Search Results for: gauntlet

Gauntlet; Glove

Gauntlet (Period)

A gauntlet is a piece of armor for the hand. It is a period charge, found in the arms of de Wauncy, c.1312 [ANA2 470]. The gauntlet may be of mail or plate, depending on the period and the artist’s discretion; it was frequently depicted without separated fingers (so-called “clamshell” gauntlets). In the Society, the default gauntlet is the dexter gauntlet, and its default posture is apaumy. Other postures are also found, though sometimes blazoned as, e.g., “a mailed fist” instead of “a gauntlet clenched”.

Glove (Period)

Mitten (Period)

Similar to the gauntlet is the “glove”: like the gauntlet, a covering for the hand, but an article of clothing instead of armor, made of leather or cloth instead of metal. It’s found in the canting arms (German Handschuh) of Handschuhsheim, c.1450 [Ingeram 268]. The glove follows the conventions and defaults of the gauntlet (indeed, one branch of the Wauncy family bears gloves), which are those of hands. In fact, both gauntlets and gloves are often assumed to have a hand inside them.

Finally, there is the “mitten”, a knitted (or nailbound) fingerless glove. The mitten is a period charge, used in the crest of von Lens, c.1370 [Gelre 82], and in the arms of Folderer, mid-16^th C. [NW 55]. It follows the same conventions and defaults as gloves and gauntlets.

Bumbas Curmudgeon bears: Per fess indented azure and vert, a clenched gauntlet argent.

Lisette la fauconniere d’Amboise bears: Plumetty Or and sable, a sinister glove fesswise reversed gules.

Sigrid Bríánsdotter bears as a badge: A sinister mitten vert.

Wristguard

Wristguard (Accepted)

A wristguard is a piece of armor designed to protect the wrist and forearm from impact; it might also be called a “vambrace”. It’s a period artifact, but no period examples of its use as an heraldic charge are known. The illustration is based on a Spanish vambrace dated c.1550 [Stone 653]. The wristguard is palewise by Society default.

In period armory, there is also the “coudière” or “elbow guard”, to protect the elbow; it was the badge of Ratcliffe (Radeclyff), Lord Fitzwalter, 1513 [Walden 212; HB 136]. There was also the full arm armor, from shoulder to fingertips, including the gauntlet; this was the badge of Bourgh (Bourght, Borough) de Gaynsbourght, c.1510 [Walden 251; HB 79]. This is correctly termed a “garbralle” or “garde-bras”, though the term was also used in period for the coudière; technically, any protection for the arm could be considered a garde-bras, that being the literal meaning of the term.

The Order of the Silver Guard, of Drachenwald, bears: A silver wristguard bearing a dragon passant coward, wings addorsed, maintaining in dexter forepaw a sword erect.

Polygon

Triangle (Period)

Octagon (Period)

A polygon is a closed geometric plane figure with straight sides. While there are some simple heraldic charges which might be described in this way – e.g., the billet and the delf – the term here refers specifically to abstract geometric shapes, not otherwise defined, and which don’t appear to represent actual objects. Of these, the most commonly found in period European armory is the “triangle”, seen in the allusive arms (Italian canto, “angle, corner”) of de Cantono, mid-15^th C. [Triv 91].

The only other polygon found in period European armory (as of this writing) is the “octagon”: this appears to be unique to a single coat, the arms of Haller, mid-16^th C. [NW 165]. Society armory also has examples of the “pentagon” and the “hexagon”. The pentagon and hexagon, while registerable, are deemed a step from period practice.

Pentagon (SFPP); hexagon (SFPP)

Polygons are normally drawn as regular polygons (i.e., equilateral and equiangular), though triangles are also found in isosceles forms. Most polygons have a point to chief by Society default; the exception is the octagon, which rests on a flat side and thus has a flat side to chief.

For related charges, see lozenge, polyhedron, star of David, valknut. See also jewelry.

