Search Results for: feather

Feather

Feather (Period)

Feather (Period)

A feather is one of the growths covering a bird’s wings and body; it consists of a quill or central shaft with a flat leaf-like surface growing from it.   It is also termed a “plume”, though this term is usually reserved for ostrich tail feathers; some authors would define a “plume” as a bunch of ostrich feathers, so it is best to be specific.

The feather is sometimes misblazoned a “quill” or a “quill pen”.  Strictly speaking, the quill is the central shaft of the feather, and the quill pen is a quill with its end carved into a nib.  These distinctions are often blurred in Society heraldry, and the terms are close to synonymous in practice.  It is still best to use the correct term.

In mundane heraldry, the default feather is an ostrich plume, as in the “shield for peace” of Edward the Black Prince, c.1350 [HB 152]; the Society’s default feather is a more generic shape, such as a goose feather (as in the illustration).  It is palewise by default, with the quill point to base.

For related charges, see pen, plumetty.  See also leaf, quill of yarn.

Antoine de Breton bears:  Quarterly gules and purpure, a feather bendwise Or.

Adelicia Marie d’Argent bears:  Argent, a sheaf of three peacock feathers proper, tied Or.

Salina of the Dale bears:  Gules, two merlin feathers in pile, points crossed in nombril point argent.

This entry was posted on January 27, 2014, in .

Zither

Zither (Accepted)

Zither (Accepted)

Hammered dulcimer (Accepted)

Hammered dulcimer (Accepted)

The zither is a stringed musical instrument, or rather, a family of instruments, with strings stretched over a flat shallow box.  Unlike the harp, the strings were not free-standing; and unlike the lyre, the zither had no yoke.  It differed from the psaltery in that the strings’ notes were determined, not by their length, but by frets, bridges, or finger pressure; it could be played by strumming, plucking with a plectrum, or striking with hammers.  Though a period instrument, we’ve found no examples of the zither in medieval heraldry.

One form of zither (in a sense, the generic zither) is a long slender soundbox with three or four strings; it’s found in a fresco in the church of Rynkeby, Denmark, c.1560 [Grove 27:858].  This form evolved into the Swiss “scheitholt”, described in Praetorius’ Syntagma Musica, 1619, and the more ornate “epinette des Vosges” of France, post-period – and eventually to the modern “Appalachian dulcimer”, so-called though not actually a dulcimer.  The modern forms are no longer registerable, pending documentation.

The “dulcimer”, in its true sense, is a specific form of zither, a broad box with many strings.  It’s a period instrument, shown in a Flemish painting Mary Queen of Heaven c.1485 [Remnant 117].  In period, the dulcimer was always played by hammering; in modern parlance, it’s best to blazon it fully as a “hammered dulcimer”.

All zithers are shown with the strings facing the viewer by default; when blazoned “proper”, they are of brown wood.  No heraldic difference is granted between the various kinds of medieval zither.

Miriel d’Estoile bears:  Per bend argent and azure, a compass star azure and in bend a feather argent and a fretted zither Or.

Cadwan Galwiddoe of Redmarch bears:  Gules, on a bend between two mullets of eight points argent, a ram’s-headed scheitholt sable, detailed gules.

Dulcinea Margarita Teresa Velasquez de Ribera bears as a badge:  A hammered dulcimer Or.

This entry was posted on June 8, 2014, in .

Wing

Wing (Period)

Wing (Period)

Wings are those limbs of a flying creature that provide the lifting force.  Those of birds are feathered, those of bats membranous; the feathered wing is the default type, to be used unless otherwise specified.  All wings are displayed by default.
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A wing may be used as a single charge; this usage dates from c.1295, in the English arms of Peek [ANA2 556].  Both dexter wings and sinister wings are found in period armory.  The mundane default has varied between countries and times; the Society default is the dexter wing. 
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Wing terminating in a hand, sustaining a sword fesswise reversed (Period)

Wing terminating in a hand, sustaining a sword fesswise reversed (Period)

Issuant from a sinister wing, a hand maintaining a sword (Period)

Issuant from a sinister wing, a hand maintaining a sword (Period)

