In 2018, part of a Union flag said to be flown from Nelson’s ship, sold at auction for £297,000. The fragment dating from circa 1801-1805, measured a mere 36″ x 34″ and is believed to be either from the bottom right, or the top left section of the Union that was placed on Nelson’s coffin.
The piece was made up of hand-woven red, white and blue fabric and the separate sections were all hand-stitched together. It must have taken many hours of work to produce as the Union is a complicated flag to make, even with today’s electric sewing machines.