Search Results for: Bell

Mirror

Hand mirror (Period)

A mirror is a polished pane of metal or glass, set in a frame, and used to look at oneself. The standard heraldic form is more fully termed a “hand mirror”: shown in later period with a handle attached to the frame, as in the arms of Sybell, 1531 [Gwynn-Jones 69], but earlier as a simple circular framed mirror, as in the canting arms (German Spiegel) of Spiegel c.1370 [Gelre 29v]. In either of these forms, the mirror is the traditional accoutrement of the mermaid.

Period armory also has examples of “wall mirrors”, mounted in large rectangular frames, as in the arms of von Steuben or Stuben c.1450 [Ingeram 136, also Siebmacher 117].

The Order of the Mermaids Pearl of Trimaris bears: Argent, a handmirror azure silvered argent.

Branwen MacRae bears: Argent, a handmirror bendwise sinister sable, issuant from the glass tongues of flame proper.

Ailís inghean Mhuirgein bears: Vert, on a mirror argent glassed vert, an oak leaf argent.

Manticore

Manticore statant guardant (Accepted)

The manticore is a monster, consisting of a lion’s body with a human face (sometimes head), a scorpion’s tail, and sometimes horns. It was described in medieval bestiaries as also having three rows of teeth, but that detail seldom appears in Society armory. The manticore is very similar to the man-tyger, and may possibly be an artistic variant; but no period heraldic examples of the monster have been found (though one 1613 grant misused the term to describe the lamia) [Gwynn-Jones 106; cf. Dennys 115].

The manticore doesn’t seem to have a default posture, so this must be explicitly blazoned; the illustration shows a manticore statant guardant.

Chèr du Bonvin de Bellevue bears: Argent, a manticore rampant to sinister gules and a gore sinister azure.

Antonin Malyi Barsukov bears: Per pale sable and azure, a manticore rampant within an orle Or.

Leg; Foot

Leg couped (Period)

Legs are the limbs used for locomotion. Any legged creature may contribute a leg to heraldry; legs from humans, eagles, lions, bears, deer and horses are found in period armory.

The default leg is the human leg. The human leg is severed well above the knee; it should be specified whether the leg is couped (as in the illustration) or erased. By default, the human leg is shown bare; if blazoned “proper”, it follows the same Society blazon conventions as full humans proper, as described under human figure. The human leg may also be clothed in men’s hosen, as in the canting arms of de la Hose c.1275 [ANA2 550], or be shod in sandals or shoes.

Lion’s jambe erased (Period)

Eagle’s leg couped à la quise (Period)

Some animals’ legs have special terms in blazonry. A lion’s leg may be called its “gambe” or “jambe”; as a charge, it dates from at least 1413, in the arms of von Litaw [Conz.Const. cliiii]. (A dragon’s leg may also be called its “jambe”.) Birds’ legs may be severed “à la quise”, at the thigh; this usage is found c.1480, in the arms of Lancaster [DBA2 383]. Lions’ and dragons’ jambes are erect by default, with their claws to chief; humans’ and birds’ legs are foot down by default. The illustrations show a lion’s jambe erased and an eagle’s leg couped à la quise.

Foot couped (Period)

Bird’s foot bendwise erased (Period)

A “foot” is the section of the leg below the knee. Human feet are found, dating from c.1295 in the arms of Shrigley [ANA2 453]; they are detached from their legs at the ankle, and have their toes to dexter by default.

Of animals’ feet, the most confusion has arisen with birds’ feet: a common mistake is to blazon the foot as a “claw” or “talon”, which properly refers only to the toenail. The bird’s foot is a period charge, as found in the arms of von Grünau, 1605 [Siebmacher 58]; it includes no part of the thigh, but only the unfeathered portion below the joint. The illustration shows a bird’s foot bendwise.

The majority of beasts’ and birds’ feet (as distinct from legs) are erect by default, with the claws to chief; only human feet seem to go downwards by default. For related charges, see claw (crab’s), sole, triskelion. See also ham.

