Crozier

Crozier (Period)

Archepiscopal staff (Period), shepherd’s crook (Period)

A crozier, or crosier, is a bishop’s staff, a highly ornamented depiction of a shepherd’s crook. It’s a period charge, frequently found in the arms of bishoprics, but not exclusively: e.g., the arms of di Spiciani, mid-15^th C. [Triv 338]. The crozier is palewise by default, with its opening to dexter.

Similar to the crozier is the “archepiscopal staff”, with a cross formy at the end, found in the arms of the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1514 [HCE xxx]. Finally, there’s the “crook” or “shepherd’s crook”, the simple herder’s staff on which the crozier was based, found in the canting arms of Crook, c.1285 [ANA2 308].

For related charges, see crook of Basel.

Nicholas Abbas de l’Eau Vivante bears: Argent, a crozier azure and a ford proper.

Thora Olafsdottir bears: Quarterly azure and vert, in saltire two shepherd’s crooks Or.

Wolfram von Nürnberg bears: Or, a wolf rampant azure maintaining an archepiscopal staff sable within an orle of wolf’s pawprints azure.

Cradle

Cradle (Accepted)

A cradle is a small bed or cot on rockers, for lulling an infant to sleep. Though a period artifact, it does not seem to have been used as an heraldic charge. The cradle took many forms in period; the illustration is based on an illumination in the Hours of Catherine of Cleves, c.1440 [fo.52]. The cradle’s default orientation in Society armory is in profile (or slight trian aspect), with the “head-pillow” end to dexter.

Period armory gives us examples of the “bassinet”, a broad shallow wicker basket for bedding infants. The bassinet is shown containing a swaddled infant, as in the crest of the Earls of Derby, mid-15^th C. [HCE xxvii]. See also Roman dining couch.

Gloria Kirkhouse of Tain bears: Gules, on a cradle Or two towers sable, all within a bordure Or.

Abigail of Lorraine bears: Azure, a cradle within an orle of thimbles Or.

Eẃa of Coppertree bears: Vert, a bassinet containing a baby swaddled Or, a ford proper.

Comb

Comb (Period)

Wool-comb (Period); currycomb (Period)

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, 15^th 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.

Cleaver

Cleaver (Period)

A cleaver is a wide, massive blade intended to chop meat into more readily edible portions. The cleaver’s blade might vary in emblazons, as it did for the artifacts themselves, but was always broad and basically rectangular in shape. It’s a period charge, found in the arms of von Altbach, c.1525 [BSB Cod.Icon 392d:544, 545; cf. also Hausbuch der Mendelschen, c.1436, in Amman xl].

The cleaver is palewise, handle to base and cutting edge to dexter, by default. See also axe, knife.

Erich Küchengehilfe bears: Per bend sinister vert and sable, a cleaver bendwise sinister reversed argent.

Nicolae la bouchiere bears: Per pale argent and azure, a cleaver bendwise sinister counterchanged.

Cecily de Chinon bears: Quarterly vert and sable, four cleavers argent.

Guillem Cosinier bears: Gules, a cleaver sable.

Churn

Churn (Period)

A churn is a vessel in which milk is agitated, usually with a plunger, to make butter. It was not a common charge, but an example is found in the badge of Alchorne, 15th C. [Siddons II.2 331]. The illustration is taken from the book of hours by the Master of James VI of Scotland, c.1510.

Marion FitzWilliam bears as a badge: Argent, in pale a lobster fesswise contourny gules and a wooden butter churn enflamed proper and a chief wavy azure.

Chest

Chest (Period)

A chest is a wooden box with a hinged lid, often banded in metal and locked, used for the storage of valuables. Mundane heralds blazon it a “coffer” or “coffer box”; one Society armory blazons it a “casket”. It’s a period charge, found in the arms of William Cope (d.1513), cofferer to Henry VII [DBA2 215]. The chest’s lid is closed by default; in Society armory, it’s typically depicted affronty, but period examples (e.g. Bossewell, 1572 [III.16]) show it slightly in trian aspect, as in the illustration.

In Italian armory, there is also the cassa, “strongbox”, drawn as an unadorned rectangular metal box in trian aspect; it’s found in the canting arms of da Cassan, mid-15^th C. [Triv 121]. For related charges, see Ark of the Covenant, coffin.

The Keeper of the Regalia for the Prince of the Sun bears: Azure, on a chest argent a fireball sable enflamed proper.

Oriana of Xylina bears: Gules, a blonde mermaid proper crowned with a pearled coronet Or maintaining a wooden casket proper and a mirror argent, a chief wavy Or fretty sable.

