Lamp, lit (Period)

A lamp is a source of light, consisting of a container of oil with an emerging wick.  The earliest form, dating from at least Roman times, was simply a shallow bowl bearing a wick; the most usual medieval form had a conical base, which could be held in the hand or mounted on a fixture.  This is the default heraldic form of lamp, found in period armory in the arms of Wetewang, c.1410 [TJ 1555; see also Bedingfeld 90].

Arabian lamp, lit (Accepted)

However, the most commonly found lamp in Society armory is the “Arabian lamp”, with a handle at one end and the wick in a spout at the other; it’s also been blazoned a “Greek lamp”, though the shape is unchanged.  It’s frequently drawn as the “Aladdin’s lamp” of modern imagery; we’ve no period examples of lamps in that form, neither as a charge nor as an artifact.  However, a basic boat-shaped form of lamp was used in period, as terra cotta artifacts:  the illustration is based on an 11^th C. terra cotta lamp found in Sicily.  Based on that example, the Arabian lamp is still permitted for Society use as of this writing.  The Arabian lamp has its handle to sinister by default.

Hanging oil lamp, lit (Accepted)

Society armory also has the “hanging oil lamp”, with a shallow flat bowl of oil fastened to a vertical handle:  the handle can be hung from a hook over a drawing table.  Like the Arabian lamp, it isn’t found in period armory; however, the hanging oil lamp is a period artifact, as seen in the Opera of Bartoloneo Scappi, 1570, on which the illustration is based [Peter Thornton, The Italian Renaissance Interior, 1400-1600, plate 347; cf. also plates 23, 294].  Unlike the Arabian lamp, the hanging oil lamp doesn’t have a default orientation; it is left as an unblazoned detail.  (There’s also one instance in Society armory blazoned simply an “oil lamp”, with no handles; it’s the exception.)

Any form of lamp, if blazoned “flammant” or “enflamed”, is shown with the wick lit.  “Lit”, of course, works as well.  The lamps in the illustrations are all lit.

For related charges, see candle, lantern, torch.  See also pitcher.

The Royal University of Ithra bears:  Gules, on a sun Or eclipsed gules, an Arabian lamp flammant Or.

The Order of the Golden Beacon, of the Barony of Ynys Fawr, bears:  Per bend sinister azure and Or, a lamp argent enflamed Or.

Tiffanie du Claire bears:  Purpure, a [square] oil lamp enflamed between three stars of David one and two Or.

Arthur Lemner of Wesley bears:  Azure, in pale a drawing compass and a two-spouted oil lamp argent, enflamed Or.

Brigid Duncan bears:  Per bend vert and gules, a bend between a hanging oil lamp argent lit Or and a boar sejant Or.

Pitcher (Period)

Ewer (Period)

A pitcher is a vessel for dispensing liquids, with a handle and pouring spout.  It’s found as early as 1300, in the arms of Monbouchier [ANA2 519].

A pitcher is typically drawn as earthenware.  If the pitcher is ornate metal, it may also be termed a “ewer” or a “flagon”; if, in addition, it has a hinged lid, it may also be termed a “laverpot”, as in the arms of the Worshipful Company of Founders, 1590 [Bromley & Child 98].  All of these details are considered artistic license, and no difference is granted for them.

In all its forms, the pitcher’s spout is to dexter by default.  For related charges, see amphora (jug).  See also lamp, pot, tankard.

Morgan Cain bears:  Per pale argent and azure, a pitcher gules.

Khadija bin Umar bears:  Argent, a ewer sable.

Wolfram Gottfried von Norden bears:  Per bend embowed counter-embowed sable and gules, a lymphad under sail and a laverpot argent.

Lantern (Accepted)

A lantern is an enclosed source of light.  The mundane heraldic lantern (which does not date to period) is a ship’s lantern, spherical and with swivels to keep the inner lamp upright [Bromley & Child 241].  The Society’s default lantern might be more fully termed a “hanging lantern”:  an enclosed cylinder or box, often with a handle, containing a candle, which it protects from the elements.  If the candle is visible, it’s usually shown lit, whether blazoned so or not.

In early Society heraldry, the lantern was drawn in the form used at the camping events of that time:  with large glass panes mounted in a thin frame.  This modern form of lantern is no longer registerable, pending period documentation.  The more period lantern used panes of horn or oiled parchment; the illustration is taken from a mural painting of the Chapel Notre-Dame des Fontaine, La Brigue, late 15th C.  The lantern’s panes may sometimes be explicitly tinctured in the blazon, though no difference is granted for it.

For related charges, see lamp.  See also torch.

Arthur of Lockhaven bears:  Azure, a lantern Or.

Thomas Ouswood bears:  Vert, a lantern argent enflamed Or.

Saher Faux bears:  Or, a staff bendwise, dependent from its dexter end a lantern, all within a bordure indented sable.

Lit candle (Period)

A candle is a stick of wax or tallow with a wick down its center; it’s used as a light source.  In period armory, candles are frequently found mounted in candlesticks, as in the arms of Emerlle, c.1520 [DBA2 222].  Occasionally, though, they’re found standing alone, as in the allusive arms (Italian cera, “wax”) of de Cerolis, mid-15^th C. [Triv 99]; and this is their most common depiction in Society armory.  (The candle and candlestick should not be confused:  the latter is the mount or holder for the former.)

A lit candle can be so blazoned, or may also be blazoned “enflamed” or “flammant”.  The usual heraldic candle is a taper – the illustration shows such a candle, lit – but the less-slender “pillar candle” is also found in Society armory.  All candles are palewise by default.  For related charges, see torch.  See also lamp, lantern.

The College of San Ambrogio bears:  Sable, three candles in fess argent enflamed proper, within a laurel wreath Or.

The Ljusorden, of Nordmark, bears:  A pillar candle per pale sable and azure, enflamed Or.

Lara Sukhadrev bears:  Argent, a candle gules lit Or.

Brazier (Accepted)

A brazier is a container for burning coals or charcoal; it’s used as a heat source for cooking, metalwork, or warming a room.  In modern heraldry, it’s also called a “fire-chest”, and is shown as an iron box containing flames [Franklyn 50; Parker 257]; but no heraldic examples of this charge have been yet cited from period armory.  As an artifact, the brazier was commonly depicted as a bowl filled with flames; and this is how the brazier is drawn in Society heraldry.  (It’s often blazoned “flammant” or “enflamed”, even though it wouldn’t be a brazier without the flames.)  The illustration is taken from Jost Amman’s Book of Trades, 1568 [31].  For related charges, see lamp, torch (cresset).  See also beacon.

Ari ben Eleazer bears:  Tierced per pall argent, purpure and Or, on an open parchment scroll fesswise proper a brazier sable enflamed proper, in chief two swords in saltire sable.

Seamus Gillemore bears:  Sable, a brazier argent flaming Or.

Máel Brigte ingen Aimirgen bears:  Argent, a brazier gules.