In German heraldry, the single wing may “terminate in a hand” (often maintaining a sword, as in the illustration), with the hand opposite the wing’s severed end; it’s found in the arms of the Dukes of Calabria, 1413 [Conz.Const. xcviii].  This is distinguished in blazon from a hand or claw “issuant from a wing”, where the hand issues from the wing’s severed end; it’s found in the arms of the Marquis de Vilena, c.1370 [Gelre 62v].  (There is also an example of a wing terminating in an eagle’s head, in the arms of von Ernberg, 1605 [Siebmacher 103].)  These variations are always blazoned.
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Vol, or pair of wings conjoined (Period)

Vol, or pair of wings conjoined (Period)

Pair of wings conjoined in lure (Period)

Pair of wings conjoined in lure (Period)

Wings are also found in pairs, with a dexter and a sinister wing, frequently conjoined.  (The difference is subtly blazoned:  two separate, dexter wings would be blazoned “two wings”, while a dexter wing and a sinister wing would be “a pair of wings”.)  This usage dates from c.1285, in the arms of Derneford [ANA2 555].

A pair of wings may be conjoined: this was considered artist’s license, as the same arms could be drawn either with the wings conjoined or separate. A pair of wings displayed and conjoined may also be blazoned a “vol”, the French term for the motif; this is seen in the arms of von Hohenfels, 1606 [Siebmacher 140]. If the conjoined wings are displayed with tips inverted, they are known as “wings conjoined in lure”, as in the arms of Jane Seymour, d.1537 [Woodcock & Robinson pl.19].

Finally, of Society-unique charges, we find the “set of seraph’s wings”:  six wings conjoined, arranged as if attached to a seraph.

Bat’s wings are much less common in medieval armory than bird’s wings:  Your Author knows but a single example, the badge of Daubeney, Earl of Bridgewater, d.1548 [HB 81].  For related charges, see lure.

The Baron of the Angels bears as a badge:  A set of seraph’s wings Or.

The College of Cathanar bears:  Vert, a sinister hawk’s wing argent and in canton a laurel wreath Or.

Matill of Windkeep bears:  Purpure, three sinister wings argent.

Brioc Morcannuc bears:  Azure, a vol Or.

Herman Mandel bears:  Barry and per pale sable and Or, a wing terminating in a hand maintaining a sword all within a bordure gules.

Etienne Michel de Calais bears:  Argent, in pale three pairs of bat-wings conjoined gules.

Gustavus von Goslar bears:  Or, an eagle’s dexter wing terminating in an eagle’s head sinister facing sable, a chief rayonny gules.

This entry was posted on June 8, 2014, in .

Vulture

Vulture (Period)

Vulture (Period)

The vulture is a carrion-eating bird, whose medieval reputation was for greediness and gluttony.  It’s characterized by the lack of feathers on its face.  The vulture was also called a “gripe” in period blazon [Bossewell II.118].  It’s a period charge, found in the canting arms (German Geier) of Geyer von Osterberg, 1605 [Siebmacher 34].  The vulture is close by default.

The vulture should be drawn as the European form of the bird, and not as the buzzard of the New World.  The latter is deemed a step from period practice.  For related charges, see eagle.

Serlo of Litchfield bears:  Gyronny gules and Or, a vulture close sable.

Edvard Gayer bears:  Argent, two vultures rising respectant, wings inverted and addorsed, a chief engrailed sable.

This entry was posted on June 8, 2014, in .

Tub

Tub (Period)

Tub (Period)

Bathtub (Period)

Bathtub (Period)

A tub is a wide, low vessel, made of wooden staves or metal; it was usually used for washing, either clothes or persons; in essence, it’s the lower half of an upright barrel.  Tubs are period charges, found in the allusive arms of von Wasserburg, c.1340 [Zurich 371]; a form of tub with handles is found in the arms of Mastellizi, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 269].

There is also the “bath tub”, specifically for washing people.  This too turns out to be a period charge, in arms of von Suls or Sulz, c.1340 [Zurich 89].  For related charges, see bucket.

The Province of Caldarium bears:  Or, on a wooden tub between two peacock feathers crossed in base proper, a laurel wreath Or.

Jorunn Eydisardottir bears:  Vert, a tub Or and a ford proper.

Mariah Stern bears:  Azure mullety Or, in pale a rainbow proper and a bath tub Or.

This entry was posted on June 5, 2014, in .

Snowflake

Snowflake (Disallowed)

Snowflake (Disallowed)

A snowflake is a single crystal of snow, feathery and six-pointed.  Snowflakes were once registered in Society armory, but as they aren’t found in period armory, they are no longer permitted.  See also escarbuncle.

