Victorian Painted Silk Barge Pennant – Talbot Coat of Arms, 1877

A large and impressive Victorian painted silk ceremonial barge pennant displaying the armorial bearings of Edward Talbot, featuring a rampant lion beneath a lion crest and the French motto “Prest d’Accomplir” (“Ready to Accomplish”). The arms are set against a crimson silk ground with richly painted scrolling foliage and decorative borders.

Painted on both sides, the pennant retains its original burgundy and yellow fringe to three sides together with its burgundy wool hoist edge.

This example was presented to the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights by Edward Talbot, who served as Master of the Company from 1869 to 1870, and was donated in 1877 as part of the Company’s long-standing tradition of commissioning heraldic barge pennants bearing the arms of its Masters and distinguished members.

A rare survivor of Victorian ceremonial heraldry, combining historical significance with exceptional decorative appeal.

Condition: General staining and wear commensurate with age, together with areas of paint loss, as expected from a ceremonial silk banner of this period.

From a collection of Victorian painted silk barge pennants presented to the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights. Other related examples are available separately.

H: 180.5cm (71.1″)W: 198cm (78″)