Scorpion

Scorpion (Period)

The scorpion is a venomous arthropod, treated as an insect for heraldic purposes; its medieval reputation was of viciousness and treachery. It’s found in the canting arms of de Scorpionis, mid-15^th C. [Triv 325], and the arms of Cole, c.1520 [DBA2 395].

The scorpion is tergiant, tail to base by default. We have an example of scorpions tergiant inverted, in the arms of Cole, 1610 [Guillim1 153]; scorpions tergiant inverted are considered consonant with period practice in the Society. See also crab.

Albrecht Waldfurster bears: Purpure, a scorpion argent.

Aurelia Nomadikē bears: Gules, three scorpions Or.

Katherene de la Huerta bears: Argent, three scorpions gules.

Juan Diego de Belmont bears: Argent chapé gules, a scorpion inverted sable.

Schnecke

Schnecke issuant from base (Period)

A schnecke is a highly stylized charge from German heraldry, consisting of a tapering line spiraling inward from a point on the shield’s edge to its center. The term literally translates as “snail”, as its curve resembles that of the snail’s shell; in French blazon, it’s termed un gyron gironnant, “a spiraling gyron”.

The schnecke is a period charge, found in the arms of von Rordorf, 1605 [Siebmacher 198]. We have no period examples of its being charged, or used with other charges on the field; therefore, the use of a schnecke with secondary charges is considered a step from period practice, as is its use with tertiary charges.

The point at which the schnecke enters the shield should be blazoned; whether it spirals deasil or widdershins is left to the artist. The illustration shows a schnecke issuant from base.

Schnecke issuant from base maintaining on its outer swirl three schneckes (Period)

An early-period variation on the schnecke depicts it with three smaller schneckes issuant from its outer curve. This form is found in the arms of Casteleynsche or Kestelinge, c.1370 [Gelre 110v], and appears to be unique to those arms.

For related charges, see gurges.

Peter Schneck bears: Sable, a schnecke issuant from dexter chief argent.

Leocadia de Bilbao bears: Argent, issuant from base a schnecke azure.

Marie de Blois bears as a badge: Or, a schnecke issuant from sinister base maintaining on the outer swirl three schneckes sable.

Scepter

Scepter (Period)

A scepter is an ornamented rod or baton, borne as regalia by a sovereign as a token of authority. The physical scepters borne by monarchs might vary widely; however, as an heraldic charge, the scepter follows a more standardized form, a baton tipped with a fleur-de-lys. The scepter’s use as a charge dates from at least c.1340, in the arms of Kloten or Gloten [Zurich 220]. It’s palewise by default. See also staff.

The Canton of Kynges Creke bears: Vert, two scepters in saltire fretted with a laurel wreath Or, a ford proper.

Suleiman ibn Rawh bears: Vert, a scepter argent.

Scaly

Scaly (Period)

Scaly is a field treatment, consisting of many semi-circles or lunes, covering the field. The term is the Society’s translation of the French term écaillée; it is equivalent to the most common depiction of the papellony field [Woodward 726]. The treatment is found in the arms of von Tettenbach, 1605 [Siebmacher 85].

Yrjo Kirjawiisas bears as a badge: Sable scaly Or.

Uthyr Peregrine bears: Per bend nebuly azure, and argent scaly sable.

Antonius Hasebroek bears: Gules scaly Or.

Scale, dragon’s

Dragon scale (Disallowed)

A dragon’s scale (ryurin) is a stylized charge from Japanese Mon, meant to represent a portion of a dragon’s armored skin. Its point is to chief by default. The dragon’s scale is found in the Mon of Houjou [Hawley 57], but has not yet been dated to period; pending evidence, the dragon’s scale is no longer registerable.

Otagiri Tatsuzo bears: Sable, three ken blades and three dragon scales conjoined in annulo, points outward, within a bordure embattled argent.

Scabbard

Scabbard (Period)

A scabbard is a sheath for a sword or other bladed weapon. In period armory, it is usually found enclosing the sword; in Society armory, it is occasionally found as a separate charge in its own right.

The scabbard is point to base by default when empty, or when worn on the belt (empty or not), or when the sword is being drawn. When the sword is sheathed within it (the two forming a single visual unit), the scabbard is point up by Society and English default, following the sword’s default (as in the arms of Gelibrand or Jelibrand, temp. Henry VIII [Parker 566], or of the City of Gloucester, 1536 [Hope 71]), while the point is down by Continental default (as in the arms of Pot, d.1430) [GATD 150].

The Windmaster’s Hill Guild for the Appreciation of the Opposite Sex bears: Per chevron azure and vert, in dexter a claymore proper, in sinister a scabbard argent mounted Or.

Saw

Frame saw (Period)

Goldsmith’s framesaw (Period)

A saw is a carpenter’s tool, used mostly for cutting wood; it has a large thin blade with a toothed edge. The most common form of heraldic saw is more fully termed a “frame saw” or a “bow saw”. The artifact dates from at least the 12^th Century [Singer 392], but the earliest heraldic example dates from c.1550, in the canting arms (Italian sega) of Seghi [BSB Cod.Icon 278:333]. The frame saw is fesswise, cutting edge to base, by default [Parker 520].