The Baron of Nordskogen bears:  Azure semy of snowflakes argent, in canton a laurel wreath Or.

Trista de Winter bears:  Per pale sable and argent, in pale two snowflakes azure.

This entry was posted on June 3, 2014, in .

Simurgh

Simurgh (probable SFPP)

Simurgh (SFPP)

The simurgh is a fabulous bird of Persian legend, a repository of wisdom.  It is distinguished by its long tail feathers, and for that reason may also be blazoned a “Persian peacock”.  This form of the simurgh dates from the 14th Century, in the Shahnama (Book of Kings); it seems to have derived from the senmurv of the 7th Century, and many modern sources equate the two.  The legends give the simurgh some of the qualities of the roc (enormous size) and the phoenix (immortality, wisdom); it may have been the precursor of the Russian firebird.

As an heraldic charge, the simurgh is unique to Society armory; its use carries a step from period practice.  It doesn’t seem to have a default posture; the illustration shows a simurgh close.

Meara al-Isfahani bears:  Or, a simurgh displayed gules within a bordure engrailed sable.

Helena de Argentoune bears:  Per bend sable and gules, a simurgh volant bendwise Or.

Tavia of Persia bears:  Azure, a simurgh close Or.

This entry was posted on June 3, 2014, in .

Shackle

Shackle (Period)

Shackle (Period)

Shacklebolt (Period)

Shacklebolt (Period)

A shackle is a lockable restraint for the wrist (where it may also be called a “manacle”) or for the ankle (where it may also be called a “cuff”).  A single shackle (manetta in Italian) is a period charge, found in the canting arms of de Manetis, mid-15th C. [Triv 218].  In English armory, there is also the “shacklebolt”, a pair of shackles joined by a short solid bar; it was the badge of Percy, Earl of Northumberland, d.1527 [Walden 258; HB 129], and found in the arms of Fenrother, Sheriff of London, 1513 [DBA2 496].

In Society armory, the shackle is frequently shown with a short length of chain dependent, to promote ready identification.  When blazoned “a pair of shackles (or manacles)”, the chain is understood to connect the two cuffs.    For related charges, see collar, fetterlock, padlock.

Thomas Shackle bears:  Azure, a broken shackle, dependent therefrom a broken chain of four links Or.

Maucolum de Duueglas bears:  Sable, three manacles and on a chief argent, a sword sable.

Hans the Gentle bears:  Or, a feather, on a chief gules a pair of manacles Or.

Ariana Elia Del Rosario bears:  Vert, three shacklebolts argent.

This entry was posted on June 3, 2014, in .

Roc

Roc volant, wings addorsed, maintaining an elephant (Accepted)

Roc volant, wings addorsed, maintaining an elephant (Accepted)

The roc, or rukh, is an immense bird from Persian legend.  Tales gave its home to be Madagascar; Marco Polo, in his Travels (III:33) describes the giant roc feather presented to the Great Khan, which modern writers guess was an exotic palm frond [EB XXIII:424].  The roc’s heraldic use appears to be unique to the Society, where it’s drawn essentially as an eagle; it is frequently depicted with an elephant in its talons, to show how large it is.  The term is used mostly for canting purposes.  The illustration shows a roc volant, wings addorsed.  See also simurgh.

Justin du Roc bears:  Per bend sinister azure and counter-ermine, in dexter chief an Arabian roc volant to sinister, wings addorsed argent, maintaining in its talons an elephant proper.

Roque Cartelle de Leon bears:  Per chevron gules and sable, two lion’s heads cabossed and a roc rising, wings displayed and inverted, bearing in its sinister talon an elephant, all argent.

This entry was posted on June 2, 2014, in .

Plumetty

Plumetty (Period)

Plumetty (Period)

Plumetty is a fur, evidently a variant of the vair furs; it is made up of panes resembling feathers.  Visually, it’s similar to a lozengy field, and its tinctures are blazoned the same way.  Plumetty is a period field, found in the arms of Mydlam, c.1460 [RH].

The interior details of the feathers are diapering, and are considered artistic license.  When no internal details are shown, plumetty becomes very close to a form of papellony.  See also field treatment.

Duncan Brock of Greyfeather bears:  Plumetty argent and sable, on a fess purpure a brock statant argent.

Damian Papyngeye bears:  Plumetty argent and vert, a popinjay purpure.

This entry was posted on May 23, 2014, in .