The Tenure of Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme
Returns by Name
Aaron Clearwater. Device. Or, a winged talbot passant vert, in chief two dragon's tongues addorsed gules, a ford proper.
The one registration of a "dragon's tongue" in the SCA, back in 1973, does not make it an identifiable charge. Nor does it seem in keeping with period armory: tongues were not used as charges, so far as I know.
Several commenters suggested that these be reblazoned "dragon's tails". Conceptually, this would be much more acceptable: lion's tails and fox's tails were used as period charges, and I'd have no problem with correctly drawn dragon's tails. But the feature that marks these charges as dragon's tails are the barbs at the ends -- which were not found on period dragons. (See the dragons and wyverns in Dennys' Heraldic Imagination, pp.190-191 and the plate opposite p.177; or the Oxford Guide to Heraldry, pp.102, 109, and plate 16.) I might consider tail's barbs to be artistic license, when the tail is part of a full dragon; but I cannot accept a charge whose identifying feature is a post-period artistic detail.
Either as dragon's tongues or dragon's tails, the charges here may not be registered. Dragon's tails drawn in a period style should be acceptable. You might also try to persuade him to simplify the design as well. 08/92
Aaron de Hameldene. Device. Sable, on a pale argent a hippopotamus statant contourny azure, overall a mount rayonny counterchanged.
The rayonny line on the mount is not drawn in a bold medieval style, but in a modern "pinking shears" style. This has been a reason for return ere now (v. College of Caer Daibhidh, July 90). There are a few period examples of overall charges counterchanged: e.g. Alwell, c.1586, Argent, a pile sable, overall a chevron counterchanged. These examples all seem to use ordinaries surmounting ordinaries. I am perfectly willing to permit overall charges in the SCA to be counterchanged, so long as they too are ordinaries (or charges of similar simplicity, such as roundels). 07/92
Adrian O'Kells. Name.
Kells is a patronymic surname, derived from the given name Kel, Chel (from the ON Kettil): "Kell's [son]". Therefore, it should not be used in a patronymic construction such as O'[given name]; either the O' or the final s should be deleted. Judging from the submitter's forms, he might have intended to be "from Kells", the Kilkenny monastery noted for its scribes; that would have made the byname of Kells or possibly o' Kells. Unfortunately, the submitter disallowed any changes whatsoever to the name, so we couldn't perform even the minor surgeries noted above. The name must therefore be returned. 06/93
Adrianna MacAverr. Badge. (fieldless) A garden rose azure, slipped and leaved argent.
This conflicts with Alys of the Midnight Rose (SCA): Or, a rose slipped and leaved azure. There's a CD for fieldlessness, but nothing for garden rose vs. heraldic rose; and we have traditionally granted no difference for a flower's slipping and leaving (either its existence, or its tincture), believing this to be little more than artistic license.
A similar argument brings this into conflict with Alyanora of Vinca (SCA): Argent, a periwinkle proper. Alyanora's flower is indistinguishable from an heraldic rose azure.
If someone can provide evidence that slipping and leaving was considered a cadency difference by period heralds, we'll reconsider these conflicts. Until then, they must stand. 01/93
Aedhán Brecc. Device. Vair, on a bend Or a wolf passant sable.
This conflicts with the device of William of Jutland (SCA): Vair, on a bend Or a label of seven points sable. It also conflicts with the mundane arms of Norman McCaskie (Lyon Ordinary II, p.26): Vair, on a bend Or three crosses urdée gules. In each case there's a single CD, for the changes to the charges on the bend.
It also conflicts with the device of Ceri of Glanymorniwi (SCA): Potent in point, on a bend Or in chief a garden rose slipped and leaved azure. Again, there's a CD for the changes to the tertiary charge; but we grant no difference for the artistic distinctions among the vair-type furs. That is, no difference for vair vs. vair ancient (indeed, we don't even blazon this, leaving it to the artist), no difference for vair vs. potent, no difference for vair in pale vs. vair in point vs. counter-vair, etc. 03/93
Aelfric the Kestrell. Household name for House Kestrell.
The household name submission was withdrawn by Lord Dragon, having been placed on the LOI by accident. 10/92
Aengus Ó Néill. Argent, in pale a hound rampant and a Catherine's wheel gules.
This conflicts with the arms of Jagow (Rietstap): D'argent à une roue de six rayons de gueules (Argent, a wheel of six spokes gules). There's a CD for adding the hound, but none for the changes to the wheel.
Aethelwine Aethelredson. Company name and badge for the Golden Swarm. (fieldless) A locust volant affronty Or.
The name lacks a designator (such as House, Guild, or Company), as required by Rule III.1.b. I don't believe Swarm can be used to refer to a group of humans. (If Swarm were considered the group designator, this would conflict with the Golden Horde.)
Though blazoned on the LOI as displayed, the locust is in fact volant affronty, which was deemed unacceptably non-heraldic on the LoAR of Oct 92. Even were it displayed, this would conflict with Freppel (Woodward 284): Azure, a bee Or. There's a CD for fieldlessness, but not for type of insect. 11/92
Aethelwine Aethelredson. Device. Sable, six locusts volant affronty Or.
Though blazoned on the LOI as displayed, the locusts are in fact volant affronty, which was deemed unacceptably non-heraldic on the LoAR of Oct 92.
Even were they displayed, this would conflict with Sceleros (Woodward 284); Gules, semy of bees volant Or. There's a CD for the field, but not for number or type of insects.
It also conflicts with the badge of the Emperor Napoleon: Azure, semy of bees Or. The badge was used on his coronation robes, and granted by him as an augmentation to Grand Dignitaries of the Empire. (von Volborth's Little Manual of Heraldry, p.59) There's again a single CD, for the field. 11/92
Aetheric Lindberende. Device. Per chevron throughout argent and gules, a gauntlet fesswise issuing a wing from the cuff and sustaining a shamshir, the whole in annulo counterchanged.
This submission suffers from a lack of recognizability of the design. The gauntlet is not winged but rather has an unrecognizable wing issuing from the cuff. The former would have eagle's wings [the default, according to Parker, pp. 622-3] from either side, whereas the latter seems to be a stylized feather in a nonstandard placement. If the sword, gauntlet and wing are considered one charge, since visually they are, this violates the provision against complex counterchanging. If considered as three distinct charges, they are of equal visual weight and this becomes "slot machine" heraldry, which is also prohibited. For all these reasons, this must be returned for redesign. 9/93
Aidan Aileran O'Comhraidhe. Badge change (resubmission). Per fess wavy azure and barry wavy Or and azure, two scythes in saltire argent.
A similar submission (Per fess wavy azure and argent, in base a bar wavy azure, overall two scythes in saltire argent) was returned May 92 for lack of contrast, and for conflict with the arms of Prayers (Papworth 1088), Gules, two scythes in saltire argent. Laurel held that "the visual effect of the bottom half of the field ... is of a field Per fess wavy azure [and] barry wavy argent and azure"; there was a single CD for field tincture.
The client has resubmitted in slightly different tinctures, providing sufficient contrast; but, although the LOI blazoned this again as a per fess field with a wavy bar in base, the visual effect is still of a per fess azure and barry wavy field. It was not unusual for barry or paly fields in period to be drawn with an odd number of traits (which we'd blazon as bars or palets); see, for example, the arms of Mouton (Multon, Moleton) found both as Barry argent and gules and Argent, three bars gules (DBA, pp 59, 88; Foster, p. 145). The distinction is even less noticeable when covering only a portion of the shield, as here; see, for example, the arms of von Rosenberg, whose Per fess field has in base either three bends or bendy depending upon the artist's whim (Siebmacher, p. 8; Neubecker and Rentzmann, p. 290). Even when the distiction is worth blazoning, it's worth no difference.
This remains a conflict with the arms of Prayers. The submitter might consider changing the number of scythes. Should he resubmit with this background, please have him draw the waves larger and bolder; this alone would have been sufficient reason for return. 9/93
Aine Callaghan. Badge. Vairy argent and purpure, semy of honeybees Or.
Conflicts with Sceleros (Woodward 284): Gules, semy of bees volant Or. There's a single CD, for the field.
It also conflicts with the badge of the Emperor Napoleon: Azure, semy of bees Or. The badge was used on his coronation robes, and granted by him as an augmentation to Grand Dignitaries of the Empire. (von Volborth's Little Manual of Heraldry, p.59) There's again a single CD, for the field. 11/92
Akilina O'Cinndeargain. Name.
The use of the Russian given name with the Irish patronymic violates our requirements for cultural contact, as outlined in Rule III.2. We need some evidence of period interaction between Russia and Ireland. (The device was registered under Jessica of Atenveldt.) 10/92
Akiyama Yoshiie.Device. Gules, on a "cherry blossom" within an octagon voided argent, four katanas in cross, tips to center sable.
The primary charge looks nothing like a cherry blossom, or indeed like any kind of flower. As drawn in Japanese Mon, the cherry blossom has five petals, each with a notch in the end. As drawn here, the charge looks more like a roundel invected -- with invecting shallow enough to warrant return, were it so blazoned. Please have the client resubmit with an identifiably drawn cherry blossom. 03/93
Al-Ishtiaq Khaalid bin al-Kaazim. Device. Gules crusily, on a roundel invected, its chief and base flory Or, a wingless boar-headed demon statant affronty, facing to sinister and maintaining a sword and an axe sable.
While the treatment of the bezant is a standard Persian artistic motif (documented by the submitter from a Turkish carpet), it isn't compatible with European heraldic style, and isn't reproducible from the blazon. (The above is the best we could do, and it's far from perfect.) Moreover, the flory bits of the bezant are not sufficiently identifiable on the crusily field. Given also its high complexity count (three tinctures, and five types of charge even if the demi-fleurs aren't counted separately), we have no compunction about returning this for simplification. 01/93
Alaric Greythorn of Glen Mor. Badge. (fieldless) An equal-armed Celtic cross quarter-pierced sable.
This conflicts, alas, with the mon of Hiyoki (Hawley 93): Dark, an equal-armed Celtic cross quarter-pierced light. (That's how it would be blazoned in European terms. I believe the Hiyoki charge is based on the kanji for the number 10.) There is a single CD, for tincturelessness; a comparison of the emblazons show the charges are identical. 9/93
Alaric Liutpold von Steinman. Device change resubmission. Gules, an antelope rampant between three crosses formy argent.
This conflicts with the arms of Buxtorf (Rietstap): De gueules au bouquetin rampant d'argent (Gules, an ibex rampant argent). According to Franklyn & Tanner (Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Heraldry, p.179), "the heraldic ibex is indistinguishable from the heraldic antelope and may even be merely an alternative term." There is thus a single CD, for adding the secondary charges.
I would grant a CD between a correctly drawn antelope and a deer; the two charges were distinct in period armory (unlike, say, the heraldic dolphin and the bottlenosed dolphin, between which we grant no difference). This would thus be clear of Geoffrey de Bradelei, cited in the LOI (Gules, a stag springing and in chief three crosses paty argent), though there's a strong visual echo.
If the client should resubmit with an antelope, please instruct him on the correct depiction of the horns: swept back, not forward. See Dennys' Heraldic Imagination, p.148. 09/92
Alaric of Wyvernwood. Household name for House RamSword.
RamSword does not appear to be a valid construction for a household name: the internal capitalization is implausible, and the word seems to have no meaning. By our rule of thumb on such names, if we wouldn't accept John RamSword (and we wouldn't!), we shouldn't accept House RamSword.
Moreover, if Ram is considered a modifier to the substantive element Sword, this conflicts with the Order of the Sword, a Swedish order of knighthood founded in 1522 (Franklyn & Tanner, p.322). The designator (House/Order) is transparent, and carries no difference; and the addition of the modifier is insufficient, per Rule V.2. 10/92
Alaric von Rottweil. Device. Gyronny of six gules and argent, a triskelion gammadion in annulo counterchanged.
The triskelion gammadion in annulo was one of the symbols of the Nazi SS, and is currently used in the logo of the pro-apartheid Afrikaaner Weerstandsbeweging. Its symbolism caused it to be disallowed on the LoAR of Sept 92, p.39. 11/92
Alberic Kentigern. Device. Per pale vert and argent, a torteau charged with five rays issuant from base throughout argent.
