world by the matrix of machine mind, maybe a change in the spelling and definition of vexillology is in order?    

 

NAVA 54 Vexibit—Ted Kaye: A Rajneesh Flag from Oregon

Ted Kaye was personally given a flag from the Rajneeshi community of Oregon.  It has the iconic emblem of the red and white dive above a transitioning sun.  The background field is similar to the flag of Poland, but the red area is larger.

If you didn't know the Rajneesh community made headlines in 1981 to 1988 as an alternative and somewhat controversial experimental utopian community, that was derived from the culture of India.  The local US government had several issues with this American community tilted towards an India spiritual path, yet blended with new age ideals.  Unlike the tragedy of Waco, Texas with the Branch Davidians, bloodshed was averted.

The topic was of particular interest to Kaye, since the organization lived within his home state of Oregon.  Kaye is the primary author of Good Flag, Bad Flag.

He also expanded upon the wording of Bad Flag.  Bad Flag refers to 'Bad Flag Design' rather than a flag being bad or evil.  Thus Good Flag refers to good flag design, which is a flag that is recognizable and easy to determine from great distances.

NAVA 54, Vexitbit—Alex Gilkey: A New Kenyon Flag

Alex Gilkey presented a smooth version of the Kenyon College flag.  Kenyon College is a private Episcopal college located in Gambier, Ohio which is in the heart of Ohio near Columbus.  Gilkey proposed a streamlined armorial banner as a new flag for Kenyon College.   Currently, a blue flag with a white letter K represents the college in addition to a gold fringed flag with the coat of arms.

The shield was adopted in 1937 with the motto 'Valiantly Bear the Cross.'  There is an open book to represent learning.  Behind the book is a Bishop's staff.  The lower pattern represents Lord Kenyon's family coat of arms.   Also the crosses are indicative of Christianity.

Gilkey proposed a flag that is composed of the chevron with three white crosses.   It is a would be armorial banner for the Lord Kenyon. 

NAVA 54 Vexibit—Peter Loeser: A Blue Jay World Series Championship Flag 2015

Pete Loeser gave a delightful presentation about a mysterious Toronto Blue Jays flag.  Apparently in some other quantum universe the Toronto Blue Jays went on to win Baseball's World Series in 2015...not!

Loeser pointed out that flags are often made before the eggs have hatched.  Much like when Truman beat Dewey in 1948 for the US Presidential Election or more recently when Newsweek printed magazines touting that Hillary Clinton had won the 2016 US presidential election.

The Jays lost in the American League Championship to the Kansas City Royals.  Nonetheless, these erroneous flags were made and sold.

Make no mistake that in the future, persons will apply the Mandela Effect to this flag and assume that this flag represents a crossing over point, where in some other Universe the Jays win.

The most famous examples for the Mandela Effect include the spelling of the Bearstain Bears vs Bearstein Bears and whether or not standup comic Sinbad from Michigan was in a movie as the Genie Shazam.

For the record, the Jays lost to the Mets in 2015, and the Mets lost to the fairy tale winners of 2015, the Kansas City Royals.

Loeser's Website: http://www.loeser.us/flags 

#8. A Flag Incident in San Francisco—Jim Ferrigan

Jim Ferrigan replayed his award winning presentation about A Flag Incident in San Francisco in 1984.  Back in 1984 the Confederate flag flew along side several other flags at the San Francisco State House.  Attempts to get it removed peacefully were ignored, so a left leaning socialist group conducted a civil disobedient raid to remove the Confederate flag—which was a kin to the first version of the Confederate Naval Jack.

Many in the public do not realize that the popular Confederate flag is not the official flag of the Confederacy.  The popular Confederate flag is the de facto flag of the Confederacy and is usually associated with official battle flag of the Confederacy.  But this flag mostly closely resembles the second Naval Jack of the Confederacy. 

In 1984 Ritchie Bradly dressed in Northern Civil War attire and proceeded to take down the Confederate flag at the San Francisco State House.  You can see him standing in front of a reproduction of the  'Union Fort Sumter' flag of South Carolina, where the official start of the US Civil War began.

Richard Bradly was a part of a left-wing socialist organization.  His demonstration of active civil disobedience took place with supporters who wished to see the Confederate flag removed from the San Francisco public property and promote a worker's socialist agenda.  One banner reads: 'DOWN WITH THE CONFEDERATE FLAG OF SLAVERY & THE KKK!  LABOR BLACK LEAGUE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE!  Another banner reads: 'FINISH THE CIVIL WAR!  ONWARD TO A WORKERS STATE!'

You can see the flag being torn down by Dick Bradly.  He was later released and the drama continued with a new flag, and several others until it was finally replaced.  The Confederate flag was one of many that represented the heritage of California.

Although the Confederacy never saw any military action or gained traction in California, other nation states were able to make an impact on California that would have made a better replacement like the Russian-American Company due to the colony at Ft. Ross; or the Argentina flag when Hippolyte Bochard occupied Monterey in 1818.  There was also the early US occupation of California in 1842 when Catesby Jones seized Monterey, when the US only had 26 states.

#7. Neḥushtan at Sea: What is Fouling that Anchor?—Bard Cosman

Bard Cosman gave a fascinating paper on the icon of the fouled anchor.  He ascribed it to Biblical origins.  A popular design for flags and in heraldry is a snake on an anchor. Cosman described its connections and symbolism, that can swing between being a rope and being a snake.

Cosman showed us several examples of the snake on the cross or staff, which was known as the Brazen serpent or nehushtan. Although snakes and serpents are associated with evil it is quite ironic that this symbol has also become a symbol of good, almost like a Yin and Yang.

 Below Cosman showed us an illustration of the Anchor and it use as printer's marks as the 'Sacred Anchor' of Christ.