A compass is a mathematical instrument used for drawing arcs of circles. It consists of two straight pointed legs joined by a pivot at one end. The compass is a period charge, found in the arms of the Worshipful Company of Carpenters, 1466 [Bromley & Child 40]; it’s sometimes termed a “pair of compasses” in modern parlance.
The compass is sometimes drawn with a semi-circular scale for measuring its spread; this is a period form, found in the arms of de Capitanis de Sesto, mid-15th C. [Triv 98], and of Petzlinger, 1605 [Siebmacher 98]. This form may be blazoned a “divider” or a “drawing compass” in the Society.
Very similar is the “pair of calipers”, an engineering instrument for measuring thicknesses and diameters; it differs from the compass only in the tips of its points, which are curved inward (or sometimes outward).
The distinction between the various forms of compass is not rigidly observed in Society heraldry; certainly there is no heraldic difference between them. The defaults for compasses and calipers are the same: points to base, and slightly spread.
The Ministry of Sciences bears: Per pale Or and argent, a pair of calipers sable.
The Award of the Compass, of Northshield, bears: A pair of compasses Or.
Arthur Lemner of Wesley bears: Azure, in pale a drawing compass and a two-spouted oil lamp argent, enflamed Or.
A comet is a heavenly body with a long trail of light, manifesting irregularly, and considered a portent of disaster in medieval times. In heraldry, it’s depicted as a mullet or estoile (called the “head”), trailing plumes of vapor or fire (called the “beard”). The head is to chief by default; in Society blazonry, a comet with its head to base is sometimes blazoned a “shooting star” or “falling star”.
There are several styles of comet in heraldic art. The most common form has an estoile as the head, trailing fire, as in the illustration. However, it might be drawn indistinguishably from a mullet of eight points with one point greatly elongated; or as a mullet with a wavy trail. No difference is granted between these styles.
The comet is a period charge, found in the canting arms of de Comma, mid-15th C. [Triv 121]; cf. also the civic arms of Colmar, 1605 [Siebmacher 219], and the illustration in Bossewell, 1572 [II.132]. The known examples of comets in period armory were singly tinctured; having the comet’s head a different tincture than its beard is deemed a step from period practice. For related charges, see estoile, mullet.
Marc of Esfenn bears: Sable, in pale three comets fesswise argent.
Elena Glamorgan bears: Gules, a comet bendwise inverted Or.
Esmirelda Dancingstar bears: Purpure, a shooting star bendwise sinister Or.
A comb is a thin implement with teeth, used to arrange or clean hair. The default heraldic comb is a square with teeth cut into opposite sides; combs of this form have been used as heraldic charges since c.1295, in the arms of Tunstall [ANA2 301]. A comb is a standard accoutrement of mermaids.
Other types of comb are distinguished in blazon by a qualifier. We see the “wool-comb” or “flax-comb”, a rake-like implement for aligning the wool fibers in preparation for spinning, found in the arms of Bromle or Bromley, c.1520 [DBA3 77]; the example is taken from Boccaccio’s Livre des femmes nobles et renommées, 15th C. There’s also the “currycomb”, used for grooming horses, found in the arms of Marstaller, c.1600 [BSB Cod.Icon 307:532]. Both of these types of comb are palewise by default, their handles to base.
Hair comb (Accepted)
Of combs unique to Society armory, there is the “hair comb”, inserted in milady’s hairdo to hold its arrangement; its teeth are to base by Society default.
Matilda Hanscombe bears: Vert, a hand argent sustaining to chief a comb Or.
Solveig Tryggvadottir bears as a badge: A single-sided comb fesswise Or.
Kolfinna Jódisardóttir bears: Vert, a wool-comb Or.
Morgana of the Crystal Wells bears: Per pale azure and argent, a hair comb counterchanged.
A column is a stone pillar, used as a structural support in a building. The default column is that found in Greco-Roman architecture; the exact type may be left to the artist, or it may be specified, e.g., an “Ionic column” or a “Doric column”. These are guides to the artist; the heraldic difference is negligible. The column is a period charge, used in Italy in the canting arms of Colonna, 1413 [Conz.Const. xli]; it is palewise by default.
Society armory has a similar charge, the “obelisk”, a four-sided stone stele terminating in a pyramid; the ancient Egyptians used it as a commemorative monument. It too is palewise by default.
The columbine is a droopy-petaled flower, which was held to have medicinal value in period. It’s a period charge, found as early as 1461, in the arms of the Worshipful Company of Cooks [Bromley & Child 53]. The columbine is drawn in a somewhat stylized manner, with the petals resembling doves (hence the name); it is pendant by default. When “proper”, the columbine has blue petals.
The Shire of Cúil Choluim bears: Purpure, on a chevron between three columbine flowers Or three laurel wreaths vert.
Aodhnait Máire Siobhán ní Nuanáin bears: Ermine, a columbine azure slipped and leaved vert.
Sancha de Flores bears: Gules, a columbine slipped and leaved argent.