Returned for stylistic problems. While it is true that roundels may be charged with rayed objects in the SCA, those rayed objects are not normally issuant from the inner edge of a roundel. To have charges issuant from the edge of a roundel is to give the roundel the appearance of an inescutcheon of pretense. This appearance is heightened by the use of five tertiaries on the roundel. This is therefore returned for appearance of marshalling. Furthermore, the argent rays blend with the argent portion of the field, further hampering the identifiability. We suggest he resubmit with a single charge (we suggest a sunburst) entirely on the roundel, not issuant from it. 10/93
Alden Pharamond. Badge. (fieldless) A fountain palewise.
There is no evidence that fountains were ever borne in other than their default orientation. I consider the "rotation" of a fountain to be a change in its partition, from barry to (in this case) paly. By definition, it then ceases to be a fountain -- just as it would if the tinctures were changed, say, to gules and Or. This submission must therefore be considered a display, on a roundel, of Paly wavy argent and azure; and it thus conflicts with the arms of Amesley (Papworth 1017), Paly of six argent and azure, as cited in the LOI. 09/92
Aldric of Galway. Device. Azure, a pall inverted embattled Or between three natural dolphins naiant in annulo argent
As emblazoned, the pall is far too narrow, its embattlements too small. Medieval ordinaries were drawn with large, bold lines, the better to be seen from a distance. This must be returned for redrawing. 7/93
Aldric of Wolfden. Device. Sable, a wolf's head erased contourny within a bordure indented argent.
This armory was already registered, on the LoAR of Dec 91. Please instruct the submitter to draw the bordure, and its indentations, larger. 01/93
Aldwin Wolfling. Device. Or, a fish naiant sable and a base indented azure.
Prior rulings notwithstanding, there is no difference between naiant and naiant "embowed": the naiant posture often includes a slight embowment. This conflicts with Hayman (Rietstap), Or, a fish naiant sable. 07/92
Alec Tristan d'Avignon. Name and device. Azure, in saltire a lute and a sword within a bordure argent.
No documentation has been presented to show Alec as a period diminutive of Alexander; indeed, such evidence as exists suggests it to be a purely modern diminutive. Without evidence of period use, we cannot register Alec. The submitter has disallowed any changes to his name.
The lute is characterized by its angled pegbox; the instrument drawn here is not a lute. More important, it's been drawn in trian aspect, which has been grounds for return ere now: v. Tomas Luis Rodrigues de Segovia, LoAR of Oct 91. This must be returned for redrawing, and (if he intends to use this long-necked instrument, instead of a lute) some documentation for the charge. 12/92
Alessandra Rodríguez de León. Device. Argent, a ram's head cabossed proper, a bordure purpure.
The "ram's head proper" was colored argent, which has zero contrast on an argent field. When she resubmits, please instruct the submitter to draw the bordure much wider. 10/92
Alex of Kintail. Device. Per pale sable and Or, a two-headed double-queued eagle-winged wyvern displayed counterchanged.
The device conflicts with Mikhail Reubenovic Kopaczewski (SCA): Per pale sable and Or, a double headed eagle displayed counterchanged, a chief embattled gules. The changes to the wyvern (notably, the use of eagle's wings) prevent finding difference between the primary charges, leaving only one CD for the addition of the chief. 05/93
Alexander Fortescue. Device. Quarterly purpure and Or, a chain bendwise argent.
This conflicts with the arms of Chetner (Rietstap): De gueules à une chaîne de trois chaînons d'argent, posée en bande (Gules, a chain of three links bendwise argent). There's a single CD, for the field. 06/93
Alexander Godfrey. Badge. Sable, a cross formy sable fimbriated, within and conjoined to an annulet, all within a bordure embattled Or charged with crosses formy sable.
The badge suffers from serious problems of identifiability. The central cross was blazoned on the LOI as on a cross formy ... Or, a cross formy sable; but the emblazon showed the corners of the Or 'cross' merging. A more accurate blazon would be a cross form sable fimbriated Or, which is at best a borderline practice. Conjoined to the annulet, it loses what little identifiability it still had.
The effect of the crosses on the embattled bordure depends on exact placement of each cross on a crenellation. As a test, we gave the blazon to an experienced heraldic artist, asking her to reproduce the emblazon; and we gave the emblazon to an experienced herald, asking him for the blazon. Neither one could reproduce the submitted form.
This is being returned for violation of Rule VIII.3, Armorial Identifiability, and VIII.4.d, Modern Style. 09/92
Alexander of Kiev. Name.
The name conflicts with Alexander, Grand-Duke of Kiev (1220-1263), better known as Alexander Nevsky. He is cited in several general references (e.g. Webster's Biographical Dictionary, p.29), so is important enough to protect. The submitter's armory was registered under the holding name Carl of Carolingia. 05/93
Alexandra de la Mer Verte.Badge resubmission. Argent, on a pale wavy azure between two Latin crosses botonny vert, in pale a Latin cross botonny and two sea-anchors in saltire Or.
The design suffers from severe problems of identifiability. The worst problem was the "sea-anchors", which did not resemble any anchor we were able to document. For one thing, there was no place to attach the line or chain from the boat. The OED does mention sea-anchors, but dates them only from the 17th Century; and the term refers to a float with a sail, nothing like the charges shown here. We need some documentation for the charge as depicted.
Also, the wavy lines on the pale need to be drawn much deeper. Please instruct the submitter, should she resubmit with this motif. 8/93
Alexandra de la Mer Verte.Device resubmission. Or, on a bend embattled-counterembattled vert between a mortar and pestle and an inkwell with quill pen issuant sable, three escallops inverted palewise argent.
There are several problems with the submission. First, the embattled line of the bend is drawn far too shallow on the full-sized emblazon to be seen from any distance. (There also seems to be a "frequency shift" in the crenellations: the center of the bend would be better blazoned bretessed. It counts for no difference, but it's awkward nonetheless.)
Second, this is at the extreme of acceptable complexity, with four tinctures and five types of charge, even counting the mortar & pestle as a single charge. (I don't make that allowance for the pen and inkwell; they are not usually found as a unit in armorial art, as the mortar & pestle are.) Combined with the complex line on the bend, this becomes unacceptable.
Finally, unlike the previous submission, which used a documented period form of inkpot, the current submission uses what appears to be an 18th Century form. We'd like some documentation of its use in period before we register it. 04/93
Alexandra of Raderschloss. Name and device. Quarterly azure and vert, a sea-horse argent.
No documentation was provided for either Rader or Raderschloss, and we couldn't find it in our sources. We need some evidence of its use in period before we can register it. The device conflicts with Rowan of Windtree Tower (SCA): Per saltire sable and vert, a sea horse erect argent. There's a single CD, for the field. 10/92
Alexandria of Mazzara. Badge. (fieldless) In bend sinister a bow and a shepherd's crook bendwise, fretted with an arrow bendwise sinister inverted proper.
Technically, the design uses a single group of three dissimilar charges, in violation of Rule VIII.1.a. Even stipulating that a bow and arrow could be considered a single charge (in the same way a mortar and pestle, or a penner and inkhorn, might be), the design uses an excessive amount of proper coloration, disallowed per VIII.4.c. Finally, the arrow is drawn in an unidentifiable style, with miniscule fletching and points. This must be returned for redesign and redrawing. 10/92
Alicia Kyra Avelin. Household badge for Caer Ariandan. (fieldless) A flame sable voided argent.
This conflicts with the badge of Aonghais Dubh MacTarbh (SCA): Argent, a flame sable voided Or. Voiding can be considered equivalent to adding a tertiary charge; Alicia's submission can be equally well reblazoned On a flame sable another argent, and Aonghais's badge reblazoned On a flame sable another Or. By those blazons, the conflict is clearer: Rule X.4.j does not grant a CD for change of tertiary tincture alone. 12/92
Alistair of Avalon. Device resubmission. Azure, a bear's head affronty erased erminois within a mascle of swords proper.
The submitter has changed the bear's head in his device from Or to erminois, to avoid the conflict from his previous submission. Unfortunately, the ermine spots render the bear's head totally unrecognizable. A test of every person at the Laurel meeting (including Laurel staff, spouses of staff, and herald-symps) failed to find one who could identify the bear's head; guesses ranged from "lion's face" to "trilobite". In general, beasts and beast parts should not be of an ermine fur, unless the silhouette is distinctive (as with a lion rampant). The bear's head cabossed does not meet that criterion, and is unidentifiable when erminois. He might consider, say, a bear's head per pale Or and argent. 07/92
Alistrina de Mann. Device. Pean, a wolf sejant erect guardant within a bordure engrailed argent.
Device returned for two reasons. First, the engrailing is drawn far too shallowly to be seen at a distance. Second, the device conflicts with Pourton (Papworth 114), Sable, a greyhound rampant within a bordure engrailed argent, with only one CD for the field. We grant no difference between sejant erect and rampant. 10/93
Allen of Moffat. Device resubmission. Per chevron Or and azure, a pall inverted between three shamrocks counterchanged.
Though blazoned as "new" on the LOI, this is in fact a resubmission. The previous submission (Per chevron inverted sable and Or, a pall counterchanged Or and gules between in chief a bezant charged with a cross formy fitchy at the foot, and in base two crosses formy fitchy at the foot gules, each within an annulet sable) was returned Sept 83 for over-complexity and non-period style. Laurel suggested at the time that the submitter "Please use a simple pall gules", implying that the counterchanging of the pall over the field division was part of the non-period style.
This resubmission, though greatly simplified, still has a pall (this time inverted) counterchanged over a Per chevron field division. We have in the past registered solidly-tinctured palls inverted over Per chevron divisions (or the same motif inverted); the pall is then understood to overlie the line of the field. The same understanding cannot apply when the pall is counterchanged: the line of the field could legally be under the center of the pall, under one of its edges, or even extending beyond the pall on the other side.
Moreover, the visual effect is that of a pall inverted (the lower limbs narrower than that in chief) and a point pointed azure, all on an Or field. The visual confusion, combined with the problems of reproducibility, combine to make this motif unacceptable.
We offer the same suggestion as in his previous return: he might try making the pall gules (assuming no conflicts, of course). 06/93
Alysandria of the Fosse Way. Device. Gules, an ounce rampant Or spotted of diverse tinctures, on a chief Or three roses gules.
This has several conflicts, of which the arms of Gillow are typical (Papworth 106): Gules, a lion rampant Or, on a chief of the last three fleurs-de-lis of the first. There's a CD for the changes to the tertiary charge group. The creature is not a panther, as blazoned on the LOI (for it isn't incensed of flame), but an ounce or maneless lion. As such, it gets no difference from a standard lion; and its spots here count for no more than the spots on any other spotted cat (e.g. a natural leopard). If she resubmits with a genuine panther, charged with large roundels -- better yet, with a Continental panther -- it should be clear of these conflicts. 03/93
Amabel d'Avignon. Device. Per pale sable and argent, on a heart gules a four-leaved shamrock slipped Or.
This conflicts with Galin Flamebeard, reblazoned elsewhere on this LoAR: Paly sable and Or, on a heart gules a flame Or charged with a fist affronty sable. There's a CD for the field, but for a tertiary on a charge such as a heart, we grant no difference for type alone, per Rule X.4.j.ii. Quaternary charges (e.g. the fist on Galin's device) count for no difference at all. 01/93
Amanda of Coldcastle. Device. Sable, a gurges couped in base, a bordure Or.
It has previously been ruled (LoAR of Oct 90) that the gurges may not be couped: "Whirlpools or gurges are used as a single, throughout charge on a field." This must be returned; if she resubmits with a standard throughout gurges, this will be a striking device. 7/93
Anastasia dello Scudo Rosso. Device. Gules, on a bend sinister between a sun and a winged lion couchant guardant, wings addorsed, maintaining an open book Or, three roses gules.
This conflicts with Anastasia Ivanovna (SCA): Gules, on a bend sinister between two candles enflamed Or, three mullets of six points gules. There's a CD for type of secondary; but because the secondaries are not identical, X.4.j.ii doesn't apply to the tertiaries. The single tertiary change (of type), is not enough for the second needed CD.
The lion of St. Mark is characterized by a halo, as well as wings; it is usually, but not invariably, also shown with a book. (Vinycombe, Fictitious and Symbolic Creatures in Art, with special reference to their use in British heraldry, 1906, pp.53-55.) The monster in this submission is simply a winged lion, more literate than most. 09/92
Anastasia Germain. Name and device. Per fess engrailed gules and Or, a phoenix and a hulk counterchanged.
