Search Results for: ring

Ring

Gemmed ring (Period)

Gemmed ring (Period)

A ring is a piece of jewelry worn on the finger, consisting of a precious metal band set with gems.  It is termed a “gemmed (or finger) ring” to distinguish it from an annulet.  The gemmed ring is a period charge, found in the arms of von Enzberg, c.1450 [Ingeram 104; also Siebmacher 110]; the gemstone is to chief by default.

The Baron of Stromgard bears as a badge:  A gem ring argent gemmed gules.

Isabel the Vulgar bears:  Quarterly sable and argent, in bend sinister two finger rings vert gemmed azure.

Sofiye Darkhawk bears:  Argent, a wolf statant erect contourny reguardant sable, breathing flames and sustaining a finger ring gules, gemmed azure.

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

Cross: Gringoly

Cross gringoly (Period)

Cross gringoly (Period)

The “cross gringoly”, or “cross gringolé”, is a cross couped with two serpent’s heads issuant from each limb.  It’s found in the arms of Huyn or Hune, c.1370 [Gelre 76].

Séigíne inghean uí Dhraighnéain bears:  Per bend sinister vert and Or, a cross gringolé counterchanged.

David Boot Legg bears:  Or, a cross gringolé gules with serpent’s heads vert.

This entry was posted on January 9, 2014, in .

Caldera gringolada

Caldera gringolada (Period)

Caldera gringolada (Period)

A caldera gringolada is a charge from Iberian armory, consisting of a stylized cauldron with multiple serpents’ heads issuant from the opening (or the ends of the bail).  (The name derives from the same root as the cross gringoly.)  It’s a period charge, found in the arms of Pacheco, c.1540 [Nobreza xvii], and appears to be uniquely Iberian.

As an artistic variant, the Society grants no difference between a standard cauldron and a caldera gringolada. For related charges, see pot.

Selene Colfox bears as a badge: A caldera gringolada barry sable and Or, the serpents Or.

Esmeria de Rus bears: Purpure, a caldera gringolada barry Or and sable, the serpents argent.

This entry was posted on December 11, 2013, in .

Battering ram

Battering ram (Period)

Battering ram (Period)

A battering ram is a long shaft with a hard head, a weapon for breaking down doors and walls in a siege; the head is stylized as a ram’s head.  It wasn’t a common charge in period armory, but we’ve one example in the arms of Bertie, c.1550, who became Lords Willoughby of Eresby in 1555 (and Earls of Lindsey in 1626).  [“Parish Records of St. Michaels, Stamford”, The Reliquary, vol.xix, 1879, p.110; cf. Guillim1 227].  The battering ram is fesswise, head to dexter, by default.

Nicholas the Unshod bears:  Gules, a battering ram argent, armed and trimmed Or.

Willelm Castleford bears:  Sable, in chief a battering ram Or armed and garnished argent.

This entry was posted on November 22, 2013, in .

Teaching Regional Styles at West Kingdom Collegium

So the Kingdom of the West is holding a small, informal Heraldic Collegium, and I’ll be one of the teachers.  I plan to reprise my class on Regional Heraldic Styles — expanded a bit from when I taught it at Collegium Caidis, a couple of years ago — along with a class comparing the Society’s core heraldic style with those available through an Individually Attested Pattern.

The Collegium is on Saturday, 15 Nov 2014, in Walnut Creek, CA.  Details are available on the West Kingdom’s website, at http://www.westkingdom.org/as49/nov/heralds-collegium if you’re interested.  If you find yourself in the area, feel free to drop in!

Zule

Zule (Period)

Zule (Period)

A zule is a stylized representation of a column or support.  Its original function is unclear:  some scholars believe it to represent a balustrade pillar, while others consider it a table trellis.  The charge was originally from Dutch armory (Dutch zuil, “column”); it was introduced to England during the reign of William of Orange, where it was confused with the chess rook.  Many texts thus give “zule” as a synonym for “chess rook”; but the two are actually distinct charges.

The illustration is taken from the canting arms of van Zuylen, c.1370 [Gelre 88v].

The Orde van de Zuil, of the Barony of Red Spears, bears:  Per pale purpure and argent, a zule counterchanged.

Jorgen Gruuendale bears:  Per pale Or and gules, a zule counterchanged.

Lemoine de Gascony bears as a badge:  A zule sable.

This entry was posted on June 8, 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 .

Wristguard

Wristguard (Accepted)

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.

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

Whip

Scourge or whip of three lashes (Period)

Scourge or whip of three lashes (Period)

A whip is an instrument for delivering a stinging blow, with one or more lashes set in a handle.  The single-lash whip is used to drive animals.  When blazoned a “scourge”, it has multiple lashes and is intended to be an emblem of martyrdom; it’s found in the arms of Eybeswaldt, 1605 [Siebmacher 37].  When drawn with distinct lashes (as in the illustration), it has three by default; it can also be drawn with more, as in the “cat-o’-nine-tails”, though the fact must be blazoned.  Whips and scourges have their handles to base by default.

Deadra Colin Madoc bears:  Argent, a drover’s whip bendwise sinister, lash in action sable.

Valgard Stonecleaver bears as a badge: Or, a scourge sable.

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

Werewolf

Werewolf passant reguardant (Period)

Werewolf passant reguardant (Period)

The werewolf is a bloodthirsty monster from folklore, said to be a human who changes into a wolf during the full moon.  Its heraldic depiction, as found in the crest of Kaylewaye, late-16th C., is that of a wolf with human hands instead of feet, and human ears [Bedingfeld 92].

The werewolf has no default posture; the illustration shows a werewolf passant reguardant.

Jeanne Marie Lacroix bears as a badge:  A werewolf passant reguardant vert.

Oddr Þiálfason bears as a badge:  A werewolf passant sustaining over its shoulder a pole with a gonfanon dependent therefrom Or.

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