Flame (Period)

A flame is the area of combustion which gives off heat and light in a fire.  It may also, more fully, be termed “flames of fire”.  A single flame is drawn rather as a gout or ball, with several tongues to chief.  Flames are found in the canting arms of de la Fiama, mid-15^th C. [Triv 194], and in the arms of Wells, c.1525 [DBA2 338].

Flame “proper” is red and gold; its exact depiction in Society armory has changed over the years.  At first, a “flame proper” was drawn as a “flame gules voided Or” on a light-tinctured field, and as a “flame Or voided gules” on a dark-tinctured field.  Currently, flame proper is drawn with alternating tongues of red and gold, which is more in keeping with period depictions of the charge.

Anvil enflamed (Accepted)

The Society’s depiction of a “[charge] enflamed” has also changed over the years.  Originally, a “[charge] enflamed” was equivalent to “on a flame a [charge]” – with the exception of candles, lamps, torches, and the like, where “enflamed” simply means “lit”.  Currently, a “[charge] enflamed” is drawn as it would be in medieval armory:  with spurts of flame issuant from and surrounding the charge.  The illustration shows an anvil enflamed.

Charges have also been constructed of flame in the Society:  e.g., the “bordure of flame”, “cross of flame”, “sword bladed of flame”, &c.  This usage is no longer permissible, not only for lack of period examples, but because such charges’ identifiability is greatly reduced.

For specific charges which involve flame, see:  altar, beacon, brazier, fireball, fireplace, phoenix, salamander, torch.

The Baron of Starkhafn bears:  Per bend sable and checky argent and azure, in sinister chief a flame of fire proper within a laurel wreath argent.

William of Sark bears:  Sable, a flame proper.

Jumana al-Zarqa’ bears:  Argent, three flames sable.

Torch (Period)

Firebrand bendwise (Period)

A torch (also called a “flambeau”) is a source of light, consisting of a twist of hemp soaked in oil, and set in a holder; the holder was originally of wood, but by the end of period we find torches with long cylindrical metal holders used in processionals.  The torch is a period charge, found in the canting arms (German Fackel) of Fackelstein, c.1340 [Zurich 447], upon which the illustration is based.  The torch is always “enflamed”, or lit, even when not explicitly blazoned so.

A similar charge is the “firebrand”, which is simply a bit of burning wood.  It’s depicted as a ragged staff with the top end enflamed; sometimes the ragged bits on the sides are enflamed as well.  If blazoned “proper”, the brand is brown, the color of wood, with the flames gules and Or.  The firebrand is found in the canting arms of von Brandis as early as c.1370 [Gelre 97]; the illustration shows a firebrand bendwise.

Cresset (Period)

Rushlight in its stand (Accepted)

There is also the “cresset” or “fire-basket”, a metal framework containing flame, as shown at the top of a beacon; it was a badge of John Holland, Duke of Exeter, d.1446 [HB 100], and of Henry V [Bedingfeld 129].  Finally, of Society-unique charges, we have the “rushlight”, a reed whose pith is soaked in oil, and whose upper end is lit.  (The illustration shows a lit rushlight mounted in a stand.)

For related charges, see brazier, candle, lamp, lantern.

Alan Stevenson bears:  Per pale argent and azure, three torches counterchanged.

Nikolaus Hildebrand bears:  Argent, a firebrand bendwise proper enflamed and an orle of fleurs-de-lys gules.

Richard Fenwick bears:  Argent, a rushlight bendwise proper, the dexter chief tip enflamed Or, supported by a three-legged iron stand sable.

Odette de Saint Remy bears as a badge:  A cresset gules enflamed Or and argent.