The engrailed line is drawn far too small to be visible at any distance. Complex lines should be drawn in a bold heraldic manner, so they can be recognized, per Rules VII.7.a and VIII.3. This must be returned for redrawing.
A hulk is a boat's hull, without sails, mast, or oars ( Franklyn & Tanner 179). 10/92
Ander Vargskinn. Device. Argent, two herons statant counter-statant in saltire, and a bordure flory azure.
This is not really drawn in a period style. The ripples around the (couped) legs of the herons, and the Art Deco bordure that doesn't follow the line of the shield, combine to warrant a return for redrawing. 09/92
Anderewe Fouchier of the White Dove. Device. Per chevron Or and sable, two wood planes in chevron and a bear dormant contourny counterchanged.
As has been noted in the past, the dormant posture should be used cautiously, as it all too often obscures the beast's head, tail and feet, rendering it unidentifiable. That's the case here: the bear is indistinguishable from a "meatloaf". This must be returned for redrawing.
When he resubmits, please instruct the submitter to supply documentation for the wood plane. As his submission would be the defining instance of the charge, we need some evidence of this form in period. My quick check of a handy source (Singer et al, A History of Technology, vol.II, pp.230-231 and plate 30-A) showed period planes rather more like the modern form than the form shown here. 03/93
Andras Truemark. Name and device. Per chevron embattled gules and Or, three pheons inverted Or and a bear passant sable.
The byname doesn't seem to be validly derived. The LOI attempted to derive Truemark as a toponymic, from OE trêow-mearc "tree boundary". However, the examples in Ekwall's Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place Names suggest that Trowmark or Tremark would be more likely evolutions of such a construction. Nor does the submitter's intended meaning of "true to the [archery] mark" appear to be correct, for two reasons. First, I could find no citations of true to the mark as a period idiom, for archery or anything else. Second, the submitted construction could only have derived from trêowe-mearc "faithful [archery] target". In other words, instead of the submitter always hitting the target, the submitter would always be the target -- which is far enough from his intent that I'd hesitate to register the name without consulting with him first.
The submitter did not permit any changes, so we could neither alter the submitted spelling nor form a holding name. The device must therefore be returned as well. The miniscule size of the embattled line might have necessitated a return in any event; should he resubmit with this motif, please be sure he draws the embattlements larger. 8/93
Aneala, Barony of. Badge. Per fess argent and azure, a double-headed demi-swan displayed sable, conjoined with a demi-sun inverted argent.
The conjoining of the demi-charges tends to render both unidentfiable; in particular, most of the commenters found it difficult to recognize the sun. This must be returned for redesign. 01/93
Angela Sara María Díaz de Valdés. Badge resubmission. (fieldless) A finger ring Or set with an emerald vert, overall a galleon sable, sails gules.
Her previous submission, with six emeralds set around the ring's circumference, was returned Oct 91 for a non-period charge. In this resubmission, she has used a period form of gemmed-ring -- but has now drawn the galleon so large as to completely obscure it, rendering it once again unidentifiable. She might consider having the ship entirely within the ring, conjoined to its inner edge. 08/92
Angeline of the Grove. Badge. Azure, a ferret salient to sinister argent.
This conflicts with Aleksandr Bogoliubskii (SCA): Gyronny vert and Or, a ferret statant bendwise sinister to sinister argent. There's a single CD, for the field; the postures are equivalent. 10/92
Angus Murdoch Stewart. Device. Argent, a cow statant erect purpure within a bordure gules.
The bordure on the submission forms (unlike that on the LOI's miniature emblazon) is far too narrow to register. We're normally content to instruct a client to "draw the bordure wider henceforth" -- but this bordure is too narrow for us to do so in good conscience. If this is resubmitted with a correctly emblazoned bordure, it should be acceptable. 06/93
Angus Sinclair. Badge. (fieldless) On a sun Or eclipsed sable, an anchor Or.
The badge has two problems, either of which is sufficient for return. The first is the use of quaternary charges, or charges entirely on tertiaries. A sun eclipsed is considered equivalent to a sun charged with a roundel; the two are interchangeable blazons, and yield the same emblazon. The anchor atop the roundel is therefore a quaternary charge, forbidden per Rule VIII.1.c.ii.
The other problem is conflict. The Rules grant no difference whatsoever for the addition, removal, or changes to quaternary charges. This therefore conflicts with the device of Kourost Bernard of the East Woods (SCA), Sable, a sun eclipsed Or [i.e. a sun Or eclipsed sable]. There's a CD for fieldlessness, but nothing for the anchor.
It also conflicts with the device of Stefan of Seawood (SCA), Azure, upon a sun Or an eagle displayed sable. Again, there's a CD for fieldlessness, but since the sun is not a simple geometric charge, Rule X.4.j.ii doesn't apply; there is no difference for type only of the tertiary charge, and again no difference for the quaternary charge. 8/93
Ania Dahlbergh. Device. Argent, a goblet sable with ribbons issuant from its mouth gules, within an orle of grapevine proper.
This conflicts with Cleuere (Papworth 676), Argent, a cup covered sable. There's a CD for the vine, but the "maintained" ribbons count for no difference. 03/93
Anna de Battista. Device. Or, a garden rosebud gules, slipped and leaved vert within a bordure flory gules.
This conflicts with the arms of Rosenmann (Rietstap): Or, a rose gules. There's a CD for the bordure, but no difference for garden rose(bud) vs. heraldic rose, and we've yet seen no evidence that period heralds granted difference for slipping and leaving. 05/93
Anna Dimitriova Belokon. Name and device. Gyronny azure and Or, a mullet of eight points counterchanged.
This conflicts with the Ansteorran Chronicler's seal (SCA): A mullet of five greater and five lesser points distilling gouts. While the five lesser points are "lesser", they are still points; Ansteorra's mullet is technically of ten points, from which we grant no difference from a mullet of eight points. As Ansteorra's seal is tinctureless, there is a single CD for all the changes of tincture -- including lines of partition.
The name for this submission was stated to be on the East Kingdom LOI of 22 June 1992. It was not; nor have we received forms, documentation, or payment for it. We cannot accept the device without a registerable name. 11/92
Anna Tanner. Device. Per chevron sable and vert, two mullets and a crescent argent.
This conflicts with the arms of Clerc (Rietstap): D'azur à deux étoiles (5) d'argent en chef et un croissant du même en pointe (Azure, two mullets [of five points] and a crescent argent). There's a single CD, for the field. 03/93
Anne Chavelle of Silver Oak. Badge. (fieldless) Four oak leaves in cross vert, fructed Or.
Visual conflict with the badge of Tatjana vom Hülst (formerly Tatjana von Adlerheim): (fieldless) Four holly leaves conjoined in cross vert, fructed with four berries gules. We have hitherto granted a CD for type of a single leaf: oak leaf vs. maple leaf (Karl the Meek and Mild), or oak leaf vs. elm leaf (Siobhan O Riordain). But this is offset here by the identical motifs: the arrangement and conjoining in cross add to the visual similarity. 07/92
Anne Elaina of River's Bend. Device. Argent, three bars wavy and on a chief azure, two hawks displayed Or.
This conflicts with the Herne Bay Urban District Council (Public Heraldry, p.64): Barry wavy of six argent and azure, on a chief azure, a heron Or between two crosses formy fitchee argent. There is only one CD for the changes to the tertiaries. We grant no difference between argent, three bars wavy azure and barry wavy argent and azure.
Also, if we consider argent, three bars wavy azure to be interchangeable with barry wavy azure and argent, the device conflicts with Weeks (Papworth 568), Paly of eight Or and gules, on a chief azure three eagles displayed double-headed of the first, with one CD for the change to the "field". There is nothing for the changes to the tertiaries. 10/93
Anne of Carthew. Device. Azure, a goblet Or, on a chief argent three roses gules.
This technically conflicts with the arms of Lawrie, cited in the LOI (Papworth 676): Azure, a cup Or with four laurel branches issuant argent, the center ones orlewise, on a chief of the third a lion passant gules between two mullets of the first. The blazons of similar designs in Lawrie/Laurie armory convince us that the laurel branches are not "maintained" charges but significant secondary charges; their removal is worth a CD. However, we couldn't see giving the second needed CD for the changes to the tertiaries on the chief.
Between this submission and Lawrie, there have been changes to type of all three charges on the chief, and to tincture of two of them. Since Lawrie's armory is not simple, Rule X.4.j.ii doesn't apply; change of type alone of the tertiaries isn't worth a CD. Rule X.4.j.i states that "Generally, such changes must affect the whole group of [tertiary] charges to be considered visually significant." [Emphasis mine.] The word "generally" gives us some leeway, true, but the cases where that leeway can be exercised are few.
It has been ruled (LoAR cover letter of 16 Oct 90) that "in certain particularly simple cases, changes to type or number plus change of tincture of one-half of tertiary charge(s) will be sufficient difference for a CVD." The defining case closest to the current submission was that of Éibhleann O'Ceileachair, Sept 90: her submission of Azure, a demi-sun issuant from base Or, on a chief argent three shamrocks vert was deemed clear of the Barony of Aneala, Azure, a demi-sun issuant from chief Or, on a chief argent a laurel wreath vert between two swan's heads and necks erased respectant sable. That case, and the case of Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme on the same LoAR, set the standard for "certain particularly simple cases": all the armories considered had at most a single charge beneath the chief. While the client's submission meets that standard, the arms of Lawrie do not; Lawrie has twisty branches, half of which form an orle. I therefore cannot consider this a simple case, and so cannot grant the needed CD for the tertiary changes.
To summarize: between this submission and the arms of Lawrie, there's a CD for the secondary charges (the laurel branches); but Lawrie's armory is too complex to allow us to get another CD for the changes to the tertiaries. This must be returned, with regrets. 7/93
Anne Sinclair. Per bend embattled argent and azure, two dolphins naiant counterchanged.
Conflicts with Ríoghnach MacLeod: Per bend argent and azure, two dolphins naiant counterchanged (SCA, July 93). There is only one CD for the line of partition. 9/93
Anne-Marie d'Ailleurs. Device. Azure, three ducks passant in fess between two bars wavy argent.
The name was returned on the LoAR of Oct 92, and the submitter did not permit us to form a holding name. The device submission must therefore be returned as well.
A check of the emblazon showed the ducks to be the primary charges in this case; the bars are secondaries, having been moved far enough to chief and base to no longer dominate the design. Rule X.2 thus brings this clear of the arms of Brooksbank ( Papworth 16), Azure, two bars wavy argent. 04/93
Anne-Marie d'Ailleurs. Name.
The French byname literally means "of Elsewhere", which seems highly improbable as a period locative. (Its more common idiomatic meaning is "on the other hand", which makes even less sense.) We have previously returned names whose locatives were this unspecific: v. Dughal MacDonnel of Kennaquhair ("of Know-Not-Where"), LoAR of Oct 91. This must be returned as well. The submitter disallowed any changes to her name. 10/92
Annys de Vernun of Kettering. Badge. (fieldless) An annulet wreathed Or and gules.
Conflicts with the badge of King James of Scotland: (tinctureless) An annulet (Fox Davies' Heraldic Badges), Abe: Dark an annulet light (Hawley's Mon, p.85), and with Lonsdale: Gyronny of eight gules and Or, an annulet counterchanged (Papworth, p.4). There is only one CD for the fieldless nature of this submission. In the first two conflicts, there is no difference granted for charge tincture versus tinctureless badges. In the third conflict, the tincture of the a nnulet is essentially the same, multiple segments of alternating gules and Or. 9/93
Ansteorra, Kingdom of. Title for Aubergine Pursuivant.
The earliest citations for aubergine "eggplant" are from 1750 (in French) and 1794 (in English). We need evidence of period usage before the word can be registered as an heraldic title. 06/93
Antonietta Zampa del Gatto. Name change to Tandre Catspaw.
The evidence does not support Catspaw, in that spelling, as a period English term. The OED cites the idiom cat's paw to 1657, outside our 50-year "grey area" for documentation, and cat's-paw to 1817. It does not cite catspaw at all.