The Order of the Jambe de Lion, of An Tir, bears: Checky Or and argent, a lion’s jambe bendwise inverted erased sable.

Pascal Foljambe bears: Azure, a leg couped Or.

Anlaug Dalesdotter bears: Or, three armored legs azure.

Emma Barfoot bears: Sable, a foot couped and in chief a bar argent.

Lothar von Katzenellenbogen bears: Or, in saltire five lion’s jambes couped at the shoulder gules.

Rauðbjorn Ágeirsson bears: Azure, three bear’s jambes erased Or.

Cett Donegal bears: Gules, three eagle’s jambes erased à la quise contourny argent.

Wulfwen atte Belle bears as a badge: In pale a tentacle vert issuant from a boot sable and maintaining a spoon fesswise reversed Or.

Sources

The following abbreviations are used in the Pictorial Dictionary to refer to specific frequently-cited sources:

[ANA1]
Humphery-Smith, C. R. Anglo-Norman Armory. Family History, 1973.

[ANA2]
Humphery-Smith, C.R. Anglo-Norman Armory Two: An ordinary of 13th Century armorials. Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies, 1984.

[Armeria]
Pidal de Navascues, F.M. Libro de Armeria del Reino de Navarra (Book of Arms of the Kingdom of Navarre). La Gran Enciclopedia Vasca, Bilbao, 1974 (orig. compiled mid-16^th C).

[Asp2]
London, H.S., & Tremlett, T. Aspilogia II: Rolls of Arms temp. Henry III. Society of Antiquaries, 1967.

[Bedingfeld]
Bedingfeld, H., & Gwynn-Jones, P. Heraldry. Chartwell Books, 1993.

[Bossewell]
Bossewell, J. Workes of Armorie. Da Capo Press, reprinted 1969 (orig. pub 1572).

[Brault]
Brault, G. Early Blazon: Heraldic Terminology in the 12th and 13th Centuries. Oxford University Press, 1972.

[Brault2]
Brault, G. Eight Thirteenth Century Rolls of Arms. Pennsylvania State University Press, 1973.

[BSB]
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (National Library of Bavaria). Online resource of scanned documents from the Bavarian National Library collection, including many heretofore unavailable rolls of arms. At http://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/index.html?c=startseite&l=en&projekt= with search capabilities.

[Conz.Const.]
von Richtental, U. Chronicle of the Council of Constance (Das Concilium zu Constenz). Compiled 1413; illustrated and published 1536.

[DBA1]
Chesshyre, H., & Woodcock, T. Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Ordinary, vol.1. Society of Antiquaries of London, 1992.

[DBA2]
Woodcock, T., & Grant, J. Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Ordinary, vol.2. Society of Antiquaries of London, 1996.

[DBA3]
Woodcock, T., & Flower, S. Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Ordinary, vol.3. Society of Antiquaries of London, 2009.

[DBA4]
Woodcock, T., & Flower, S. Dictionary of British Arms: Medieval Ordinary, vol.4. Society of Antiquaries of London, 2014.

[de Bara]
de Bara, H. Le Blason des Armoiries (The Blazon of Armory). Chez Jean de Bonnot, reprinted 1975 (orig. pub. 1581).

[Dennys]
Dennys, R. The Heraldic Imagination. Clarkson N. Potter, 1975.

[Dennys CoA]
Annotations and amendments to Dennys, The Heraldic Imagination, in a book review by A. Colin Cole. Coat of Arms II(98), Summer 1976.

[Franklyn]
Franklyn, J., & Tanner, J. An Encyclopædic Dictionary of Heraldry. Pergamon Press, 1970.

[Friar]
Friar, S. A Dictionary of Heraldry. Harmony Books, 1987.

[GATD]
Le grand armorial équestre de la Toison d’Or (Great Armorial of the Order of the Golden Fleece). Edited by Michel Pastoureau and Michel Popoff. Éditions du Gui, 2001 (orig. compiled c.1460).