Amabel Radleigh bears: Argent, three columbines azure, slipped and leaved vert.
A collar is a band, circlet, or shackle that fits around the neck. The charge is most often found around the neck of a beast; such a beast may be blazoned “collared” or “gorged”, and the collar may trail a chain.
There are instances, however, of a collar used as an independent charge: e.g., the “pair of hames” or horse collar. It was used in the badge of Marcam or Markham, c.1520 [Walden 265; Parker 302]. See also shackle.
The Equestrian Champion of Gleann Abhann bears: A chamfron argent within and conjoined with a pair of hames per pale gules and sable.
Aureliane Rioghail bears as a badge: A pair of hames Or.
Micheil, Younger of An Alltan bears as a badge: A demi-boy proper crined Or, vested and wearing a mail collar argent.
A coffin is a box in which the dead are brought to the cemetery and buried. It’s a period charge, found in the allusive arms (German Leiche, “corpse”) of von Leichnam, 1605 [Siebmacher 156]. The coffin has been registered only twice in Society armory, and in both cases in a six-sided form which is post-period; this form, depicted in the illustration, is no longer acceptable. In theory, a period shape of coffin could be used as a charge, provided it were drawn recognizably; as of this writing, none have been registered. See also chest.
The Baron of Starkhafn bears as a badge: A six-sided coffin palewise sable charged in chief with a mullet of eight points argent.
Tristram Lorenz of the Coffins bears: Sable, a pall between a fleur-de-lys and two coffins palewise argent. [Coffins drawn with six sides]
The cockatrice is an heraldic monster, generally depicted as a wyvern with the head of a cock. It was reputedly hatched from a cock’s egg, and was able to kill with a glance. It’s a period charge, found in the arms of Baumberg, c.1340 [Zurich 495]. As with the wyvern, early heraldry might depict the cockatrice with feathered wings instead of bat’s wings.
The cockatrice has often been confused in heraldic literature with the “basilisk”; this monster, shown in classical Greek art wearing a crown, differs in heraldic art only by the addition of a dragon’s head on the end of the tail. The basilisk is occasionally blazoned an “amphysian cockatrice” for that reason. (Needless to say, since the crown is a reserved charge in the Society, Society heraldry doesn’t use the Greek definition.) By whatever name, the basilisk was the badge of Cursson, c.1513 [Walden 203].
The default posture for both the cockatrice and the basilisk is statant, with wings addorsed. However, unlike the dragon or the wyvern, the cockatrice was also found displayed in period, as in the arms of Buggin, 1578 [Dennys 186]. The illustrations show a cockatrice statant and a basilisk erect.
Genevieve de Lyonesse bears: Per saltire azure and sable, a cockatrice statant argent.
Cristoff Gockerhan von Loch bears: Gyronny azure and argent, a cockatrice displayed gules.
Theodulf of Borogrove bears: Argent, an amphisian cockatrice gules within a bordure nebuly sable.
Irene of Kensington bears: Vert, a basilisk statant, wings addorsed argent.
The cock, or cockerel, is the male chicken, noted for its fighting spirit; it is found as early as c.1285, in the canting arms of Cockerel [ANA2 201]. The cock is often blazoned more fully as a “dunghill cock”, to distinguish it from male birds of other species: e.g., the peacock; the turkeycock; the “heathcock” or male partridge; and the moorcock. (The term “rooster” is a modern American usage, and no longer used in blazon.)
All these types of cock are statant close by default. There are some terms which appear to be unique to the Society: A dunghill cock without wattles or crest may be blazoned a “gamecock”, as the wattleless breed was favored in cockfights. A dunghill cock rising may also be blazoned a “cock hardy”.
Chicken hens are also found in heraldry (as in the canting arms of the Counts of Henneberg, c.1340 [Zurich 82]), as are capons (in the canting arms of Capenhurst, 1610 [Guillim1 164]). These seem to be much less common than males, however.
Merwenna Maycock bears: Per fess embattled Or and gules, two cocks counterchanged.
Konrad Partman bears: Per pale vert and Or, a dunghill cock rising, wings displayed gules.
Sabine de Provence bears: Quarterly azure and ermine, a hen close Or.
Anne of Bradford bears: Azure chapé, a chicken martletted close to sinister Or.
Clove (Period); Japanese clove (Accepted, but probable SFPP)
A clove is a dried flower bud of the clove tree; it is considered a fruit for purposes of heraldic classification. The clove is a period charge, found in the arms of the Worshipful Company of Grocers, 1532 [Bromley & Child 129]. Its “proper” tincture is dark brown.
There is also the “Japanese clove” (choji), a highly stylized rendering used in Mon [Hawley 35]. No period instances of its use have been adduced, but at this writing it remains acceptable for Society use.
Gwyneth Espicier bears: Argent, a cinnamon tree eradicated vert within a bordure wavy azure semy of cloves argent.
Michael o Glofau bears: Gules, a clove Or.
Yamakado Choji bears: Sable, a Japanese clove within three crane’s heads couped at the shoulders in annulo argent.