This may seem petty and pharasaic -- especially since her currently registered byname zampa del gatto means "paw of the cat", and has the same idiomatic meaning in Italian that cat's-paw has in English. But the story that inspired the idiom came from Italy c.1510; zampa del gatto appears to be a period idiom for that tongue. Without similarly good evidence that catspaw (in any spelling) is period for English, we cannot accept it -- certainly not in the very modern spelling submitted here. This is not pettiness, but our best effort at fairness and consistency.
The submitter has disallowed any changes to her name whatsoever, so we must return this. You might suggest she try Cat's Foot, an earlier form of the idiom that can be argued to 1623, and which does date to period in a different meaning. 07/92
Aonghus Lochlainn of Loch Fyne. Device. Pily bendy sinister argent and vert.
Considered as a field-only device with a simple division (i.e., one without a complex line), this conflicts with several armories: Hammerton (Papworth 1035), Quarterly argent and vert; Harthell (Papworth 53), Barry of six argent and vert; Langley (Papworth 1018), Paly of six vert and argent; Lawson (Papworth 1018), Paly of six argent and vert, and Lillington (Papworth 371), Checky argent and vert. In each case there's a single CD, for the field division; Rule X.4.a.ii requires two changes to field-only armory.
If the field is considered as an exaggerated Per bend indented (sometimes misblazoned dancetty), the device clears the above conflicts, but new conflicts are then introduced: Ferne (Papworth 182), Per bend dancetty argent and gules; Kendall (Papworth 182), Per bend dancetty argent and sable; and Markington (Papworth 182), Per bend indented sable and argent. In each case, there's a CD for tincture, but not for the field division or its complex line. Either way, this must be returned. 06/93
Aquila Blackmore. Device resubmission. Argent vêtu ployé gules, a mullet sable within a bordure argent.
This conflicts with a badge of the Luftwaffe, quoted from the Combined Ordinary II, p.162: Gules, on a lozenge ploye argent the number 1 headed of an eagle and between two wings gules, within a bordure argent. There's one CD for the change of tertiary charge. We regret this conflict wasn't cited in his previous submission, but Combo II was not yet published then. 12/92
Arabella Moira of Heatherhill. Device. Vert, a stag trippant and on a chief embattled argent, three roses purpure.
This conflicts with the device of Brian Angus McDonald (SCA): Azure, a stag passant maintaining a gonfannon and on a chief embattled argent, three roses azure. There's a CD for the field, but no difference for the maintained charge, or for changes to only the tincture of the tertiaries. 7/93
Ard Thir, Shire of. Name.
This conflicts with the Kingdom of An Tir (SCA). Per Rule V.2, the addition of the adjective ard "high" is not enough to bring it clear. Nor can the definite article an in An Tir be considered an adjective; even though the Kingdom name is never used without the article, it's still an article, not an adjective. (A similar example in modern English might be South Bronx vs. The Bronx.)
Since Ard Thir means "high land", it also conflicts with the Scottish Highlands; Árd-Thir is their name for the region, in their own tongue. 10/92
Arianna Gunnarsdottir. Name.
The Italian given name does not seem compatible with the Old Norse patronymic. Per Rule III.2, we need evidence of period Old Norse/Italian interaction before we can register this name. 09/92
Aric Thomas Percy Raven. Name and device. Quarterly Or and lozengy azure and Or, in bend two ravens contourny sable.
The use of four elements in an English name is anomalous (a "weirdness"), costing the submitter the benefit of the doubt (LoAR of July 92, p.18); it's permissible only if there are no other problems with the name. In this case, the use of Aric is a problem; it is not directly attested (although similar names, such as Arich and Airic, are), and it appears to date from three centuries earlier than the rest of the name. The accumulated weirdnesses are too much to register; we suggest he delete one of the names.
After much soul-searching, I must agree with the commenters who saw an appearance of marshalling in the device. Rule XI.3.b states that quarterly may be used only "when no single portion of the field [appears] to be an independent piece of armory." In general, complexity in any of the quarters makes it look like independent armory; for example, XI.3.b explicitly cites the use of multiple charges in a quarter as unacceptable. The motif Quarterly X and Y, in bend two [charges] is allowable when the uncharged quarters are plain tinctures; we don't protect plain tinctures. But when the uncharged quarters are complex fields, we lose that rationale; and the complexity then begins to make it look like an independent coat. This, beneath all the subtext, is exactly what XI.3.b is meant to prevent.
This must be returned for the appearance of quartered armory. He might consider using plain tinctures in all four quarters, or using a charge overall. 10/92
Ariel de Courtenay. Device. Per pall argent, gules, and paly argent and sable, in chief a thistle proper.
This conflicts with the Royal badge of James III of Scotland (Fox-Davies' Heraldic Badges, p.117): A thistle proper. There is a single CD, for fieldlessness; placement on the field cannot be counted against a fieldless badge. 09/92
Arinwald Rotstein. Device. Vair, a tower and on a chief dovetailed gules, three eagles displayed Or.
The dovetailing on the chief is drawn far too small to be identifiable from any distance. This must be returned, per Rule VIII.3. 03/93
Arlys of Gordon. Name resubmission.
The previous submission, Arlyss o Gordon, was returned on the LoAR of July 86 for using a surname as a given name, and for the appearance of an incorrect patronymic. The submitter has solved the second problem by substituting of for o -- though we note that o and o' are valid period forms of of and would now be acceptable. (See the registration of James o' Gordon, elsewhere on this LoAR.) The first problem, however, remains. The argument in the LoI does not support deriving Arlys from Arlindis. The case is not parallel to the derivation of Alice from Adalheidis. In the name Arlindis, -lind- is a complete theme; you cannot simply eliminate part of that theme. Arlindis is more likely to have evolved into Ariza or Arys, dropping the them altogether. Given that Arlys, Arliss is documented as a surname, we need better justification before it can be registered as a given name. Lord Palimpsest has shown that Arliza would be a valid given name, but such a change would exceed the submitter's permitted alternatives. You might see if she'll accept Arliza. 10/93
Armand le Rouge. Device. Gules, two escallops argent and a fleece Or.
Conflicts with William de Acre (Papworth 681), Gules three escallops argent. There is a single CD, for the cumulative changes to the charge in base. 9/93
Arnbiørn Bassi Dansson. Device. Per fess azure and vert, a bear statant erect affronty, sinister forepaw upraised Or.
This conflicts with the Barony of Adiantum's badge for the Collar and Chain Award (SCA), Gules, a two-headed bear statant erect affronty, forelegs raised, heads addorsed Or collared and chained sable. There's a CD for the field, but nothing for the number of heads, the "maintained" chain, or the slight difference in posture. 10/93
Havelward of Bourne. Name.
We have no documentation for the use of Havelward as a given name. We need evidence of the transition from the documented Haylwardus to the submitted Havelward before we can accept the name as given. The armory is registered under the holding name Howard of Bright Hills. 10/93
Artemisia, Principality of. Badge resubmission for the Order of the Golden Feather. (fieldless) A feather palewise Or surmounted by a gryphon's head erased sable.
Fieldless badges may no longer use overall charges, except in cases where the overlap area is small; this is usually restricted to long, skinny charges such as a sword (LoAR cover letter of 15 Jan 93). As drawn, the feather in this badge doesn't meet that standard. 05/93
Artemisia, Principality of. Badge resubmission for the Order of the Gryphon's Talon. (fieldless) A "talon" palewise sable issuant to base from a "garb of feathers" argent.
Neither the "talon" nor the "garb of feathers" was identifiable by any of the commenters, or by anyone at Laurel's meeting. Possible reblazons included a radish, a hot pepper, a badminton shuttlecock, and a featherduster. The primary purpose of heraldry is identifiability; this must be redrawn to fulfill that purpose. (Moreover, feathers don't normally come in garbs.) 05/93
Arthur Bromere. Device. Per fess enarched sable and gules, a lion passant guardant Or maintaining a heart, in chief three broad arrows inverted argent.
Two-color fields with complex lines of division should not have charges overlying them, per Rule VIII.3. The enarched line is considered a complex line in SCA armory, though no difference is granted between it and an untreated (straight) line. If this is resubmitted with a simple per fess field, it should be acceptable style. 12/92
Ashlin d'Ypres. Name.
Ashlin does not appear to be a valid given name. Instead, it's the modern spelling of a period surname (Asshelyn) based on the given name Ascelin. We will permit modern spellings of period names (e.g. Dafydd), but we draw the line at modern spellings of surname derivations of period names, used as given names. The submitter might consider resubmitting as Ascelin. 04/93
Asne Whitewolf. Badge. (fieldless) A wolf sejant argent.
This conflicts with the arms of de Wolf (Woodward 228): Vert, a wolf sejant argent. There's a single CD, for fieldlessness. 7/93
Asne Whitewolf. Device. Vert, a wolf sejant argent and a bordure dovetailed Or.
This conflicts with the arms of de Wolf (Woodward 228): Vert, a wolf sejant argent. There's a single CD, for the bordure. 05/93
Astrid Esbjörnsdotter. Device. Per bend sinister Or and azure, a quill pen issuant from an ink bottle vert and a rose argent.
The device has a single group of three dissimilar charges, all of equal visual weight. This is disallowed, per Rule VIII.1.a. 05/93
Astrid Radulfsdottir. Household name for House von Neunkirchen.
This conflicts with the city of Neunkirchen, in the Saar region between France and Germany. By our standards, the city is important enough to protect: it's a center for the European iron industry, and appears in at least two general references (New Century Cyclopedia of Names, vol.III, p.2919; 1911 Encyclopedia Brittanica, vol.XIX, p.426). The fact that it is a "generically formed name" does not detract from its importance: Iceland is a generically formed name, too. Nor does the fact that several other towns share the same name reduce the importance of this one. Neunkirchen meets the criteria for protection under the Administrative Guidelines; this must therefore be returned. 08/92
Atenveldt, Kingdom of. Name and badge for the Order of the Radiant Rose of Atenveldt. Azure, on a sun Or a rose purpure, a bordure embattled Or.
The name conflicts with the SCA's Order of the Rose. Our general policy is that the addition of an adjective plus the territorial branch name is sufficient difference between names -- that is, a hypothetical Order of the White Star of the Middle would not conflict with France's Order of the Star. But we make an exception for the SCA Orders of Peerage, due to their universal application and importance within the Society. We suggest choosing some other noun for the order's name.
The badge conflicts with the device of Tatiana of the Swans (SCA), Azure, on a sun Or, a mullet of four points purpure charged with a swan naiant argent. There's a CD for the bordure, but per Rule X.4.j.ii, type alone of tertiary charge is not worth a CD on a complex primary such as a sun; and the quaternary charge (the swan on Tatiana's device) isn't considered a difference in SCA armory. 05/93
August Kroll. Device. Argent maily sable, on a chief azure an open scroll fesswise argent charged with two quill pens fesswise sable.
This was blazoned on the LOI as Per fess azure, and argent maily sable, in chief on an open scroll fesswise argent two quill pens fesswise sable. However, the full emblazon didn't quite show a Per fess division, but rather a charged chief. The quill pens are therefore quaternary charges, which are disallowed per Rule VIII.1.c.ii.
The distinction between, say, Argent, a chief gules and Per fess gules and argent was not often observed in early heraldry; indeed, the first examples of Per-fess emblazons were blazoned a chief. (See Wagner's Historic Heraldry of Britain, plate II, for such an example.) However, the distinction was observed by the mid-15th Century, and is observed in the SCA. This may make it easier for us to avoid conflict, but it also requires us to insist on correct emblazons. If this is resubmitted with an undoubted Per fess field, there should be no stylistic problems. 09/92
Aurelia du Coeur Sincère. Device. Per pale gules and argent, a goblet bendwise distilling a gout, within a bordure "nebuly" counterchanged.
The nebuly line of partition is unidentifiable on the emblazon; it more strongly resembles a potenty line with the corners rounded off. This must be returned for redrawing.
If she resubmits with this motif, also instruct her to draw the gout larger. Even as a "maintained" charge, it should be drawn large enough to see. 8/93
Aurora Ashland of Woolhaven. Device. Vert semy of rams statant argent armed Or, on a sinister canton Or an ash tree proper.
Charged cantons may not be used except in the case of augmentations of arms. This prohibition dates from at least 28 Dec 82 and is still in force. This must be returned, per Rule XI.1.