Hraði inn rakki bears: Quarterly sable and gules, in bend sinister two triangles inverted Or.

Georg Eisenfaust bears: Per fess argent and sable, in chief a clenched gauntlet and in base three octagons two and one counterchanged.

Ottavio Corsi bears as a badge: Sable, a hexagon voided within another argent.

Uto von den Sümpfen bears: Sable, a pentagon gules fimbriated Or.

Mail

Mail shirt (Period)

Bend of mail (Disallowed)

Mail is a type of armor, consisting of myriad rings of metal woven into a form; it is sometimes redundantly (and erroneously) termed “chain mail”. Mail gauntlets, coifs, and shirts have been used in period heraldry – usually worn on a human, but sometimes charges in their own right, as in the mail shirt (illustrated) in the canting arms (from dial. Italian maja or maglia d’arme) of de Mayete, mid-15^th C. [Triv 235].

There have also been cases of ordinaries being drawn as mail: e.g., “a bend of mail”, showing the field through the rings. This had been justified by the period examples of ordinaries of chain; the practice has been discontinued, and is no longer registered in Society armory. (This should not be confused with ordinaries maily, which are solid charges bearing a field treatment.)

James of Penmore bears: Vair ancient, a sinister arm embowed, armored and gauntleted of chain mail sable, grasping a closed book gules.

Rhiannon Mor MacFhearghius bears: Gules, a bend sinister of chain mail between two Arabic lamps Or.

Juggler’s clubs

Juggler’s club (Disallowed)

Juggler’s clubs are throwing weights with handles, used by jugglers in their profession for their balance. They don’t appear to have been used by jugglers before the 20^th Century; no period examples have yet been found. The charge is currently disallowed, pending period evidence. See also staff.

Thomas the Wanderer bears: Argent, a winged sword, wings inverted sable, maintained by a gauntlet issuant from sinister base, in chief two juggler’s clubs in chevron inverted gules.

Hand

Hand (Period)

Fist (Period)

A hand is a human appendage used for grasping and holding; it is found in the canting arms (French main) of Malmains, c.1275 [ANA2 469]. The default hand is the dexter hand, the default posture is apaumy and couped. Sinister hands are very frequently found in period armory, as well. While Society armory grants no difference between left and right hands, current practice is to explicitly blazon the handedness.

The hand is unclothed by default; sometimes it is found issuant from a cuff, which fact is blazoned. In period blazon, a “hand proper” was assumed to be Caucasian (pink or white) unless otherwise specified; Society blazon had once followed this, but is now more inclusive. Hands proper now follow the same Society blazon conventions as full humans proper, as described under human figure.

Hands are found in other postures besides apaumy. The hand may be “clenched”, forming a fist; indeed, this form may be simply blazoned a “fist”, as in the canting arms (German Faust) of Fausten, 1605 [Siebmacher 211]. A variant of this form is a fist with the index finger extended, as in the arms of Angiolini, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 278:273].

Pair of hands in birkat kohanim (Period)

Hand of benediction (Period)

A pair of hands “in birkat kohanim” has the hands slightly tilted towards each other, the fingers spread but with the index and middle fingers together, as well as the ring and little fingers. This hand gesture is used as a Jewish blessing. The motif is found in period armory, in the arms of Rabbi Abraham Menachem Rapoport, d.1596 [Nathan Ausubel, Pictorial History of the Jewish People].

Similarly, a “hand of benediction” is a gesture used in Christian blessing: the hand is apaumy, with the thumb and two fingers upright, the other fingers curled into the palm. It’s quite frequent in books of hours, and is depicted in modern heraldry texts [Guide 131], but makes very few appearances in period armory: e.g., the crest of Boyd, 1582 [Dunvegan Armorial, fo.253], or the attributed arms of Prester John, c.1530 [BSB Cod.Icon 391:55]. A vested arm ending in a hand of benediction is found in the episcopal arms of Sechau or Seckaw, 1605 [Siebmacher 12].