Other saws found in Society armory were first taken from period artifacts; in many cases, they’ve since been documented as charges. For example, the saw blazoned in the Society as a “goldsmith’s framesaw” has the shape of a modern coping saw; however, much the same form is found in period armory, in the arms of Malkas or Malckab, c.1450 [Ingeram 172]. It doesn’t seem to have a default orientation, but when fesswise, the handle is to sinister; when palewise, the handle is to base. The illustration shows a goldsmith’s framesaw fesswise.

Two-man cross-cut saw (Period)

Handsaw (Accepted)

Likewise, the “two-man cross-cut saw”, a much larger tool used for large timbers, was originally documented from Jost Amman’s Book of Trades, 1568 [95]. It was then discovered in period armory as well, in the arms of Mistelbeckten, c.1560 [BSB Cod.Icon 390:749]. This form of saw is fesswise by default.

We also have the “handsaw”, simply a serrated blade with a handgrip. This form, though not yet found in period armory, is found in the Bedford Book of Hours, early-15^th C. [Singer plate 30]; it has been accepted for Society use. It has the same default, or lack thereof, as the goldsmith’s framesaw; the illustration shows a handsaw palewise.

Stephen Treebane bears: Argent, a frame saw palewise azure.

Giles of Gamph bears: Per chevron azure and Or, an oak tree eradicated between two bearded axes and a frame saw fesswise, all counterchanged.

Konrad Lockner of Idelberg bears: Counter-ermine, a scarpe gules, overall a wyvern displayed argent maintaining in the dexter claw a bow saw and in the sinister claw a mallet proper.

Tancred of Tangewood bears: Argent, in pale a two-man cross-cut saw and two hammers in saltire sable all within a bordure sable semy of maple leaves argent.

Pearce Redsmythe bears: Purpure semy of rivets Or, a goldsmith’s framesaw bendwise argent, on a chief Or three Bowen crosses sable.

Tomas y Saer bears: Per pale gules and sable, in saltire a Lochaber axe and a handsaw both argent hafted Or, within an orle Or.

Saltire

Saltire (Period)

Saltorel, or saltire couped (Period)

The saltire is an heraldic ordinary, an X-shaped form intersecting the upper corners of the shield, and occupying one-third to one-fifth of its width. It is also known as the “cross of St. Andrew”, since the saint was supposed to have been martyred on one.

The diminutive of the saltire is called a “saltorel”; this term was originally used when there was more than one saltire, which (since multiple saltires couldn’t easily be throughout) meant “saltire couped”. The term came to apply generally to saltires couped, even solitary ones. (“Saltorel” does not mean a “skinny saltire”; as with the fillet cross, such non-medieval usage is not permitted.) The saltorel dates as early as 1275, in the arms of Boyville [ANA2 547]. Period emblazons may have the ends couped square, or couped fesswise as in the illustration; the latter seems more usual in British armory.

Cross of St. Julian (Period)

The “cross of St. Julian” is a cross crosslet set saltirewise; it seems to have acquired the name by its use (assumed 1514, confirmed 1634) in the arms of the Worshipful Company of Innholders, whose patron saint was St. Julian the Hospitaller [Bromley & Child 144-6; also Legh 39v].

In other respects, the saltire may be treated as if it were a cross: for example, one might have a saltire flory, as in the arms of de Ayno, c.1460 [RH]. It is also subject to the usual treatments: embattling, voiding, cotising, &c. The “saltire nowy” is permitted, but considered a step from period practice.

The Prince of Tir Rígh bears: Azure, on a saltire between four mullets of eight points argent a laurel wreath azure.

Mark Lasie of Westminster bears: Per fess gules and sable, a saltire argent.

Alasdair MacArthur bears: Or, a saltire vert.

David Conyers bears: Argent, three saltorels gules.

Karl der Wanderer bears: Gules, a saltire barbed Or.

Rhiannon Annsachd bears: Gules, a saltire cotised Or.

Geoffrey de Blenkinsopp bears: Checky sable and argent, a saltire parted and fretted Or.

Sympkyn of the Moor bears: Sable, three crosses of Saint Julian argent.

Saltcellar

Covered saltcellar shedding salt (Period)

A saltcellar is a decorative vessel, made of glass or metal, used on the table for holding salt. In period, it was blazoned a “covered salte”, and was depicted with the salt spilling from either side, to help distinguish it from a cup; such “shedding salt”, even though part of the charge’s definition, was nonetheless explicitly blazoned. The illustration shows a covered saltcellar shedding salt, taken from the arms of the Worshipful Company of Salters, 1530 [Bromley & Child 214].

Isobel of Werchesope bears: Gules, a covered saltcellar Or shedding salt argent.

Mordecai Salzer bears: Per bend azure and argent, a covered saltcellar, the salt shedding on both sides, and a menorah counterchanged.

Yseulte Trevelyn bears as a badge: A saltcellar shedding salt argent.

Salamander

Salamander (Period)

The salamander is an heraldic monster, an elemental fire-spirit. In period heraldry, it’s usually depicted as a lizard enflamed; the illustration is taken from the badge of Francis I of France, c.1540 [Dennys 193].

The salamander is statant by default. Note that flames are part of the monster’s definition. If depicted without flames, it must be blazoned as a “natural salamander” and treated as though it were a lizard.

Zofia Wis’niewska bears: Vert, three salamanders Or enflamed gules.

Aurelia Vipsania Gallio bears: Gules, semy of flames argent, a salamander couchant Or enflamed argent.

Daire Leboucher bears: Argent, a salamander tergiant sable enflamed azure.

Mistholme

heraldry, illumination, and random jottings

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