^{This page is part of © FOTW Flags Of The World website}

Argo (German Shipping Company)

Argo Dampfschifffahrts Gesellschaft

image by Jorge Candeias

Argo
Argo variant

See also:

Argo

Argo. Originated 1872 as Argo Dampfschiffahrts Gesellschaft, based in Bremen, also shown later as Argo A.G., merging 1933 with Hanseatische Roland and "Seefahrt" Dampfschiffahrts Reederei A.G. to form Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Söhne which appears to have ceased trading in the 1990s. The Argo flag was retained throughout.
Neale Rosanoski, 3 Jan 2003

Early 20th Century sources show it as Argo Dampfschiffahrts Gesellschaft, then as Argo Reederei A.G. before becoming Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Co. in 1933 following a merger with two other companies, all being associated with Norddeutscher Lloyd. This company lasted until the early 1990s with the same flag being used throughout.
Neale Rosanoski, 13 Oct 2004

Argo variant

image by Ivan Sache, 8 Apr 2008

This is the firm’s website, click on the waving flag to enter, i.e. Argo Shipping GmbH, Bremen. The poster on the right of the page which appears next is clickable and as you can see, this is the source of the flag drawn on the left of the page (‘ARGO Reederei Richard Adler & Co. Bremen’).

I am not so much concerned with the shape of the star though. The poster is obviously not recent and the star on FOTW-ws is the one used on funnels nowadays and, moreover, backed up by Josef Nuesse. So the star has evolved over time. What is more surprising: the star near the hoist rather than in the middle, as shown in the on-line 1912 Lloyds Flags and Funnels, no. 187, i.e. ‘“Argo” Dampfschiffahrts Gesellschaft, Bremen’ (“Argo” Steam Navigation Company, Bremen).

It looks odd, a star adrift (not securely roped?). On the other hand, this may have been the original version?
Jan Mertens, 13 Jun 2005