Hand of Fatima (Disallowed); hand of glory (Disallowed)

The “hand of Fatima” (hamsa) is a stylization from North Africa and the Middle East. Though we have examples of the motif dating from the 12^th Century, there was wide variation in its depiction. Most particularly, the modern depiction of the hand of Fatima, symmetrical and with two “thumbs” curving outward, has no period support as of this writing, and is no longer registerable. A hand drawn as a period hamsa is still permitted, if identifiable as a hand; the style of depiction is left unblazoned.

The “hand aversant” is the opposite of the hand apaumy, with the back of the hand to the viewer. Peculiar to the Society is the “hand of glory”, a hand enflamed, which is no longer permitted in Society heraldry.

In British heraldry, a sinister hand apaumy gules is used as the augmentation for baronets; and the “hand of Ulster”, a dexter hand apaumy gules, is a reserved charge in Irish heraldry. For these reasons, Society armory disallows the use of red hands apaumy on white backgrounds, when they appear to be in the form of an augmentation.

For related charges, see arm, foi, gauntlet. See also glove-puppet.

Mia Sperling bears: Sable, a hand ermine.

Molly Gill Brae bears: Argent, a hand fesswise vert.

Chrystofer Larchmont bears: Gyronny vert and Or, a dexter fist erased gules.

Iaenbryht Græghar bears: Per pale gules and vert, in chief a hand in benediction argent.

Hadrardus Blach bears: Gules, on a bend argent a sinister fist and a dexter fist both fesswise with index fingers extended sable, in chief a compass rose bendwise argent.

Sulima ibn Jafar bears: Azure, a hand of Fatima couped between three goblets argent.

Jethro Stille bears as a badge: Per fess azure and Or, two hands in birkat kohanim and a double-headed eagle counterchanged.

Glove-puppet

Glove-puppet (Period)

A glove-puppet is a doll attached to a simplified glove, worn over the hand and used in amusements. It is a period charge, found in German heraldry c.1400 [Neubecker 122]. For related charges, see gauntlet, human figure.

Linnet Kestrel bears: Or, a glove-puppet displayed affronty erased of a man vested of chain, helm and surcoat azure, atop the dexter arm a hen linnet close to sinister and atop the sinister arm a cock kestrel close proper.

Ismay of Giggleswick bears as a badge: A glove-puppet vested vair, faced argent, collared and wearing a jester’s cap gules.

Crown; Coronet

Crown (Accepted/Reserved)

A crown is a circlet of metal, often bejewelled, worn on the head of a monarch as an emblem of sovereignty. As an heraldic charge, it was first seen in the attributed arms of St. Edmund the Martyr, c.1282 [ANA2 349].

Similar to the crown is the “coronet”; indistinguishable in form, the alternative term is used in blazons to denote the bearer is less than sovereign. There is neither artistic nor heraldic difference between a crown and a coronet.

There are a number of varieties of crown. The standard Society form is indented, usually showing three points; it was sometimes misblazoned a “crown dancetty” in early Society blazons. This type of crown may be used when the blazon doesn’t specify an exact form.

Ducal coronet (Period/Reserved), comital coronet (Accepted/Reserved)

Pearled coronet (Period/Reserved), eastern (or antique) crown (Period/Reserved)

In period heraldic art, starting in the late 15^th Century, exact forms of coronets began to be used to mark rank in a full armorial achievement; however, they did not do so when used as charges on the shield. In the Society, three forms of coronets can mark rank on the shield, as well as in the achievement. Specifically, the ducal coronet, with trilobed fleurons (usually called “strawberry leaves”) around its rim, and the Society-defined comital coronet (or county coronet), with an embattled rim, are reserved to Royal Peers of those ranks. These forms of coronet are regulated not only as charges on the shield, but as regalia as well.

