August Bolten Wm. Miller’s Nachfolger — historical variants

Until about 1912 the flag was red with white serifed “AB”. Rosanoski considers Schneider’s rendering too broad in the letters compared with Meyer, Mathies and Loughran. It was used for sailing ships; earlier steamships are presumed to explain the funnel, which Mitchell says continued with one or more free-flag companies.

The later design can be read as a red frame and saltire, or, as Rosanoski prefers, a red field with white border and a white cross paty, overlaid by a white disc within a black ring bearing black “B”. Sources vary in border, red-device and panel width; Mobil makes the panel nearly fill the field. B14 is an alternative funnel, and Ships & The Sea 1936 records the device on black without specifying panel or band. Rosanoski doubts that all drawing differences represent actual company variants.

Jordan and the 1942 sources give both funnels. Jordan’s alternative description—house flag on a white band on black—is not clear.

ABC describes a black funnel with black “B” on a red-bordered white panel; Rosanoski assumes this refers to B436.

Elisabeth Bolten in November 2006 confirms B437. Nüsse’s specimen has narrow red elements and elongated proportions, recorded as 131:235; Candeias describes approximately 5:9 rather than 2:3. The red border equals the outer white border in thickness, while the saltire is much narrower, about the thickness of the black ring. Rosanoski finds this variant supported by an actual-flag photograph.

The website-based account describes white with a red border edged white, a red St. Andrew’s cross, and a central white disc outlined black with a capital “B”.

Later website and Louisa Bolten evidence indicate removal of the outer white border. Elisabeth Bolten still flew the bordered flag in November 2006, while Louisa Bolten showed the unbordered form in July 2010, also reflected on funnels. Paros supplies the B832 funnel photograph; Sophie Bolten shows a conventional 3:2 panel. Another website presents an apparently truncated flag version.

Source-dependent proportions and dates remain; B436 description is qualified.