Search Results for: fan

Fan

Winnowing fan (Period)

Fan (Accepted)

A fan is a device for generating a current of air. In medieval heraldry, the default fan was more fully termed a “winnowing fan” or “vannet”; it was used to blow the chaff from grain. It’s a period charge, found in the canting arms of Septvans or Sevans, c.1275 [ANA2 556]; the handles are to chief, the wide part to base, by default.

In Society heraldry, the default fan is the handheld folding fan, used to cool humans. This form is open or spread, with the wide part to chief, by default. The folding fan is found in later period portraits (as in the “Ditchley” portrait of Elizabeth I, by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, c.1595), but no examples are known in European armory. However, a similar form, with paper covering the ribs, is found in Japanese Mon; this form (ogi) was borne by Satake Yoshinobu, 1569-1633 [Hawley 59].

Feather fan (Period)

Liturgical fan (Accepted)

Three other fans are found in Society armory. There’s the “feather fan”, with plumes attached to a handle; it’s similar to a feather-edged fan found in the arms of Hintaller, mid-16^th C. [NW 56]. There’s also the “liturgical fan”, a solid piece of stiffened fabric, used in church to keep insects away from the Host [EB X:168]. Finally, we have the “flag fan” (ventuolo) of 16^th C. Italy, a stiff vane of woven fiber or parchment on an offset handle, as seen in Boissard’s Habitus Variorum Orbis Gentium, 1581.

Flag fan (Accepted)

All of these fans are palewse, with handles to base, by default. Additionally, the asymmetrical flag fan has its vane to dexter by default; it is granted no difference from a banner (cf. flag).

Whale

Whale (Period)

Narwhal haurient (Accepted)

The whale is a large sea-creature, known today as a cetacean mammal, but regarded in period as a fish; it was hunted from ships for its meat, oil and baleen. It is found in period heraldic tracts (e.g., de Bara’s Blason des Armoiries, 1581 [88]), but Your Author has not found an unarguable example from period armory.

The medieval depiction of the whale was somewhat fanciful; the illustration is taken from Gesner’s De Avibus et Piscibus, 1560. If a naturalistic depiction is desired, it must be specified as a “natural whale”, or more explicitly, e.g., a “sperm whale”. The whale is naiant by default.

In Society armory, there is also the “narwhal” or “narwhale”, a cetacean with a long unicorn-like “horn” (actually its tooth). It’s generally depicted as found in nature. The illustration shows a narwhal haurient. For related charges, see dolphin.

The Baron of Smoking Rocks bears: Argent, a whale haurient embowed sable within a laurel wreath vert.

André of Stormhold bears: Argent, a whale naiant azure.

Arinbjorn Talverri bears: Or, a narwhal haurient bendwise purpure.

Werewolf

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-16^th 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.

Unicorn

Unicorn (Period)

The unicorn is a fierce heraldic monster, named for the single horn growing from the center of its forehead; it was the medieval archetype of purity and chastity, and its horn was considered an antidote to poison. As an heraldic charge, it’s found as early as c.1340, in the arms of Tengen [Zurich 72].

The unicorn is always shown with its forward-pointing horn, which is its defining characteristic; it’s also drawn with cloven hooves. The usual English depiction gives it a body much like a horse’s, but with a bearded chin, a lion’s tail, and tufts at its feet (and frequently higher on the legs). The Continental depiction is based more on a goat, frequently with a goat’s tail (though a lion’s tail is common), and often no tufts or beard. The exact variant is not distinguished in blazon: either form is acceptable in the Society. Both forms are rampant by default, as in the illustration.

Modern fantasy art often depicts the unicorn as a horned horse, with long sweeping mane and tail; this is not the medieval concept of the unicorn, and so-called “unicornate horses” are no longer permitted in Society armory.

The March of the Unicorn bears: Gyronny of sixteen azure and argent, a unicorn rampant and in chief a laurel wreath Or.

Charles Edward Alexander Everman bears: Ermine, a unicorn rampant sable, armed and crined gules.

Henry Clarence bears: Argent, three unicorns passant azure.

Duncan MacDougall of Mendersham bears: Or, a unicorn rampant gules.

Tooth

Molar, or fanged tooth (Period)

A tooth is a bone-like structure set in the jaws of most vertebrates, used for biting and crushing food, displaying threats, and smiling. In mundane heraldry, the tooth is normally depicted as a human molar, with the roots extending to base; it is also blazoned (somewhat confusingly) as a “fanged tooth” [Franklyn 130]. It’s found in the canting arms (Dutch kies, “molar”) of Kies or Kees, as seen in a stained glass window dated c.1594, in the Sint-Janskirk (Church of St. John Baptist) in Gouda, Netherlands.

Fang (Disallowed)

Elephant’s tusk (Disallowed)

A tooth that comes to a point may also be called a “fang”; such fangs have their points to base by Society default. The fang is visually equivalent to a drinking horn; it has been disallowed for Society heraldry, due to its lack of ready identifiability.

A similar charge, which seems to be unique to the Society, is the “tusk”: an elephant’s tooth, couped and with point to chief by default. The tusk is no longer permitted to be registered.

