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Tønsberg

Norway

Status
1925 City Flag

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Status

In a group of Norway regional and local flags I found two flags not identified. They are in pattern similar to the regional flags but include in the group of local flags. Tønsberg: horizontal red, white, blue, white, red (circa 4:1:4:1:4).
Jaume Ollé 16 January 1997

I called the administration in Tønsberg to ask. They said that the city does not have a flag. They use a circular emblem that is not heraldically correct, and thus not officially approved. This emblem is not used on flags.

I do not know what the R-W-B-W-R pattern referred to by Jaume could be - it would look much like a variation on the national flag of Norway without the cross. Such designs are sometimes used for decorations - you can hang such banners in ways not acceptable for the national flag.
Jan Oskar Engene, 17 January 1997

1925 City Flag

In my old hometown of Tønsberg, I was asked to write a piece for a local newspaper on the question of a city flag, and had the occasion to look into matter in the local library. What I have found out so far was that the city had used a flag in 1925 and a short while following this, and a hanging in its 1100 years celebration in 1971. The latter was divided vertically blue/white, with the older city seal from the 13-century (castle on hill above boat on sea with inscription around, which is the COA of Tønsberg today) in the middle. The former was horizontally divided blue-white-blue with the proportions 1.3:1, and a ending in a shallow swallowtail (quite possibly as in the signal flag for Alfa and Bravo, Tønsberg being a very maritime city).The colours was taken from the younger seal/arms of the city, from 1610 (castle with three towers). The BWB flag is not striking in its originality, !!
Knut A. Berg, 22 July 1998