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Erroneous flags from trading cards, etc. (Australia)

Australia (c. 1897!)
South Australia (American Tobacco Company c. 1908)
Victoria (American Tobacco Company c. 1910)

See also:

Australia

image by Zach Harden, 1 Jan 2005

These cigarette packs are from before Australian nationhood. [Others in the series included accurate renditions of flags of USA, Saxony and the Roman States of the time (Pres. Cleveland, Pope Leo XIII, King Albert)]
Mark Sizemore, 31 December 2004

Click here for a picture of the cigarette pack. (24KB)

If this was done near the end of President Cleveland's mandate (1897) at which time the other 2 (Leo XIII and King Albert) were also in power, the presence of "Australia" can be explain by the fact that the federation movement had already called 2 conventions so the creation of a united Australia was probably seen as a de facto entity.

As for what kind of flag it is, I think it simply is a "place holder" one. It doesn't look anything like the federation movement flag but rather is a simplified banner of arms. The COA on which it is based seem to be inspired by the New South Wales' one.
Marc Pasquin, 1 January 2005

This erroneous Australian flag from a 19th-century trading card is dated c. 1897. However, the date is actually 1888 and the card is
one in the series produced by W. Duke Sons & Co, as shown here: http://www.heraldikasrbija.com/galerija/main.php?g2_itemId=4748 (no longer available).

Each of the cards shows rulers, arms and flags of four countries. For Australia, whose name is erroneously replaced with that of Wales, the Prince of Wales is shown in place of the ruler, which might be what caused the above error. The flag design is clearly derived from the accompanied coat of arms. (This brings a new question - about the origin of the blazon.)
Tomislav Todorovic, 10 April 2013

South Australia

image contributed by Jan Mertens, 28 Sep 2005

This picture of the "South Australia" flag from http://jgshow.com/item.html?id=21 looks rather Hawaiian to me!

Caption:

"Cigar Felt South Australia Flag c1908

(...)

These cigar felts or blanket issues as they were known were given away with tobacco products, usually cigars, by the American Tobacco Company in the early part of the last century. This one is ten and one half by seven and one quarter inches and is in mint condition. It depicts the flag of South Australia, which is now a state of the modern country of Australia. Priced at $10."

Jan Mertens, 28 September 2005

Barring a huge mistake, the only I could think of to explain this flag would be a confusion with the Murray River ensign.
Marc Pasquin, 28 September 2005

Note also that in 1908, SA was already a state of the Commonwealth of Australia.
Jonathan Dixon, 29 September 2005

Victoria

image by Al Fisher Jr, 4 July 1997

This image is from trading cards manufactured by the American Tobacco Company circa 1910. I'm not sure if at least one of these (Victoria) existed. Unfortunately, I don't have the proper reference material at home to check it out.
Al Fisher, Jr., 4 July 1997

See: Victoria