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Dictionary of Vexillology: C (Carbuncle - Ceremony of Consecration)

On this page:

CARBUNCLE
CARNATION
CAR FLAG (or PENNANT)
CARROCERUM (CARROCIUM or CARROCIUS)
CARTEL FLAG
CARTOUCHE
CASE(D)
CASKET FLAG
CASTING THE COLOURS
CATERFOIL
CAVALIER (or CAVALIER’S) CROSS
CELTIC CROSS
CENDAL
CENDRÉE
CENTRAL SPAN
CENTRED (or CENTERED)
CENTRED (CENTERED or CENTRED/CENTERED UPRIGHT) CROSS
CEREMONIAL ENSIGN
CEREMONIAL FLAG (or BANNER)
CEREMONIAL STANDARD
CEREMONIAL STATE ENSIGN
CEREMONY OF COLOURS (or COLORS)
CEREMONY OF CONSECRATION

CARBUNCLE

See ‘escarbuncle’.

(Parker and CS)

CARNATION

See ‘shades of tincture’ in ‘Appendix III’.

CAR FLAG (or PENNANT)

1) Specifically a flag or pennant, sometimes in metal or other non-flexible material, designed specifically to be flown from a car – an automobile or vehicular flag.
2) Generically the term may include any flag that is flown from a motor vehicle (see also ‘fanion 2)’).

Car Flag, Regional President and Ministers, Catalonia, Spain (fotw; Car Flag, Ministers and State Secretaries, Bavaria Germany (fotw); Car Pennant, General officer, Germany 1941– 45 (fotw)

Notes
a) With regard to 1), the practice of flying a car flag or pennant was previously (usually but not exclusively) limited to that carrying a head of state, government official or military officer. Whilst these were formerly sometimes flown from the radiator cap, a car flag is now more usually seen on the right front fender, wing/mudguard (or often on both front fenders) but there is a suggestion that the two positions might also previously have indicated differences in the rank of the occupant.
b) With regard to 2), the practice has arisen whereby such flags are available as sports flags or may also be displayed by a funeral cortege, and that the former are usually flown from a clip-on, window mounted staff, or from the radio antenna (see also ‘funeral flags’, ‘sports flag 1)’ and ‘sports flag 2)’ ).

CARROCERUM (CARROCIUM or CARROCIUS)

An alternative medieval term, now obsolete, for the cart upon which the standard was placed (see also ‘altema’, ‘gajardus’ and ‘standard 6)’).

CARTEL FLAG

In obsolete UK, US and some other usage, a flag or one of a pair of flags, that mark a vessel involved in the exchange of prisoners (see also ‘flag of truce’).

Please note, an agreement between the United States and Great Britain in 1813 laid down that the cartel vessels of each country should wear their respective national ensigns at the stern, that both should wear a plain white flag at the fore whilst each should carry their opponent’s ensign at the main, and evidence suggests that this was a confirmation of contemporary (that is early-19th Century) practice (see also ‘fore’ and ‘main’).

Flags of a British Cartel Vessel Vessel during the War of 1812 (CS & fotw)

CARTOUCHE

1) In heraldry, an oval escutcheon often used (but not exclusively so) by Italian clergymen (see also ‘escutcheon’).

2) On flags as above, and a term that now covers a usually (but not invariably) oval plaque or frame, generally containing heraldic insignia, and occasionally a date or motto (see also ‘motto’ and ‘ring’).

From left: Detail, Spain (CS); A Flag for Generals at Sea 1649 - 1653, England (CS); Andorra (fotw)

CASE(D)

1) A narrow sleeve-like sack, usually of some decorative, waterproof, material used in order to protect a regimental, unit, service or national colour (or occasionally a parade flag) when outdoors and furled (see also ‘colour 2)’ ‘flag case 2)’, and ‘furl(ed) and ‘parade flag 2)’).

2) (v) The act of placing the furled colour or parade flag into its case (see also ‘lodging’ and ‘uncase(d)’).

(3) (adj) The term used when that colour or parade flag has been placed into its case, and/or when it is so carried.