The 1984 Rules for Submission did not permit semy charges to be fimbriated, proper, or of divided tinctures (IX.2). While that specific clause is not found in the current Rules, those usages remain poor style, and in extreme cases may be grounds for return under Rule VIII.3. The submitter would be well advised to use single-tinctured rams in her semy, when she resubmits. 01/93
Aurora Gillybary. Device. Purpure semy of compass stars, a moon in her plentitude argent.
This conflicts with the arms of Baillie de Walstoun (Rietstap): Azure, a moon in her plenitude between nine mullets of eight points, rays adorned at the angles, three, two, three and one argent. There's a CD for the field, but no difference for type of mullets -- and Baillie's mullets are negligibly different from a semy. 03/93
Azaleja Imrah Antoniades. Name.
Azaleja is a common noun, Serbo-Croatian for the azalea flower. Its use as a given name is based on Bosanac's Prosvjetin Imenoslov, which is apparently a Serbo-Croatian baby-name book (on a par with most of its American counterparts). We need evidence of the flower's use as a period given name before we can register this.
Balian de Brionne. Badge. (fieldless) On a flame Or a salamander gules.
This is a technical conflict with the arms of William of Sark (SCA): Sable, a flame proper. There's a CD for fieldlessness. Since a flame proper is, on a dark field, equivalent to on a flame Or another gules, the only other change is to type of tertiary charge -- which on a complex primary is worth no difference, per Rule X.4.j.ii.
Possible conflict was also cited with the badge of Dundas (Fox-Davies' Heraldic Badges, p.96): (fieldless) A salamander proper. Technically speaking, the medieval heraldic salamander would have been a reptile with spurts of flame, or at most lying on a bed of flame; in any event, the reptile would have been the primary charge. Here, the flame is the primary charge, and the salamander a tertiary. We might still have called a visual conflict, all other things being equal, had we been able to ascertain the tincture of a salamander "proper". We still aren't sure what that might be, but it doesn't seem to have been gules: Franklyn & Tanner, for instance, state that the salamander is "Generally argent or Or, and occasionally vert." In any event, we can give the submitter the benefit of the doubt on this conflict -- as the other one cited renders it moot. 7/93
Balian de Brionne. Badge. (fieldless) A spearhead azure surmounted by a bee Or.
The bee, as drawn, is halfway between a true overall charge (which would significantly overlap the edges of the spearhead) and a tertiary charge (which would lie entirely on the spearhead). Barely-overall charges were disallowed on the LoAR of 17 June 83. We suggest he resubmit this with the bee as a tertiary charge. 10/92
Balin an Claidheamh. Device. Or, a double-bitted axe sable, its handle grasped by a hand gules, between flaunches azure.
This conflicts with the badge of Ulric von Ravensway (SCA), Or, a double-bitted bearded axe sable. There's a CD for the addition of the flaunches; but the hand is too minor a detail to be worth the second needed CD. (Visually it's equivalent to a maintained charge -- but we can't really call it that, since the hand grasps the axe, not the other way around. However, its visual weight is certainly too small to be worth any difference here.) 06/93
Balin Catherwood. Device. Gules, a trillium blossom and a chief invected argent, overall a label sable.
The submitted blazon had the label on the chief. In fact it is not: it is overall, lying over the chief and the field. Overall charges are required to have good contrast with the field, not the underlying charge. Additionally, the points of the label tended to obscure the chief's line of division.
If he resubmits with the label entirely on the chief, it should be acceptable. 07/92
Balthasar of Eastwick. Name and device. Per bend sinister Or and azure, a wingless dragon displayed and facing sinister sable.
The displayed posture is not applicable to non-winged creatures, just as rampant is no longer applicable to birds (LoAR of May 91). No other blazon adequately describes this posture (although if the dragon's back were to the viewer, instead of its belly, it might be tergiant).
Moreover, since the dragon's posture (however blazoned) is indistinguishable from tergiant, this conflicts with the badge of the Barony of Bhakail (SCA): Or, a natural salamander tergiant sable. There's a CD for the field, but putting the dragon in this posture greatly reduces any difference to be granted for type of reptile. 03/93
Balthazar fitz Gryphon. Device. Azure chapé ployé, a griffin segreant contourny argent.
This conflicts with the device of Tnek the Ainissestor (SCA): Per bend sinister sable and gules, a griffin segreant to sinister argent. There's a single CD, for the field. 06/93
Barbara ni Sheaghdha of Tir Chonall. Device. Per chevron Or crusily botonny and azure, in base a cross botonny Or.
The use of a charge of the same type as a semy on the shield has previously been ruled unacceptable. "The most serious [stylistic problem] is the fact that a single secondary charge is placed on a field strewn with the same charge (in the same tincture!). Such a differentiation is not period style..." (AMoE, LoAR 2/25/90, p. 19) This was extended by Master Dau'd to include a charge of a different tincture from the semy. (LoAR 9/90, p. 16). 9/93
Beatrice Celestine of Normandie. Device. Argent, a winged demi-boar displayed facing sinister sable, issuant from and grasping an open book gules.
This conflicts with Wulfred Haraldsson (SCA): Argent, in pale a wolf's head erased contourny sable and an open book gules. There's a CD for changing the type of charge in chief, but nothing for the conjoining of the charges. 7/93
Béatrix du Lac Noir. Device. Pily barry sable and argent, three feathers in fess gules.
Withdrawn by the Principal Herald. 7/93
Bengta Rolfsdotter. Device. Azure, on a mullet of four points argent, a Viking longship sable.
This conflicts with the device of Yerek the Inert (SCA), Sable, a mullet of four points voided argent. This could as easily be blazoned Sable, on a mullet of four points argent another sable, and by that blazon the conflict is clearer: there's a CD for the field, but none for change of type of the tertiary charge.
It also conflicts with the badge of Astra Christiana Benedict (SCA), (tinctureless) On a mullet a cross crosslet. There's a CD for fieldlessness, but nothing for type only of tertiary charge; and we grant no difference between mullet of four points and mullet of five points.
Beornwynn the Curmudgeon. Device. Vair, a brock's head cabossed proper within a bordure sable.
The brock's head, as drawn here, is equally argent and sable. On a field equally argent and azure, there is insufficient contrast to permit ready identification. He might try another field. 07/92
Beornwynn the Curmudgeon. Device resubmission. Or goutty de sang, a brock's head caboshed proper within a bordure rayonny sable.
The bordure has "pinking-shear" rayonny. The rayonny needs to be drawn larger with wavier rays. If the submitter resubmits this design he should make it clear that the gouts are not in orle. 9/93
Berenger Fitz Gerard. Name change (from Berenger Fitz Gerald).
This correction has already been made, on the LoAR of 23 Aug 92. 10/92
Berengière Fortescue. Device resubmission. Argent, an eagle displayed purpure, on a chief wavy sable three roses argent.
On the full-sized emblazon, the waves on the chief were not as bold as those on the miniature emblazon in the LOI. Indeed, the waves were so small as to be indistinguishable from a distance. This must be returned for redrawing.
When you instruct her how to draw the chief, you might also instruct her to draw her hawk with sleek feathers, and perhaps bells and jesses (so that it won't be reblazoned an eagle). 7/93
Berley Court, Canton of. Device change. Azure, a human head contourny, wearing a jester's cap, within a laurel wreath, on a chief indented Or a humpback whale naiant to sinister vert.
As drawn, the charge on the chief is most definitely not a humpback whale; it doesn't have the characteristic dorsal fin of the humpback. Moreover, it hasn't yet been established that the humpback whale (as a distinct species) was known in period; the OED's first citation of humpback whale dates to 1725. We can't simply blazon this a whale, because the heraldic whale is a fabulous monster looking nothing like the charge drawn here; see Woodcock & Robinson's Oxford Guide to Heraldry, pp.64-65. And I hesitate to blazon it as anything else, since the submitters were adamant that their fish be a humpback whale.
This must be returned for redrawing, and (if they intend to use a humpback whale) documentation of the charge. When they resubmit, please ask them to draw the indented chief with bold indents, as on their current device. 09/92
Bernworth von der Hüp. Name.
Both the given name and the byname are insufficiently documented. While Bernward is a valid given name, we don't see how Bernworth could be a plausible variant; the final TH would more probably have been simply T. The byname Hüp is on even shakier ground: it's documented only as a protheme in some German placenames (Hüpstedt, Hüpede), with the suggestion that it might be "a water word". Its use as an independent noun, and its exact meaning, remain uncertain. We need further evidence before this name can be registered. 12/92
Big Bear of Haven. Name and device. Azure, a drawn bow fesswise, nocked of a double-bitted axe, and sustained by two bears combattant Or.
By the submitter's own documentation, neither Big nor Bere (Bear) is a period given name: big is an epithet that happens to be used at the start of a name, and bere- is documented only as a name theme, not a name in itself. If the submitter wishes an "Icelandic Viking" name, as his forms suggest, he might consider Björn Mikill af Höfn.
The device has a single group of charges, of three different types, in violation of Rule VIII.1.a. This must be returned for simplification. 09/92
Blackhawk, Shire of. Badge. Argent, in bend two hawk's gambes bendwise sinister couped sable.
This conflicts with the arms of Prime (Papworth 962): Argent, an eagle's leg erased à la quise sable armed Or. The gambes shown here are not inverted: eagle's legs, unlike lions' legs, have their claws to base by default. However, since eagle's legs à la quise are somewhat embowed, they are often depicted with a bendwise sinister slant; so we can't get a CD for posture. The only countable difference here is for the number of legs. 01/93
Blackmoor Keep, Shire of. Device. Sable, on a pale argent a tower sable, within a laurel wreath overall counterchanged, in chief two fleurs-de-lys argent.
Our general policy (LoAR of July 92, p.20), based on period practice, is that only ordinaries (or similarly simple charges, such as roundels) may be counterchanged across ordinaries. The laurel wreath is not a simple charge, and may not be counterchanged here. While we were tempted to be lenient in this case (considering the arms of the Shire's parent Kingdom contain a laurel wreath counterchanged across a pale), I decided that making an exception here would open a larger can of worms than I could contemplate with equanimity. 10/92
Blackwood, Shire of. Name.
The name was already registered on the LoAR of March 93. 7/93
Blaise de la Loire. Device. Per pale gules and sable, a sword Or, blade enflamed gules fimbriated Or, a bordure argent.
The main charge was blazoned on the LOI as a sword Or enflamed proper. However, the flames were not equally gules and Or, but almost entirely gules with Or fimbriation. Such complex fimbriation is not permitted. (I might note that, if the flame were equally gules and Or, the sword Or in its center might be too visually confusing to be registered. The submitter would be better advised to choose different colors altogether.) 10/92
Bleddyn Hawk. Device. Per bend sinister azure and gules, an opinicus statant contourny Or.
This conflicts with the badge of Nerissa Meraud de la Fontaine (SCA): Gules, a griffin passant to sinister bearing in its sinister talon a goblet Or. There's a CD for the field, but the difference between the griffin-variants is too small to be worth a second CD. The Rules specifically grant no heraldic difference for the "held" charge or slight change in posture. 8/93
Borimir Dimitrian. Device resubmission. Per pale gules and vert, a horse passant and a bordure embattled argent.
While adding the complex line to the bordure has removed the conflict of the previous return, the embattled line is not drawn in a period style: the embattlements are too small to be easily seen. Since the embattled line brings the device clear of conflict, it's important that it be seen. When the gentle resubmits, please have him draw a much thicker bordure, with more prominent embattlements. 09/92
Boris Brighthill. Device. Or, an anvil sable atop a mount invected vert, a chief enarched rayonny azure.
(The name was returned Oct 92.) There are two stylistic problems with the device. First, the chief combines two complex lines of division, which has been grounds for return ere now (LoAR of Dec 92, p.20). Second, the device has a strong appearance of landscapism, disallowed under Rule VIII.4.a. While each of these is not quite sufficiently bad enough for return -- the enarched line is one of the few that might be combined with other complex divisions, and the landscape effect is not as blatant as it could have been -- the combination of the two is enough to have this returned for non-heraldic style. Both problems might be solved by using a plain chief. 01/93
Boris Brighthill. Name.
The use of the Russian given name with the English surname violates our requirements for cultural contact, as outlined in Rule III.2. We need some evidence of period interaction between Russia and England. 10/92
Bran na Fé. . Device. Sable, a natural tiger rampant argent marked sable, an orle Or.