[Gelre]
Heinenzoon, C. The Armorial de Gelre. Edited by C. Van den Bergen et al. Jan van Helmont, 1992 (orig. pub. c.1370).

[Grove]
Sadie, S., et al. The New Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Grove’s Dictionaries, Inc., 2^nd edition, 2001.

[Guide]
Fox-Davies, A. C. A Complete Guide to Heraldry. Revised and annotated by J.P. Brooke-Little. Bonanza Books, 1985 (orig. pub. 1909).

[Guillim1], [Guillim2]
Guillim, J. A Display of Heraldrie. London. 1^st edition, 1610 [Guillim1]; 2^nd edition, 1632 [Guillim2].

[Gwynn-Jones]
Gwynn-Jones, P. The Art of Heraldry: Origins, Symbols and Designs. Prospero Books, 1998.

[Hawley]
Hawley, W. & Chappelear, K. Mon: The Japanese Family Crest. W. M. Hawley Press, 1976.

[HB]
Fox-Davies, A. C. Heraldic Badges. John Lane, 1907.

[HCE]
Heralds’ Commemorative Exhibition, 1484-1934. English College of Arms, London, 1936.

[Her.Alph]
Brooke-Little, J. P. An Heraldic Alphabet. Arco Publishing, 2^nd edition, 1975.

[Hope]
Hope, Wm. St.John. A Grammar of English Heraldry. Cambridge University Press, 2^nd edition, 1953.

[Hope2]
Hope, Wm. St.John. Heraldry for Craftsmen and Designers. Pitman & Sons, 1929.

[Ingeram]
Ingeram, H. The Ingeram Codex (also called the Codex Cotta after one of its owners). Edited by C. Becher and O. Gamber. Hermann Böhlaus, 1986 (orig. compiled c.1450).

[Legh]
Legh, G. The Accidens of Armory. London, 1576.

[Mayer]
Mayer, L.A. Saracenic Heraldry. Oxford University Press, 1933.

[Neubecker]
Neubecker, O. Heraldry: Sources, Symbols and Meaning. McGraw-Hill Books, 1976.

[Nobreza]
Godinho, A. Livro da Nobreza e Perfeicam das Armas (Book of Nobility). Edited by M. de Albuquerque and J.P. de Abreu e Lima. Edicoes Inapa, 1987 (orig. pub. c.1540). [Nobreza]

[NW]
Raber, V. Vigil Rabers Neustifter Wappenbuch. Edited by H.W. Arch. Verlag A. Weger, Brixen, 2001 (orig. compiled mid-16^th C.).

[Parker]
Parker, J. A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry. Charles E. Tuttle, reprinted 1970 (orig. pub. 1894).

[Pastoureau]
Pastoureau, M. Traité d’Héraldique. Picard, 2^nd edition, 1993.

[RH]
Holme, R. Randle Holme’s Book. Edited by Oswald Barron as “A Fifteenth Century Book of Arms”, The Ancestor, 1902 (orig. compiled c.1460).

[Scheibler]
Scheibler, first name unknown. Scheibler’schen Wappenbuch (Scheibler’s Roll of Arms), c.1450. Online at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Scheibler_Armorial.

[Scots]
Campbell, C. The Scots Roll: A Study of a Fifteenth Century Roll of Arms. Heraldry Society of Scotland, 1995 (orig. compiled c.1455).

[Siddons]
Siddons, M. Heraldic Badges in England and Wales. Boydell Press, 2009.

[Siebmacher]
Siebmacher, J. The Roll of Arms (Dem Wappenbuch). Edited by Horst Appuhn. Harenberg, 1989 (orig. pub. 1605).

[TJ]
Jenyn, T. Thomas Jenyn’s Book. Heraldry Society of Scotland, Peebles, 1983 (orig. compiled c.1410).

[Triv]
Maspoli, C. Stemmario Trivulziano. Niccolo’ Orsini de Marzo, Milan, 2000 (orig. compiled mid-15th C.).

