Antique British Music or Choral Procession Banners Orford Castle Suffolk

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Late 19th- or early 20th-century British music choral or procession banners feature the heraldic blazon of Orford Castle in Suffolk. … Read more Late 19th- or early 20th-century British music choral or procession banners feature the heraldic blazon of Orford Castle in Suffolk. Each fabric banner features extensive appliqué hand-stitching creating its imagery, border, and acronym.

Both banners feature a royal blue background, a grey-and-black checked border, and secondary colors of pumpkin orange and teal. Both banners are backed with teal fabric and hang from painted white wooden rods with brass finials on the ends.

The slightly larger leading banner features a harp entwined with foliage in a William Morris aesthetic. The Orford Castle blazon sits above the harp and below the letters SMCF, and three tassels hang from the lower border. It currently hangs from a black cord.

The slightly smaller banner features two musicians in medieval dress, one playing a large standing harp and another playing a somewhat clarinet-shaped horn instrument. The Orford Castle blazon is repeated below the musicians, and SMCF floats above them on a teal banner, while a single tassel hangs from the tip of the banner. A hand-stitched maker's label reads 'Warner Banner' on the back side. It currently hangs from a piece of wire.

These banners were purchased at an auction in Diss, South Norfolk, in the 1990s. While the exact date, purpose, and association of these banners remain a mystery, our research has pointed to some probable origins. The heraldic blazon represents Orford Castle in Orford, Suffolk. The initials SMCF could stand for Saint Mary's Choral Fellowship, Saint Mary's Choral Festival, Suffolk Music and Choral Festival, Fraternity, or something similar. The 'Warner Banner' label suggests that the banners may have been commissioned from Warner & Sons, a British Textile manufacturer founded in 1870, best known for weaving coronation robes for British royal coronations, including Edward VII and Elizabeth II. The banners were likely made for a Regional Deanery or Festival Choir in the late 19th or early 20th century, where surrounding chapel groups, fellowships, and fraternities gathered together to march in massive county-wide processions across Suffolk and Norfolk.

Please note: Dimensions provided do NOT include the tassels, rods, or hanging chord/wire. They only represent the height and width of the fabric banners themselves. The larger one measures 37" x 26" and the smaller measures 35" x 26". See less