The device has multiple conflicts, such as the arms of Verdon (Chesshyre and Woodcock 138), Sable, a lion argent, and Wasteneys (Chesshyre and Woodcock 179), Sable, a lion queue-forchy argent. In each case, there's a CD for the addition of the orle, but no heraldic difference between big cats, nor for the artistic markings. 10/93
Brand the Black. Device. Checky sable and Or, three wolves rampant argent.
Device conflicts with Faolan of Dundalk (SCA), Vert masoned Or, three wolves rampant, each maintaining a sword bendwise sinister argent. There's a single CD, for the field. 10/93
Brangwain Forrestier. Name (see PENDED for device).
Brangwain does not appear to be a valid given name; Morgan & Morgan cites it as a surname only. We need evidence of its use as a period given name before we can register it. We might have substituted a similar name (e.g. Branwen), but the submitter disallowed corrections to her name. Her armory was pended under the holding name Sonya of Stan Wyrm. 03/93
Brendan Hugh Guarin. Device. Sable, an equal-armed Celtic cross and in sinister chief three bendlets argent.
The device is excessivly imbalanced, which is not period heraldic style. A similar device (Penelope of the Quill, Vert, a quill pen bendwise and three bendlets enhanced Or) was returned Jan 92 for the same reason. He might try putting another set of bendlets in sinister base to balance the design. 09/92
Briallen o Llanrwst. Name.
Briallen is the Welsh for "primrose", and does not seem to have been a given name in period; nor does it belong to a class of common nouns that were regularly used as names in period Welsh. The submitter needs a given name.
When she resubmits, she should know that Welsh placenames didn't usually use a preposition; when they did, they were often mutated. In this case, she could be X Llanrwst or X o Lanrwst, but not o Llanrwst. 08/92
Brian Broadaxe. Device. Per pale gules and argent, two battleaxes in saltire counterchanged.
Conflicts with Akutagawa: Dark, two battleaxes in saltire light (Hawley's Mon, p.67). The tincture of the field counts for one CD, but according to Rule for Submission X.4.d, tinctureless armory may not count difference for the tincture of the charges. 9/93
Brian di Caffa. Device. Or, a slip eradicated joined to a snake's head vert, on a base rayonny gules an increscent Or.
The monster doesn't appear to have been formed in a period style; the only comparable example in period (non-armorial) art was the vegetable lamb, a tree that bore sheep as its "fruit". It was described by Sir John Mandeville, c.1371, and was evidently an attempt to describe cotton, not a mythical beast. The example of the vegetable lamb does not support the monster shown here.
The College of Arms was nearly unanimous in declaring this monster to be obtrusively modern: the references to triffids (from Day of the Triffid) and Audrey (from Little Shop of Horrors) were very strong. Laurel hasn't seen any of the productions of either, but is willing to accept the opinions of those who have. 09/92
Briana ní óda. Device. Argent, an enfield salient to sinister reguardant and biting its tail sable, a bordure embattled gules.
This conflicts with Sofiye Darkhawk (SCA): Argent, a wolf statant erect contourny reguardant sable, breathing flames and sustaining a finger ring gules, gemmed azure. Sofiye's ring is a significant secondary charge; changing it to a bordure is worth a CD. But the main difference between a wolf and an enfield is in the front legs; when one of the beasts is holding a charge with those legs, it becomes impossible to tell the two creatures apart. We cannot give a second CD for type of primary here. 07/92
Briana O'Laighin of Galway. Badge. Azure, three hares salient, heads to center, argent.
This conflicts with Leverton (Papworth 159), Azure, three hares argent; and with Leverington (ibid), Azure, three leverets courant in pale argent. In each case there's a single CD, for posture (against Leverton) or for placement on the field (against Leverington). 10/92
Brianna ní Dhonnachaidh. Badge. Azure, seven bees in annulo, tails outward Or.
Conflicts with the arms of Freppel (Woodward 91): Azure, a bee Or. There's a single CD, for number of bees.
It also conflicts with the badge of the Emperor Napoleon: Azure, semy of bees Or. The badge was used on his coronation robes, and granted by him as an augmentation to Grand Dignitaries of the Empire. (von Volborth's Little Manual of Heraldry, p.59) There is at best a single CD for placement on the field, and even that may be argued. 10/92
Brighid Aileen O'Hagan. Device. Gules, on a pale wavy between in chief a decrescent and an increscent argent, three mullets azure.
This sort of wavy ordinary, with the waves opposed instead of parallel ("wavy bretessed" instead of "wavy-counter-wavy"), was returned on the LoAR of Dec 91 as a non-period depiction. The strangeness of the motif would have been more obvious here, had the wavy lines been drawn in a bold medieval style; the fact that they weren't contributes to the non-period depiction.
If this is resubmitted with correctly drawn wavy lines, it should be acceptable style. You might also suggest to the submitter that the crescents would be better centered, not in chief. 07/92
Brighid Aileen O'Hagan. Badge. Per bend gules and azure, a mullet within a decrescent argent.
This conflicts with the flag of the Republic of Turkey: Gules, a decrescent and between its points a mullet argent. There's a CD for the field, but the slight movement of the mullet from between the points to within the horns is not worth the second needed CD. 06/93
Brighid Charthach. Device. Per chevron vert and argent, in base a fret vert.
This conflicts with Eaton of Dunmoyline (Rietstap): Or, a fret vert. There's a CD for the field, but since the vert fret cannot overlie the vert portion of the field, there's no second CD for moving it to base.
A similar argument brings this in technical conflict with Dena (Papworth 882): Argent fretty vert. There's again a CD for the field. Per the LoAR cover letter of 10 Nov 92, we count no difference between fretty and a fret. Fretty would not move on the field, but the vert fretwork on the vert portion of the field would be invisible; the visual effect would be as drawn here, without even a possible CD for change of placement. 12/92
Brion Domhnall MacGhille Brighde. Badge. Azure, a thistle argent within four claymores fretted as a delf Or.
This conflicts with the badge of the British 9th Division (Milord #689): Azure, a thistle slipped and leaved all argent. There's a single CD for the addition of the swords. 05/93
Bronwen O'Riordan. Device. Argent, a raven rising, wings addorsed sable, on a chief dovetailed azure three portcullises argent.
No one who saw this emblazon could identify the tertiary charges as portcullises. (Guesses ranged from "beehives" to "demi-Goodyear tires affronty".) Portcullises in heraldic art are generally identified by their square grillwork and their dangling chains. Omitting one of those aspects might be dismissed as artistic license; omitting both of them renders the portcullises unidentifiable, and so unregisterable. If this is resubmitted with correctly drawn portcullises, it should be acceptable style. 07/92
Bronwyn ferch Arial. Name.
Arial is not a valid Welsh given name, but a common noun meaning "vigor, liveliness". It must be documented as a given name before it may be used in a patronymic construction. Although Ar- and -ial are Welsh name themes found in Lady Harpy's monograph (Caidan KWHS Proceedings), neither of them is (to quote the monograph) a "substantial" element. Names coined from the themes in that monograph must include a substantial element. (To invent some English equivalents for illustration purposes: if Strong, Black and Spear were name themes, then Strongspear and Blackspear would be fine, but Strongblack would not.) Without documentation, Arial may not be used.
As long as we're returning the name anyway, the submitter should be told that Bronwyn is the masculine form of the name; the feminine form is Bronwen. Please let her know this before she resubmits. 07/92
Brychen Silverfist. Device. Gules, on a pale sable fimbriated Or between two cubit arms argent, an arrow inverted surmounted by two axes in saltire Or.
The device is overly complex. It uses four tinctures and four types of charge, which by Rule VIII.1.a makes it marginal at best; the use of the fimbriation pushes it over the edge. This must be returned for simplification.
Moreover, the arrow was drawn with small, nigh-invisible point and fletching, which has been reason for return ere now. If he uses an arrow in his resubmission, please instruct the client to draw it with large, visible fletching and point. 05/93
Brynjolfr Myrkjartanarson. Household name for Compaignie Mercurie.
The name is a technical infringement on the planet Mercury; according to the OED, it was spelled as Mercurie in period and was known to be a place. It's certainly famous enough to protect. We might have argued jesuitically that, per the Administrative Handbook (p.3), the College protects only "geographical locations" -- with emphasis on geo-, "earth". But that line of reasoning would seem to open the door for such submissions as House of Antares, and we have a long history of returning extra-terrestrial names.
There were some comments about the electronic nature of the household, but the College doesn't concern itself with households' exact organization. And while the name might be argued to conflict with the Roman god Mercury -- who, like the planet, meets the criteria for protection in the Handbook -- allusions to supernatural guardians were common enough to allow us to call it clear. That is, Compaignie Mercurie no more conflicts with the god Mercury than, say, the Company of St. Jude conflicts with St. Jude. 10/92
Caelin of Applecross. Device. Purpure, a saltire between four apples slipped and leaved Or.
Conflicts with Bonbrut (Papworth 1060): Purpure, a saltire Or. There is only once CD for the addition of the secondary charges. This also conflicts with Katya Wanderer (SCA): Purpure, a saltire between in pale two mullets of four points and in fess an increscent and a decrescent Or. In this case, there in only one CD for the change in type of secondary charges. 9/93
Caelina Lærd Reisende. Device resubmission. Or vêtu ployé vert fretty of arrows Or, an open book argent bound sable.
The device suffers from multiple problems, each sufficient for return. First, vêtu fields should not have charges in the "vested" portions of the field -- and although this was blazoned on the LOI as a lozenge concave throughout, the latter two adjectives almost mandate this be considered a vêtu field. Second, the arrows in the fretwork pattern are not throughout, as a true fretty pattern should be, but only as long as the span between intersections. We are aware of no such "fretty" of charges, other than the standard fretty of bendlets and scarpes. Even were the arrows drawn with substantial points and fletching (which these are not), they would be unidentifiable when conjoined in this pattern.
Finally, the book is essentially argent on Or, in violation of the Rule of Contrast. The black binding does not remove the problem, as fimbriation might -- for it doesn't completely surround the charge. We suggest a complete redesign. 12/92
Caerthe, Barony of. Badge for the Order of the Sable Lion of Caerthe. (fieldless) Two rapiers crossed in saltire gules surmounted by a lion's head erased sable.
Returned for being heraldically identical with the already registered badge of the Order, registered August 1991: (fieldless) Two swords crossed in saltire gules surmounted by a lion's head erased sable. The rapiers are swords; the designs are identical for all practical purposes. The current badge can be drawn in this form if they please, using a specific style of sword (rapiers, shamshirs, or whatever), but the distinction cannot be registered. (Note: they can submit something that's at least a CD away from this as an additional badge for the order, however. There's nothing to prevent an Order from having more than one badge; the Order of the Garter has multiple badges, and so does the SCA's Order of the Rose.) 10/93
Cailean McArdle. Device. Vert, on a pile indented argent a sword inverted gules.
The indentations on the pile are too small to be considered good medieval style. For an example of a medieval pile indented, see the arms of Sire John de Forneus, 1322 (Foster, p.91). 09/92
Caitlin Davies. Household badge for House Windsmeet. (fieldless) A seeblatt gules.
The badge conflicts with the arms of van Huls (Rietstap): Or, a water-lily leaf [in some blazons a linden leaf] gules. There's a single CD, for the field.
Lord Leveret (now Lord Brachet) has brought up a possible conflict with the badge of Douglas, Earls of Douglas (Fox-Davies' Heraldic Badges): (fieldless) A heart gules. His staff has found evidence that the blazon seeblatt could be emblazoned either in its standard form, or in a form indistinguishable from a heart (in the arms of the Duchy of Engern, 16th Century). I've found corroboration in Neubecker & Rentzmann's 10000 Wappen von Staaten und Städten, pp.147, 285: the arms of the Bishopric of Vyborg, in Finland, were blazoned (and emblazoned) either as three hearts conjoined in pall inverted or three seeblätter conjoined in pall inverted.
There are still enough distinct renditions of seeblätter and hearts in period (e.g. the Armorial de Gelre, or Siebmacher) that I hesitate to rule them purely artistic variants. However, there can clearly be cases of visual conflict involving the charges, and the badge of Douglas is such a visual conflict. This is another reason for return. The submitter might consider changing the charge's tincture. 05/93
Caitlin de Fernon. Device resubmission. Per pale azure and argent, a tree blasted and eradicated counterchanged.