[Volborth]
von Volborth, C.A. Heraldry: Customs, Rules and Styles. Blandford Press, 1981.

[Walden]
de Walden, H. Banners, Standards and Badges, from a Tudor Manuscript in the College of Arms. The de Walden Library, 1904 (orig. compiled c.1510).

[Woodcock & Robinson]
Woodcock, T., & Robinson, J. The Oxford Guide to Heraldry. Oxford University Press, 1988.

[Woodward]
Woodward, J., & Burnett, G. A Treatise on Heraldry, British and Foreign. Charles E. Tuttle, reprinted 1969 (orig. pub. 1896).

[Zurich]
The Zurich Roll of Arms (Wappenrolle von Zürich, Rôle d’Armes de Zurich). Edited by Michel Popoff. Léopard d’Or, 1986 (orig. compiled c.1340).

Krummhorn

Krummhorn (Accepted)

A krummhorn, or crumhorn, is a J-shaped musical instrument, a double-reed woodwind; unlike the hautboy, the krummhorn’s reeds are enclosed in a mouthpiece. It dates from the 15^th Century; the illustration is taken from Virdung’s Musica Getutscht, 1511 [Montagu 90]. The krummhorn’s mouthpiece is to chief by Society default. For related charges, see cornetto, recorder.

Eochaid the Musical bears: Gules, in saltire two krummhorns argent.

Giannetto Bello bears: Gules, on a pale nebuly endorsed argent a krummhorn sable.

Icicle

Icicle (Period)

An icicle is a spike of ice, formed when water dripping from a roof freezes. The charge is period, found in the arms of Herbotell or Harbottle, c.1295 [ANA2 477], but the name “icicle” may not be: texts have suggested that they might be “hair bottles”, or possibly “gouts inverted”. In any event, the charge seems confined to the arms of this family. The icicle is palewise, point to base by default.

Carolina of Milan bears: Argent semy of icicles, a daffodil plant vert with two blossoms, bells fesswise addorsed Or.

Horn

Hunting horn (Period)

A horn is an artifact, made from an animal’s horn, from which it gets its name. The default horn is a musical instrument, more fully blazoned a “hunting horn” or “bugle horn”; it is found in the canting arms of Hornes c.1275 [ANA2 476]. It’s usually shown hung on cords, and may be garnished in bands of another tincture; these are considered artistic details. In mundane armory, the hunting horn’s default orientation has changed over time; the Society default is fesswise, embowed to base, with bell to dexter.

Drinking horn (Period)

Another use of the horn is as a drinking vessel; this is blazoned a “drinking horn”. Unlike the hunting horn, it has no mouthpiece, and is not corded; it was usually shown unadorned, but in at least one instance was depicted with feet (so it could be set on a table without spilling), in the arms of Müris, c.1340 [Zurich 94]. In medieval heraldry, it seems to have had the same default orientation as the hunting horn; in Society armory, its default orientation is palewise, embowed to dexter, with bell to chief.

Pairs of drinking horns are common in Saracenic heraldry, where they are referred to as “trousers of nobility” [Mayer 19]; but the motif is blazoned in most European contexts as “a pair of drinking horns”. By Society convention, a pair of drinking horns is “addorsed” (i.e., with the convex sides facing each other) by default; a pair of drinking horns “respectant” will have their convex sides outward. A “pair of drinking horns” is thus distinguished from “two drinking horns”, each in its default orientation.

Shofar (Accepted)

Spiral hunting horn (Accepted)

Of the horns with special names, the best known is the “shofar”, the ram’s horn blown on Jewish high holidays. Depictions of the shofar date back at least to the 4^th Century, as seen on a Roman bowl now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Though not found as a period heraldic charge, as a period artifact, the shofar is registerable in the Society.

There’s also the “spiral horn”, more fully blazoned a “spiral hunting horn”. This isn’t made from animal horn at all, but from metal: essentially a flat spiral trumpet, the ancestor of the modern French horn. The illustration is based on an artifact dated 1570 [Montagu 107]; as a period artifact, the spiral hunting horn is registerable in the Society, though no heraldic examples have been found.

