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image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 29 January 2008
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Text and image(s) from American City Flags, Raven 9-10 (2002-2003), courtesy of the North American Vexillological Association, which retains copyright. Image(s) from American City Flags by permission of David B. Martucci.
Baltimore’s flag is heraldic in design. The ordinance of adoption describes it:
The Flag shall be of the Lord Baltimore colors, to wit: black and gold, heraldically arranged as in his armorial bearings, that is to say, paly of six pieces, Or and Sable, a bend counterchanged; and superimposed thereon, as an augmentation of honor, a shield, Sable, bordered, or, charged with the Battle Monument argent, in memory of the Defenders of Baltimore during the War of 1812-14.In non-heraldic language, the field of the flag is divided into six equal vertical stripes, alternating from the hoist gold and black. From the top of the hoist to the bottom of the fly is a diagonal stripe (the same width as the vertical stripes) that reverses the colors, beginning with black. Overlaying the center is a heraldic shield with a black field bordered in gold. The center of the shield depicts Baltimore’s Battle Monument in white. The ordinance specifies that on a flag of 6 by 9 feet, the shield is two feet six inches wide by three feet and three-eighths of an inch high.
The flag commission, consisting of Judge Henry
Stockbridge, Mr. Carroll Lucas, Mr. Wilbur F. Coyle, and Mrs. Hester
Dorsey Richardson.
John M Purcell, American City Flags,
Raven
9-10,
2002-2003
In 1898 the cruiser Baltimore, at Manila in the Philippines, flew a flag consisting of a blue field charged with Baltimore's Battle Monument in white, encircled by a wreath in green. On a canton was the Calvert shield with the motto of Maryland. (Baltimore Sunday Sun, 14 Feb 1915).
Bob Barnes (reference archivist at Maryland State Archives), 9 January 1998
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 29 January 2008
For some time before the present flag was adopted the city used a banner Azure, charged with the Battle Monument Argent (Baltimore News, 7 June 1915).
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 29 January 2008
The flag aroused a controversy over whether it was heraldically correct to place a Sable inescutcheon on a Sable field. A letter was written to the College of Arms in London, and Keith W. Murray, Portcullis Pursuivant, replied that the flag was heraldically correct since the field was party Or and Sable; thus the tincture rule was not violated. Mr. Murray added that since the orle had no diminutive, it might be better to change the inescutcheon to Azure (The Baltimore News, 3 Dec 1914; Baltimore Sunday Sun, 16 May 1915).
Bob Barnes (reference archivist at Maryland State Archives), 9 January 1998
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 29 January 2008
Two other designs had been submitted to the Municipal Flag Commission, and Pursuivant Murray pronounced them both heraldically correct. Clayton C. Hall proposed the flag should be; Azure, a representation of the Battle Monument Argent, on a canton the Calvert Arms.
Bob Barnes (reference archivist at Maryland State Archives), 9 January 1998
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 29 January 2008
R. H. Spencer proposed: Paly of six Or and Sable, a bend counterchanged, and on a quarter Azure, the Battle Monument (Baltimore Sunday Sun, 16 May 1915).
Bob Barnes (reference archivist at Maryland State Archives), 9 January 1998
image by Rob Raeside, 21 August 2014
From American City Flags:
"From about the turn of the 20th century, Baltimore used a blue banner with the Battle Monument in white. One early
version also included a wreath of green around the Battle Monument, perhaps the inspiration for the wreath suggested by the flag commission."
Ben Cahoon, 21 August 2014
image by António Martins-Tuválkin, 28 January 2008
Battle Monument
image located by Dave Fowler, 23 April 2017
Source:
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2668/3774663087_7e55d519a5.jpg
Dave
Fowler, 23 April 2017
image located by Paul Bassinson, 25 February 2021
An image of the flag of the Baltimore City Fire Department obtained from
https://www.facebook.com/BaltimoreFire/photos/10157924878145839 shows it is
dark blue with the badge centered.
Paul Bassinson, 25 February 2021
An alternate view of the flag of the Baltimore City Fire Department can be
seen at
https://www.facebook.com/BaltimoreFire/photos/10158108227870839
Dave
Fowler, 25 February 2021
by Rick Wyatt, 22 May 1997
1997 Orioles Team Flag
by Rick Wyatt, 14 January 1999
1998 Orioles Team Flag
These commercially sold flags are simply LOBs, the current logo on a background.
Rick Wyatt, 22 May 1997