This is a visual conflict with Roewynne Langley (SCA): Per pale azure and argent, a rowan tree eradicated and sundered in pale counterchanged argent and vert. There's a CD for tincture to half the tree, but the sundering of Roewynne's tree is very slight; and the tree is drawn with so few leaves as to be indistinguishable from blasted. 09/92
Caitlin Magwynne of Dolwyddelan. Name.
The submitter justifies Magwynne as a Welsh name (Gwynne) with an Irish patronymic particle, which is disallowed per Rule III.2.a. There are several possible alternatives -- e.g. the Irish surname Mac Guinn, or the Anglo-Saxon Mægwynn -- but the submitter forbade any spelling changes to her name. 01/93
Caitlyn Emrys. Badge. Azure, a peacock in its pride argent.
This conflicts exactly with the arms of Peterswaldski: D'azur à un paon rouant d'argent (Azure, a peacock in its pride argent) (Rietstap). 9/93
Caitlyn Emrys. Argent, a peacock pavonated to base and a dexter tierce azure.
This conflicts with the badge of Tannis of Tir-y-Don (SCA): Argent, a peacock passant reguardant pavonated to base proper. There being little difference between a peacock proper and a peacock azure, there is a single CD, for the tierce. 9/93
Cala of Savatthi. Device resubmission. Gules, in pale a butterfly and a lotus flower in profile argent.
This conflicts with the arms of Rancrolles (Rietstap): Gules, a butterfly argent, marked sable. There's a CD, for adding the lotus flower.
The blazon on the LOI had omitted the tincture of the charges. Normally, the submission would be pended to allow for commentary under the correct blazon; however, having discovered the above conflict, it seemed unfair to make the submitter wait longer than needful. We regret not having noted this conflict during her previous submission. 03/93
Calum MacDhaibhidh. Device. Vair, a mermaid proper crined gules maintaining two swords and on a chief sable, three mullets of seven points argent.
This has a complexity count of ten, with four types of charges and six tinctures (counting flesh proper, vert, and the gules hair separately). In addition, the mermaid is drawn in a naturalistic posture; not a heraldic one. This submission needs to be simplified and the mermaid needs to be drawn correctly. 9/93
Caoimhín Fionnbharr Mac Siúrtáin. Device. Per bend sinister Or and vert, a bull's head cabossed counterchanged, in chief an annulet of Celtic knotwork sable, the interstices filled vert.
The charge in chief was blazoned simply as an annulet in the LOI. In fact, it is a ring of Celtic knotwork -- not even knots conjoined in annulo, but actual Celtic knotwork as found in the Book of Kells, with the plaits sable and the spaces between the plaits vert. As such, it is not period heraldic style: for one thing, it cannot be blazoned in a way that permits the emblazon to be reproduced. Celtic knotwork has been banned from Society armory for many years (v. the LoAR of 10 March 78). This must be returned. 7/93
Caolaidhe mac Ceaird. Device. Pean, on a chief Or two "Norse serpents" respectant, conjoined at the tail gules.
The charges on the chief are not Norse serpents, which by definition are nowed (and usually have head lappets and forelegs). We spent some time trying to devise an accurate reblazon, without success: snake's heads conjoined they are not, for they have crests; dragon's heads conjoined they are not, for there is a solid bar between them; double-headed drakkar it is not, for there's no sail, shields or oars. Eventually, I decided that a charge requiring so much effort to blazon is probably not a reasonable charge. This is being returned for either documentation or redrawing. 08/92
Caomhghin O'Ruairc. Name change (from Caomhghin O'Rourke).
As far as we can determine, the purely Irish Ruairc would not have been used with the anglicized particle O' (with an apostrophe); the correct Irish spelling of the anglicized "O'Rourke" is Ó Ruairc, with a fada. The submitter allowed no grammatical corrections to the name. 06/93
Caradoc Cadwgan Douglas. Device. Sable, a staff bendwise sinister between a falcon rising contourny, wings addorsed and a fish haurient argent.
The three charges are of roughly equal visual weight, making this a single group of three dissimilar charges (so called "slot-machine heraldry"). This is not permitted, per Rule VIII.1.a. He might try deleting the staff, and rearranging the remaining charges in a more heraldic placement. 10/93
Carlwyn George Ordragoun of Canterbury. Badge. Azure, on a pall argent, three Canterbury crosses gules.
This conflicts with Collet (Woodward 150): Azure, a pall argent. There's a single CD, for the tertiary charges. 12/92
Caroline de Chesnei. Device. Azure, on a bend argent between two griffins segreant Or, three acorns palewise azure.
Conflicts with Jean-Marc de Folleville (SCA): Azure, on a bend argent between a mace erect and a barrel palewise Or, three fleurs-de-lys palewise azure. There's a CD for the change in type of secondary charge. Since Jean-Marc's secondaries are dissimilar, Rule X.4.j.ii doesn't apply to this case; it requires both the armories under comparison to be simple. We thus cannot grant a CD for the single change (of type) of the tertiary charges. 03/93
Carolingia, Barony of. Name for the Guild of Calligraphers of Carolingia.
The earliest citation for the word calligrapher in the Oxford English Dictionary is from 1753 (v. 2, p. 38). Even the root word calligraphy is dated only to 1613, post period (though it is in the SCA's gray period). Therefore, the word calligrapher is two logical steps removed from period usage and is therefore unacceptable. 9/93
Caslan a Saint Keverne. Name.
Caslan does not appear to be a valid given name. The LOI derives it from the surname Ó Caisealáin, but not all surnames of that form are patronymics derived from the father's name: e.g. Ó Gabhann (O'Gowan) is derived from the Irish for "smith", not a given name. Moreover, Ó Caisealáin may not be the original form of the surname: Woulfe gives it as a variant of Ó Caiseadáin, which Lord Palimpsest suspects derives ultimately from the given name Caiside; but that wouldn't be anglicized as Caslan, and we have no similar sounding names to substitute. The submitter might consider the Cornish given name Caswyn; and, if he desires a truly Cornish toponymic, he might use the Cornish name for Saint Keverne, which is Lanhevran. 04/93
Cathair Dhaibhaidh, College of. Device resubmission. Argent, on a pale azure a plate indented, overall a laurel wreath vert.
This conflicts with the badge for the King of Caid (SCA): Argent, on a pale azure a crescent argent. There's a CD for the addition of the laurel wreath, but the case is not simple enough for Rule X.4.j.ii to apply; change of tertiary type alone is not enough for the second needed CD.
Some commenters had wondered whether the presence of an overall charge automatically brings a design outside the scope of X.4.j.ii. As currently worded, Rule X.4.j.ii.b applies to "an ordinary ... accompanied only by a single group of identical charges on the field." Overall charges, in most cases, are not considered in the same class as charges on the field: they are separate categories of difference (X.4.b and X.4.c), for instance, and VIII.2.b.i refers to contrast between the field and "every charge placed directly on it and with charges placed overall", implying these are separate. Since the Rules don't seem to consider overall charges to be "directly on the field", X.4.j.ii.b doesn't apply to overall charges.
Lord Owen gives another argument: Rule X.4.j.ii.b only applies if the ordinary is charged, not the accompanying secondary charge. If the secondary charge were to overlie the ordinary, it would crowd the tertiaries and render them harder to identify. That seems to contradict the intended purpose of the Rule, that simple armorial design meet less stringent difference standards. I have to agree with this. The presence of the overall charge prevents this design from being considered "simple armory" within the meaning of Rule X.4.j.ii. No CDs can be granted for type alone of tertiary. This remains a conflict with the badge of Caid. They might consider changing the tincture of the tertiary, or of the field. 03/93
Cathan MacCullaich. Device. Sable, on a chief dovetailed argent, in pale a pineapple inverted and a bar vert.
Unfortunately, even in the full-sized emblazon, the charge on the chief was not identifiable as a pineapple. Laurel's staff couldn't tell whether the submitter intended the period meaning of the term (= "pine cone") or the modern meaning (= spiky fruit from Hawaii); we couldn't even tell if it was inverted or not.
Assuming the submitter intended the period meaning of the term, we suggest he redraw this so that the pinecone, and its posture, can be identified. Better still would be a slight redesign, using three pinecones and deleting the bar on the chief. 03/93
Catherine Elizabeth Anne Somerton. Device. Per fess azure and vert, a pansy Or marked sable.
This conflicts with the Mon of Imabori (Hawley 37): Dark, an ivy blossom light. Comparing the emblazons showed no visible difference in the shapes of the two flowers; there is thus a single CD, for tincturelessness of the Mon.
It also conflicts with the arms of Cossington (Papworth 859): Azure, a rose Or. There's a CD for the field, but I cannot grant another CD for type of flower in this case. It's true that flowers of genus Viola have three large petals and two small ones; but in the case of the pansy, the size change is very hard to see. The petals' shape is the same for pansies as heraldic roses. Pansies don't seem to have been used as charges in period, so I must fall back on visual difference; and I must rule that pansies and roses are too close to yield a CD.
The same arguments bring this clear of Lisa of Toad Hall (SCA), Azure, a sunflower proper; and Ragna Dzintara of Amberhall (SCA), A rue flower Or, slipped and leaved vert. 08/92
Catherine Elizabeth Holly Winthrop of Lincolnshire. Name.
This name has too many elements to be considered period style. Withycombe (p.xliii) mentions "very rare, isolated examples" of period names with multiple name elements: they grow more common in the late 16th Century, but don't become abundant until the 17th Century. Of those rare instances that do occur, three elements seem to have been the norm: e.g. John William Whytting, c.1386; Robert Browne Lilly, b.1593; Arthur Rous Russhe, b.1564. English names with four elements are so rare in period that I would consider the usage a "weirdness", costing a submitter the benefit of the doubt; and English names with five elements, like this submitter's, I must consider over the edge of acceptability. We might have deleted an element, but it seemed better that the submitter make her own choice. 07/92
Catlin Elisabeth Feverfalke. Name.
The byname is German for "fire hawk", which doesn't seem to match period exemplars for bynames. In the recent case of Gaius Firehawk MacLeod (LoAR of Jan 93), Firehawk was acceptable only because of its meaning of "proud hawk" (fire is an alternate spelling of ME fere, "proud"). No such justification can apply to the current submission; it can only mean "hawk [made] of fire", a highly suspect meaning. We have no evidence that a bird made of flame is a reasonable period concept -- even the phoenix was only issuant from flame, not composed of it -- and we need such evidence before we can register the epithet. 03/93
Catraoine ni Risteaird. Badge. (fieldless) A cat sejant tergiant vert.
Sejant tergiant is not an heraldic posture, previous registrations notwithstanding. It renders the cat unrecognizable, where the whole purpose of heraldry is identification. 09/92
Catriona Mairghread nic Dhuibh of Moray. Badge resubmission. (fieldless) On a flame proper, a closed pair of scissors inverted argent.
The previous submission had the flame Or, outlined gules; the argent scissors thus had no contrast with the (mostly Or) flame. This resubmission now has the flame gules, outlined Or, providing sufficient contrast -- but introducing conflicts. This conflicts with Grimm the Hele-bourne (SCA), Sable, on a flame gules fimbriated Or, a skull argent; and with Reginleif the Unruly (SCA), Sable, on a flame gules fimbriated Or a rough-legged draught horse forceny argent. In each case, there's a CD for fieldlessness, but change of tertiary type alone isn't enough for the second CD. 11/92
Catriona nicHugh McLae. Device change. Argent, three cinquefoils and a chief wavy azure.
The flowers were blazoned on the LOI as gillyflowers, but were drawn as cinquefoils. Under that blazon, this conflicts with the arms of Chokke (Papworth 871): Argent, three cinquefoils azure. There's a single CD, for the chief. 03/93
Cearnach of Stonemarche. Device. Gules, on a demi-sun issuant from base Or a turtle vert.
This conflicts with the badge of the Oregon National Guard (Military Ordinary #98): Gules, the setting sun issuant of twelve rays throughout Or, thereupon a beaver sejant erect proper. There is a CD, for the changes to the tertiary on the demi-sun. (Note that, while the badge has a specified shape for its display surface -- a demi-roundel -- that isn't part of the badge, any more than the inescutcheon-shaped display surface is part of the arms of England.) 08/92
Cecelia Cormary. Device. Per bend sinister vert and azure, a sea-horse contourny argent.
