Large fabric Greek flag. Depicts the blue and white official Greek flag. On one side there is trim with a thick piece of rope used to hang or fly the flag. Black thread and white thread are both used throughout the fabric. The white of the flag has faded and stained into yellow. A tag on one of the edges gives the manufacturer: Elias Kokonis, Athens.

Found in collections
Elias Kokonis started an umbrella business in 1887 in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire (Turkey today). In May of 1919 during WWI and the Greek Occupation Elias started secretly making flags to support his heritage, and business started booming. By 1922 the Turks took back over control and Elias and his family were forced to flea with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Once settled in Athens, Greece Elias reopened his shop from scratch in 1927. Today his granddaughter Eleni Kokonis runs the shop and they sell trades flags, flagpoles, banners, trophies, medals, and umbrellas. They make over 200 different countries flags. (Notes from Despina Pavlaki reporter for Athens News, article date March 29,2010).Today it owns one manufacturing facility in Aharnes, Attiki and three stores in the greater Athens area.

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