Wolves’ teeth issuant from sinister (Period)

“Wolves’ teeth” are a highly stylized German charge, consisting of three or four curved points issuant from the edge of the shield. They usually issue from the flanks, as in the arms of Keudel, 1605; we’ve an example of them issuant from base, in the arms of Schinsky, 1605 [Siebmacher 135, 28]. Having wolves’ teeth issue from other points, such as from chief, is treated as a step from period practice, as is inverting them. The point at which the teeth enter the shield, as well as the number of teeth, are always blazoned; the teeth should be drawn touching, or nearly so, at their bases. The illustration shows three wolves’ teeth issuant from sinister.

Margery Kent of York bears: Purpure, three teeth argent. [Drawn as molars]

Octa Bluetooth bears: Gyronny gules and argent, a bear’s tooth azure.

Cahan Kyle bears: Azure, two tusks, tips crossed in saltire Or.

Duncan Bruce of Logan bears: Or, three wolves’ teeth issuant from sinister sable.

Swallow

Swallow volant (Period)

The swallow is a speedy bird whose migratory habits were known to medieval naturalists. Its notable feature is its forked tail, which is exaggerated in armorial emblazons. The swallow is a period charge, found in the canting arms of Swalow, c.1395 [DBA3 371]. The illustration shows a swallow volant.

The Society also has examples of the “swift”, an heraldically indistinguishable bird. For related charges, see martlet.

Lena Vogelsang bears: Or, three swallows volant azure.

John of Ean Airgead, called the Mad Celt, bears: Vert, a chimney swift migrant palewise argent.

Myfanwy Dolwyddelan bears: Quarterly azure and vert, in bend two swallows volant Or.

Staple

Staple (Period)

A staple is a fastener for holding loose items firmly to a surface; it’s a squared-off U-shape, with the ends pointed. It is found in the canting arms of Stapelton, temp. Henry VI [Bedingfeld 61]. The staple’s points are to base by default. See also crampon, nail.

The Order of the Golden Staple, of the Barony of Rowany, bears: Per pale vert and gules, a staple Or.

Steffan von Urwald bears: Sable, a staple argent.

Vestia Antonia Aurelia bears as a badge: A staple inverted gules.

Spur

Spur with leathers (Period)

Prickspur (Accepted)

A spur is a pointed piece of metal worn on a rider’s heel to urge the horse forward. The default form of spur is the roweled spur, with a six-pointed mullet attached to a U-shaped frame and buckle. It’s a period charge, found in the canting arms (Italian sperone) of Speroni, c.1555 [BSB Cod.Icon 275:65], and as the crest of Matela, c.1540 [Nobreza xxixº].

In mundane armory, the spur is frequently drawn with leather straps; in Society armory, these are left to the artist’s license. While some sources give the spur’s default orientation as having the rowel to base, the majority [Franklyn 312; Guide 215] put the rowel to chief, and this is the Society’s default for the spur as well.

Society armory also has the “prickspur”, which has no rowel, but simply comes to a point. Its default orientation is the same as for the roweled spur, with the point to chief, and no difference is counted between the types. See also stirrup.

Harrys Rob of Wamphray bears: Vert, a chevron between three winged spurs argent.

Taliesynne Nycheymwrh yr Anghyfannedd bears: Quarterly sable and gules, on a unicorn rampant contourny argent gorged of a pearled coronet sable, a prickspur Or fimbriated sable.

Skull

Skull (Period)

A skull is the shell of bone found within a beast’s head; the default skull is a human skull, and is also called a “death’s head”, especially when drawn without the lower jaw. It’s found in the arms of Bolter, 1632 [Guillim2 161], but is more famous as the attributed arms of Death [Neubecker 222].

Period armory gives us a few examples of animal skulls, such as the “cow’s skull” in the canting arms of Capo di Vacca, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 275:23]. Such animal skulls should have distinctive characteristics (e.g., horns) that permit them to be identified. Absent period evidence, they should not be depicted in profile.

Unique to Society armory is the “demon’s skull”, defined to be a human skull with horns (and optionally fangs); no difference is granted from a standard human skull.

All skulls are affronty (cabossed) by default. The field should not show through the eye and nasal cavities. For related charges, see head, skeleton.

Conrad Sturmere bears: Argent, three skulls sable.

Calam Stiùbhard bears: Per pale gules and argent, a death’s head counterchanged.

Bodo Rosti bears: Quarterly sable and gules, in bend sinister two jawless skulls argent.

Bjorn Rhys bears: Per bend sinister argent and sable, a stag’s skull caboshed sable.

Rhys ibn al-Makhdoom bears: Sable, a demon’s skull and on a chief argent three demon’s skulls gules.

Senmurv

Senmurv (SFPP)

The senmurv is an ancient Persian monster with the front half of a dog and the wings and rear body of a bird. It dates from 7^th Century legends [Ernst and Johanna Lehner, A Fantastic Bestiary], but no examples have been found in period armory. As a motif from outside Europe, the use of the senmurv is a step from period practice.

The senmurv has its forelegs extended, and wings elevated and addorsed, by Society default. See also simurgh.

Bahram the Resplendent bears: Sable, a senmurv within an annulet of roundels Or.

Artemisia Lacebrayder bears: Gules, a senmurv between three lace-making bobbins Or.

Gaston de Lurs bears: Azure chaussé, a senmurv argent.

Mistholme

heraldry, illumination, and random jottings