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Russian-American Company

by gerard van der vaart 19-MAR-1996.

RAC flag description

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RAC flag description

This is one of the many variants of the flag of the Russian-American Company that set up forts and trading posts on the Pacific Coast of North America in the early 19th century up to the time the United States bought Alaska from the Tsar in 1867. I don't know how much the actual flag of the Company varied during its use in the 1800's, but modern reproductions differ quite a bit. All have a wide white stripe over the blue and red stripes. In some the eagle is centered on the flag, in others it is centered on the white stripe, in yet others it is offset to the hoist as in the example abowe. I understand that there is at least one surviving example in Moscow, and the legend on the ribbon reads "of the Russian-American Company."

I own a 3 foot by 5 foot cotton reproduction of this flag where the eagle is centered on the white stripe and there is no ribbon at all.

nick artimovich 20-MAR-1996