As with the hunting horn, the shofar and the spiral horn have their bells to dexter by Society default. For related charges, see cornetto, sackbut. See also inkbottle, tooth.

The Shire of Darton bears: Sable, a hunting horn within a laurel wreath Or.

Magnus Birchleg bears: Gules, a drinking horn bendwise sinister argent.

Rivka bat Schmuel Alfasi bears: Per fess indented azure and gules, in pale a shofar, bell to sinister, and an estoile of eight rays Or.

Nikolaj Zrogowacialy bears: Barry argent and azure, a spiral horn of three spirals reversed Or.

Hood

Monk’s hood (Period)

Jester’s hood (Accepted)

A hood is an article of clothing, a covering for the head; it differs from the hat in that it completely encloses the head. The most common form in period armory seems to be the “monk’s hood”, as in the civic arms of Güglingen, 1605 [Siebmacher 226].

Varieties unique to Society heraldry include the “jester’s hood”, with a forked top and bells; the “executioner’s hood”, which covers the face as well; and the “teaching master’s hood”, with a long tasseled end.

Executioner’s hood (Accepted); teaching master’s hood (Accepted)

The executioner’s hood and jester’s hood are affronty by Society default; all other hoods face dexter by default. For related charges, see head, helm, mantle.

William Worm bears: Gules, a monk’s hood Or.

Alfredo el Bufón bears: Per pale azure and argent, a jester’s belled hood of two ears affronty counterchanged.

Mark of Glastonbury bears: Or, a fess azure, overall a lion rampant gules wearing the hood and tippet of a teaching master sable, turned up and tasselled ermine.

Telbyrne Morningstar bears: Per chevron Or and sable, an executioner’s hood sable, fimbriated in base Or, between in chief two double-bitted axes sable.

Hedgehog

Hedgehog (Period)

The hedgehog is a small insectivorous beast, also called an “urchin” or “herrison”. When faced with danger it would roll itself into a ball, exposing only its spines; so it came to be a symbol of caution. It is a period charge, found in the canting arms of Herries, c.1275 [ANA2 120]. The hedgehog is statant by default, as in the illustration; its “proper” tincture is brown, with a white face and belly.

Of the period depictions of hedgehogs in armory, one curious example shows it with grapes impaling its spikes, rather like an animated hors d’oevre tray! It’s found this way as the crest of Claxton, 1561 [Gwynn-Jones 33].

Similar to the hedgehog is the “porcupine”, with longer and fewer quills which were held to be poisonous. It too is a period charge, dating to 1445 in the arms of Eyre [Parker 473]. A crowned porcupine was the badge of Louis XII, d.1515 [Neubecker 210].

Rúadnat ingen Diarmada bears: Or, three hedgehogs statant gules.

Oláfr Ígulbjarnarson bears: Vert, an urchin sejant erect argent.

Judhael de Cornouailles bears: Argent, a chevron gules cotised, in base a porcupine statant sable.

Mergriet van Edelare bears: Gules, a hedgehog statant argent its quills impaling grapes purpure.

Heart

Heart (Period)

A heart is that organ which pumps blood through the veins. It is drawn in a stylized shape, much as found on modern valentines. The heart is found as an heraldic charge as early as c.1330, in the arms of Douglas [Wagner 50; also Gelre 64]. Mundanely, its “proper” coloration is red; Society practice would simply blazon it “gules”. See also seeblatt.

The Order of the Dragon’s Heart, of the Middle, bears: Argent, a heart vert scaly argent.

Malinda Angelanne Hohen van Kester bears: Per fess embattled azure and argent, a heart gules.

Sabiha al-Zarqa’ al-Karakiyya bears: Sable, in chief three hearts argent.

Teresa Maria Isabella Castro bears: Or, six hearts sable.

Mistholme

heraldry, illumination, and random jottings