Spain, Transition Period. A Standard of Francisco Franco’s Political Testament c.1975

A very rare official standard from the Spanish transition period, containing the political testament of General Francisco Franco where Prince Juan Carlos was proclaimed his successor as the new King of Spain. Featuring a screen-printed in white, black and yellow inks on a red base, the standard is made out of silk, framed by yellow sewn threads and attached on the top to a hanger and cordon for suspension. The front displays stamped symbols of the Fascist Spain; the top shows a Spanish coat of arms with typical Franco’s black eagle, flanked by two Falange symbols, the base displays a heraldic shield of Castile, presenting a white ornamented centre with Franco's political will which was read by the then Head of Government Mr. Carlos Arias Navarro on November 20, 1975 through Spanish television. The testament thanks to those who collaborated with the national cause during Franco’s government, and also invites to the Spanish people to keep unity and peace under the rule of the future King of Spain Don Juan Carlos de Borbón. The reverse displays a yellow Spanish cypher from Franco’s period, with the maker’s label of IRUPE, Madrid, measuring 315 mm (w) x 405 mm (h), presenting minor frayed yellow frame, with one side of the hanger loose from the cordon and minor faded white and yellow colors, otherwise very fine condition.

Footnote: The Spanish transition to democracy, a.k.a the Spanish transition, was a period that started on 20 November 1975, when Francisco Franco passed away, and ended with the first peaceful general election where the Spanish Socialist Workers Party won in 1982. Francisco Franco came to power in 1939, following the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), and ruled as a dictator until his death in 1975. In 1969, he designated Prince Juan Carlos, the grandson of Spain's most recent king, Alfonso XIII, as his official successor. Once in power as King of Spain, however, he facilitated the development of a constitutional monarchy.