CASKET FLAG

See ‘pall flag’.

(flagstuff.com)

CASTING THE COLOURS

See flag tossing’.

CATERFOIL

See ‘quatrefoil 2)’.

Flag of Hottingen, Switzerland (fotw)

CAVALIER (or CAVALIER’S) CROSS

See ‘cross pattée’ in ‘appendix VIII’.

Flag of Poltava, Ukraine (fotw)

CELTIC CROSS

The term for a cross used by the ancient Celtic church (and now by a number of neo-nazi movements) that does not usually reach the edges of a shield, canton, panel or flag, but which is displayed with a ring or annulet crossing all four arms - but see ‘sun cross’ (also ‘cross 2)’ and ‘ring 1)’).

Stiùbhart's Pan-Celtic flag, UK (fotw); Flag of the Church in Wales (fotw); Flag of the Ultra-Nationalist Movement, France (fotw)

CENDAL

See ‘sendal’.

CENDRÉE

See ‘shades of tincture’ in ‘Appendix III’.

CENTRAL SPAN

The central line upon which signal flags are displayed when a vessel is dressed overall - see ‘dressing lines’, ‘dress ship, to 1)’ and ‘dress ship, to 4)’.

CENTRED (or CENTERED)

The term used when a charge is set in the geometric or visual centre of a flag or the panel it occupies – see ‘visual centre’ (also ‘inset’, ‘off-set towards’ and ‘off-centred’).

CENTRED (CENTERED or CENTRED/CENTERED UPRIGHT) CROSS

See ‘cross 1)’ (also ‘centred’ above).

Flag of Zwolle, The Netherlands (fotw)

CEREMONIAL ENSIGN

An ensign flown by naval ships and over naval or military establishments on Sundays or days of national or service celebration (see also ‘Sunday ensign’ and ‘garrison flag’).

Please note that this term does not refer to flags used on parade or those made for indoor display, but to flags and ensigns that are identical with their everyday equivalents except for size and/or care of manufacture (see also ‘parade flag’ and ‘indoor flag’).

CEREMONIAL FLAG (or BANNER)

1) In largely (but not exclusively) East, Central and South European usage, a term employed to describe those national or sub-national flags that are for parade use or display on occasions of local or military significance, and which are often a gonfalon or a more elaborate form of the normal flag – a festive banner or flag (see also ‘banner 4)’, ‘gonfalon’, ‘official flag 2)’, ‘state service flag’, ‘paradeflag 1)’ and ‘sub-national flag’).

2) See ‘ceremonial standard’ below.

National Flag and Ceremonial Banner of Ecuador (fotw); Flag and Ceremonial Flag of Malopolska, Poland (fotw); Flag and Ceremonial Flag of Albufeira, Portugal (fotw and Portuguese Wikipedia)

Notes
a) With regard to 1), not to be confused with a “flag of ceremony” (the Spanish bandera de ceremonia) which is designed for exclusively indoor use – see ‘indoor flag’.
b) With regard to 1), that in East and Central European usage the ceremonial flag of a community is often created as a unique flag – see ‘unique flag’.

CEREMONIAL STANDARD

A term for the standard, or flag, flown on royal ceremonial occasions in (as far as can be discovered) Kelantan, Malaysia in place of the individual standards of any royal family member present (see also ‘royal standard 1)’, ‘royal standard 2)’ and ‘standard 1)’).

Ceremonial Standard of Kelantan, Malaysia (fotw)

CEREMONIAL STATE ENSIGN

A term for the ensign, possibly obsolete, flown (in place of a standard state ensign) on ceremonial state occasions by government entities at sea (see also ‘government ensign’ under ‘ensign’).

Please note that, as far as can be discovered, Johore, Malaysia is the only country which may currently still use such a flag.

Ceremonial State Ensign, Johore, Malaysia (fotw)

CEREMONY OF COLOURS (or COLORS)

See ‘colours 5)’

Naval Ensign, South Africa (fotw)

CEREMONY OF CONSECRATION

See ‘consecration’.

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