As viscomital and baronial coronets of rank date to no earlier than the Stuarts, they are not defined for Society armory per se; however, the pearled coronet is found in 16^th Century Scots and French achievements [e.g., Lindsay, 1542], and may be used by Society Viscounties and Court Baronies. (The exact number of pearls is left unblazoned, but Society artists generally use twelve for Viscounties and six for Court Baronies, following the Stuart definitions.) As regalia, the exact forms of viscomital and baronial coronets are regulated by the individual Kingdoms.

Mural coronet (Period/Reserved), ancient crown (Accepted/Reserved)

Saxon crown (Accepted/Reserved), crown vallary (Period/Reserved)

Other forms of crown are the “eastern crown”, also called an “antique crown”, in the arms of Grant of that Ilk, late 16^th C. [Lord Crawford’s Armorial, fo.114]; the “mural coronet” (from Latin mur, “wall”), drawn with masoning, and sometimes turrets, dating to at least 1572 [Bossewell II.77º]; and the “crown vallary” (from the Latin vallare, “to fortify”), the projections meant to resemble a defensive palisade, dating to at least 1581 [de Bara 189].

Society armory also has examples of coronets which, though found in modern heraldry texts, have not yet been dated to period. These include the “ancient crown”, also called a “crown flory”; and the “Saxon crown”.

In Society armory, the use of a crown or coronet is reserved to Kingdoms, Principalities, Royal Peers, and Court Baronies; it is required in the arms of Kingdoms.

For related charges, see jewelry. See also wreath.

The King of the West bears: Or, a crown dancetty of three voided within a laurel wreath vert.

The King of the East bears: Purpure, within a laurel wreath vert fimbriated Or, an eastern crown of three grand points tipped with pearls and two lesser points, all Or.

Arrowyn of Emerald Moor bears: Sable, a mullet of eight points, each point terminating in a shamrock, in chief a crown fleury Or, all within a bordure potenty quarterly argent and vert.

Steffen Albert Rheinbauer bears: Azure, a sinister gauntlet clenched aversant bendwise sustaining a rose slipped and leaved bendwise sinister argent, in chief a mural coronet, all within an orle of chain Or.

Clothing

Clothing are those items of garb worn by people for warmth or display, usually made of cloth or leather. When blazoning the clothing on a person (as distinct from the person), the term “vested” is used: e.g., “a maiden Or vested argent”. In such cases, the type of clothing is blazoned in the broadest terms, and is worth little if any heraldic difference.

While clothing is most often found worn on a person, items of clothing may also be used as heraldic charges in their own right. For specific entries, see: apron, belt, breeches, chemise, gauntlet (glove), habit, hat, hood, hose, jerkin, mantle, mask, maunch, shoe.

For related charges, see armor.

Brush

Brush (Period)

Artist’s paintbrush (Accepted)

A brush is a bundle of hair or straws, bound and mounted on a handle, and used as a tool for painting, cleaning, or applying liquid. The unmodified term “brush” refers to a hand-brush. It was used in the original arms of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, 1446 [Bromley & Child 138], and in the canting arms (German Bürste) of von Börstel, 1605 [Siebmacher 174].

In Society heraldry, the most common form of brush is termed the “artist’s brush” or “artist’s paintbrush”: a tuft of hair mounted by a ferrule on a long slender handle. Its construction and form have changed little since it was described in Cennini’s Libro dell’Arte, 1437. If this type of brush is intended, it must be specified in the blazon. When blazoned “proper”, the artist’s paintbrush has a brown wooden handle and black bristles.

Both forms of brush have the bristles to chief by default. For related charges, see besom.

Thomas for the Interim bears: Vert, a gauntlet aversant sable sustaining a rose slipped proper and an artist’s brush sable crossed in saltire all fimbriated Or.

Laura MacConoch bears: Or, a sheaf of artist’s brushes sable.

Sine nic Dhonnchaidh bears: Ermine, two artist’s brushes in saltire surmounted by another palewise azure.

Mistholme

heraldry, illumination, and random jottings