Cheese

Wedge of cheese (Accepted)

Wheel of cheese (Accepted)

Cheese is milk curd, pressed into a form and usually allowed to age. Though not a period heraldic charge, cheese is a period foodstuff, and is thus accepted in Society armory.

Cheese has two depictions in Society armory. The “wedge of cheese” is a triangular portion cut from a circular wheel: it’s fesswise, with the wedge’s point to dexter, by default. The “wheel of cheese” is a disc, with a wedge removed. Both the wedge and the wheel of cheese are drawn in trian aspect for readier identification.

Michael Houlihan bears as a badge: Vert, a wedge of Emmental cheese reversed Or.

Hedewig Sophien bears: Azure, a wheel of cheese argent.

Chair

Chair (Period)

Curule chair (Period)

A chair is a piece of furniture that seats one person. There were several period forms in heraldry. The default chair has a high, straight back; it’s sometimes explicitly blazoned a “backed chair”. It’s a period charge, found in the arms of von Döltzky, 1605 [Siebmacher 144]. This form of chair is drawn in trian aspect for better visibility.

There is also the “curule chair”, sometimes blazoned an “antique chair” or “chair of estate”, backless and ornate; it was the badge of the Earls of Oxford, c.1550, in their capacity as Lords Chamberlain [HB 132, Siddons II.2 302; cf. de Bara 157]. The curule chair is affronty by default.

Related to the chair is the “stool”, a low three-legged seat that’s more portable and less formal than a chair. It too is period, found in the arms of Schöner von Strubenhart, 1605 [Siebmacher 121].

Herjólfr Eilifsson bears: Argent, a wooden chair bendwise proper.

Raymond the Gruesome bears: Azure, in pale a sun-wheel bendwise conjoined to a curule chair Or.

Helen of Greyfells bears as a badge: A wooden three-legged stool proper.

Candlestick

Candlestick (Period)

A candlestick is a cupped or spiked metal holder for a candle. It’s a period charge, found in the arms of Kyle, 1542 [Lindsay], and of the Worshipful Company of Founders, 1590 [Bromley & Child 99].

The default candlestick is an ornate column, spiked on top; it is palewise by default. If a candle is mounted in the candlestick, the fact is explicitly blazoned.

Menorah (Accepted); flat candlestick (Accepted)

Of variant forms of candlestick, there is the “candelabrum”, a multi-armed candlestick, found in the arms of von Krage, 1605 [Siebmacher 151]. The number of arms is frequently blazoned, especially when five or fewer; three arms seem most common. If the candelabrum has seven or nine arms, it may also be blazoned a “menorah”, used in some Jewish ceremonies; the illustration shows a period form with seven arms, but both forms have been registered. The “morter” or “mortcour” is a mortuary candlestick, highly ornamented, for use at funerals; it’s found in the arms of the Worshipful Company of Wax Chandlers, 1484 [Bromley & Child 259]. Finally, Society armory has the “flat candlestick” or “sconce”, a shallow dish with a handle.

Gilraen of Regen bears: Vert, a candle and candlestick flamant Or.

Louise of Woodsholme bears: Per fess embattled gules and erminois, in base a candle argent in a flat candlestick sable, enflamed proper.

Uilliam of Bronzehelm bears: Sable, a three-armed candelabra lit Or.

Edwin the Unwyse bears: Argent, a menorah sable.

Illuminada Eugenia de Guadalupe y Godoy bears as a badge: A mortcour Or.

Candle

Lit candle (Period)

A candle is a stick of wax or tallow with a wick down its center; it’s used as a light source. In period armory, candles are frequently found mounted in candlesticks, as in the arms of Emerlle, c.1520 [DBA2 222]. Occasionally, though, they’re found standing alone, as in the allusive arms (Italian cera, “wax”) of de Cerolis, mid-15^th C. [Triv 99]; and this is their most common depiction in Society armory. (The candle and candlestick should not be confused: the latter is the mount or holder for the former.)

A lit candle can be so blazoned, or may also be blazoned “enflamed” or “flammant”. The usual heraldic candle is a taper – the illustration shows such a candle, lit – but the less-slender “pillar candle” is also found in Society armory. All candles are palewise by default. For related charges, see torch. See also lamp, lantern.

The College of San Ambrogio bears: Sable, three candles in fess argent enflamed proper, within a laurel wreath Or.

The Ljusorden, of Nordmark, bears: A pillar candle per pale sable and azure, enflamed Or.

Lara Sukhadrev bears: Argent, a candle gules lit Or.

Mistholme

heraldry, illumination, and random jottings

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