This conflict with the device of Elspeth Grizell of Dunfort (SCA): Quarterly vert and purpure, a sea-horse contourny argent. There's a single CD, for the field. 8/93
Cecilia MacInnes. Badge. (fieldless) On an eagle displayed argent, a rose azure.
This conflicts with Sebastian Alexander Stormmane (SCA): Sable, an owl displayed argent holding on its breast a rose gules. The owl and the eagle are both raptors, and the main difference between them -- the head posture -- is specifically worth no CDs per Rule X.4.h. Tincture alone of tertiary charge is likewise worth no CDs. The only countable difference is for fieldlessness. 09/92
Cecilia MacInnes. Device. Sable, an eagle close and on a chief argent, three roses azure.
This conflicts with the arms of White (Papworth 307): Sable, a dove argent and on a chief of the second, three crosses paty gules. There's a CD for the changes to the tertiaries, but prior Laurel precedent (LoAR of Nov 90, p.16) has granted no difference for bird type, when the birds are in identical postures. In this case, when the eagle isn't displayed, it loses most of the traits that let it be identified as an eagle. Almost the only such trait visible on an eagle close is its head crest -- and the heraldic dove has one, too. 09/92
Ceidyrch ap Llywelyn. Device. Per pale argent and sable, a pair of flaunches counterchanged.
This conflicts, alas, with the arms of Baringham (Papworth 1001): Per pale argent and sable. Flaunches do not appear to be primary charges, so Rule X.1 does not apply here; there is a single CD for their addition.
This was a very tough decision; evidence was available supporting either side of the question. The main issue boiled down to whether flaunches can ever be primary charges. If they can't, then the conflict is valid (as discussed in the LoAR of July 92, pp.23-24). Like the bordure, our prime example of a peripheral charge that can never be primary, the addition of flaunches need not disturb the placement of other charges on the field (July 92, p.6). On the other hand, unlike the bordure, flaunches can legitimately extend quite a ways into the field, increasing their visual dominance over a design.
In the end, the fact that flaunches are usually considered ordinaries (or sub-ordinaries, depending on the text) proved decisive. Ordinaries may be classed either as central ordinaries (e.g., the pale, fess, cross, etc.) or as peripheral ordinaries (e.g., the bordure, chief, base, etc.). No matter how they intrude into the field, flaunches do not cross its center, as central ordinaries would; therefore, they must be peripheral ordinaries. (Another peripheral ordinary, the chief, can legitimately extend into an unoccupied field quite as much as can flaunches.)
In the case of Eleonora Vittoria Alberti di Calabria (LoAR of Dec 92), it was decided that Rule X.4.j.ii applies to charged flaunches alone on the field. Since flaunches aren't in the center of the field, the only examples of the Rule that support the decision are those of X.4.j.ii (d), the examples involving peripheral charges. This confirms the general impression among the College that flaunches are peripheral -- and therefore cannot be primary, and cannot invoke Rule X.1.
The submitter might try a slight change of field: tincture, perhaps, or a complex line of division. When he resubmits, please instruct him to draw the flaunches correctly: issuant from the corners of the chief. 06/93
Ceridwen Maelor verch Gruffydd. Device. Argent, a horse rampant and a chief rayonny pean.
The rayonny line of the chief is drawn far too small to be seen at any distance. Medieval armory used boldly drawn lines, the better to be seen and identified. This must be returned for redrawing. 12/92
Cerridwen du Potier. Device. Purpure, a snowflake within a bordure argent.
This conflicts with Cerelia de Lacy of Sherborne (SCA), Purpure, an escarbuncle argent. There is only the CD for adding the bordure. 10/93
Cerridwen nic Alister. Badge. Purpure, "three leaves conjoined in pall" within an annulet fracted in pall argent.
The blazon and emblazon given in the LOI did not match that on the forms we received. On the LOI emblazon, the central charge would be better blazoned three leaves conjoined in pall inverted. On the forms, the central charge looks to be some type of lotus or lily flower, which we couldn't identify. Normally, given a discrepancy between the forms and the LOI, we would pend the submission; but that can't be done here, without a blazon for the unidentifiable central charge. This must therefore be returned. 01/93
Cerridwen nic Alister. Device. Vert, on a pale purpure fimbriated ermine two axe-heads, blades to chief, overall a lion passant Or.
The device is overly complex. Ermine fimbriation is disallowed (LoAR of 3 Aug 86, p.17), as are overall charges surmounting fimbriated ordinaries (9 March 86, p.12). Reblazoning this as Vert, on a pale ermine a pallet purpure charged with two axe-heads ... overall a lion passant Or would remove those objections, but then the axe-heads would be obvious quaternary charges. No matter how blazoned, this is unacceptably complex. 10/92
Cerridwen verch Davydd. Name.
This conflicts with Ceridwen Dafydd (SCA). 9/93
Charles of the Painted Glen. Device. Azure, a chevron inverted debased argent, surmounted by a winged lion rampant to sinister Or, winged argent, and in chief two compass stars Or.
The submission suffers from several anomalies. The chevron inverted is definitely debased, so much that the fact must be blazoned; but no evidence has been presented chevrons (inverted or not) were blazoned or drawn "debased" in period. The lion seems to be drawn in art deco style -- most particularly the wings -- and as noted in the LOI, it's not particularly leonine in appearance. The design as a whole doesn't appear to be medieval. 11/92
Christian Guillaume de Saint Clair. Device. Gules, on a cross argent between four threaded needles bendwise sinister Or, a rapier sable.
As drawn, the needles are too small to be identifiable. Sewing needles are difficult to identify under the best circumstances; when drawn this small, the problem becomes fatal. This must be returned for redrawing. 06/93
Christian Vicarius. Name.
Though each element in the name is reasonable in itself, the combination is too evocative of the title Vicar of Christ (Christis Vicarius), one of the titles of the Pope. 09/92
Christobelle Andrea atte Layne. Device. Sable, on a cross wavy Or between four fleurs-de-lys argent, a fleur-de-lys sable.
The waves on the cross are drawn far too small to be identifiable at any distance. This must be returned for redrawing, per Rule VIII.3. When she resubmits, please be sure that the wavy lines are parallel ("wavy counter-wavy" rather than "wavy bretessed"). 05/93
Christof Gately. Badge. (fieldless) Two spears in saltire argent hafted proper, surmounted by a serpent in annulo, with a head at either end argent.
The spears are not identifiable as spears: the points are far too small, and not the normal shape for heraldic spearheads. If this were resubmitted with correctly drawn spears, it would probably be acceptable; but it would be better if the spears' hafts were not proper.
The overall charge is acceptable in this design, per the LoAR cover letter of 15 Jan 93: the charges are slender, and the area of intersection small. 01/93
Christopher of York. Badge. (fieldless) A rose argent winged sable.
The use of the white rose of York with the byname of York has been disallowed since the LoAR of 11 Nov 77; it is currently found as one of our prohibited name/charge combinations. 12/92
Chryse Raptes. Device. Vairy sable and Or, a bend and a bordure gules.
This conflicts with the mundane arms of Froidcourt (Rietstap): D'or à la bande de gueules à la bordure de même (Or, a bend gules, a bordure of the same).
There's a single CD, for field tincture. The College's ban on the international "no" symbol (a bend and bordure gules in combination) only applies when the combination is actually used as a "no" symbol: surmounting the symbol of whatever's being forbidden. The bend-bordure combination is not banned when there is no underlying charge. In this case, since vair isn't a charge, we find no stylistic problems here. 01/93
Chuzan, Canton of. Name and device resubmission. Per chevron azure and vert, on a sun within a laurel wreath Or, a phoenix rousant to sinister, wings addorsed gules.
The name conflicts with that of Chusan, largest island of the Chusan (or Chou-shan) archipelago, in the East China Sea. The name appears in several general references ('91 Encyclopedia Britannica, vol.3, pp.310, 270; New Century Cyclopedia of Names, vol.I, p.963), so it's important enough to protect.
There was some discussion as to whether this conflicts with Chuzan, the old name of central Okinawa (where the canton is located). The 1986 edition of the Rules for Submission permitted branch names to "use an old in-period name for the territory actually encompassed in the mundane world by that branch", so long as the old name wasn't in modern use (NR18.c). Thus, for instance, a Society branch along the Atlantic Canadian coast could call itself Vinland under the old Rules.
The current Rules do not contain that provision for obsolete placenames to be used by Society branches. I asked Mistress Alisoun, former Laurel Queen of Arms, and she told me the omission was deliberate. The 1986 Rules protected all mundane placenames, no matter how unimportant or obscure; a special dispensation for SCA branches was sometimes needed. The current Rules protect only famous or important placenames. Thus, if the obsolete name for a territory currently occupied by a Society branch is important or famous, it's protected against conflict by anyone (including the SCA branch); if the obsolete name is unimportant, there's no conflict in the first place, and any branch could use the name.
I could not find the Kingdom of Chuzan mentioned in any of several general references; by our standards, it's not considered important enough to protect. And according to Lord El-Munadi, Okinawa was a Japanese pirate haven before and during Japan's contact with Europeans; so it's possible that Europeans could have known about Chuzan. But the conflict with the Chusan islands renders the point moot.
The device looks acceptable, but must be returned for lack of a name; branches aren't assigned holding names. The phoenix in the submission was blazoned rising, but phoenices are generally so blazoned, even when in their default displayed posture; we have reblazoned this one to remove the ambiguity. 09/92
Ciar Reul. Device resubmission. Per pale sable and argent, vêtu, a mullet of eight points counterchanged.
The previous submission (Per pale sable and argent, vêtu, a sun counterchanged) was returned for conflict on the LoAR of March 92. This resubmission had been blazoned on the LOI as Per pale argent and sable, on a lozenge throughout a mullet of eight points counterchanged -- which is effectively the same picture in different words. There is no difference between vêtu and a lozenge throughout, and none between a sun and a multi-pointed mullet (8 or more points). As with the previous submission, this remains a conflict with Jennet of Twominds (SCA): Per pale argent and sable, a sun in his splendour of the field rayed and featured counterchanged. There is a single CD, for the field. 01/93
Cilian Ui Neill. Name.
The grammar of the byname was incorrect: it should be Ua Neill, "descendant of Niall", not Ui Neill, "descendants of Niall". However, under either spelling, this conflicts with Killian O'Neal, registered July 88.
The armory was registered under the holding name Troy of Stan Wyrm. 01/93
Clarissa Wykeham. Device. Or, on a chevron azure between three hearts gules, two daggers conjoined at their points argent.
This conflicts with Bladt (Rietstap): D'or au chevron d'azur, accompagné de trois coeurs de gueles (Or, a chevron azure between three hearts gules). There's one CD, for the addition of the tertiaries. If she resubmits with a similar design, please have her draw the daggers larger. 11/92
Claudwick von Naerdinckhove. Name.
The name suffers from a lack of documentation. Claudwick was submitted as a variant of Chlodovech, but none of the attested variants of that name (Chludovicus, Lodewicus, Ludwich, &c) have the initial vowel of Claudwick. Naerdinckhove was intended to be a Dutch construction from Naerdinck (asserted to be an early form of Naarden) and -hove "court, farm"; but while Naarden is a documented place, we have no evidence that it was ever called Naerdinck. Finally, the preposition von is German; for this Dutch name, van would be the correct form. This needs extensive reworking. 12/92
Coemgen MacDaid. Device. Per fess embattled azure and vert, a stag lodged Or, in chief two pheons argent.
The embattled line of division will not be visible from any distance: it's not drawn very boldly, the field's colors have poor contrast, and the line is partially overlaid by the primary charge. (Indeed, it requires careful placement of the primary, and [to use Lord Fause Lozenge's phrase] "a careful choice of pigments", to see the line at all.) The combination of the three problems is reason enough to return this for redrawing. 11/92
Colin Douglas of Greysmarch. Device. Sable, in chief a boar's head couped close and in base a bow reversed and a sword in saltire, all within a double tressure argent.
The use of a single group of three dissimilar charges is not permitted, per Rule VIII.1.a. The exact arrangement of the three charges within the group (whether 2&1, a sheaf, or whatever) does not change this. 11/92
Colin MacDhaibhidh of Southkeep. Device. Vert, a chevron rompu argent.
Conflicts with the arms of Cuckle (Papworth 377), Vert, a chevron argent, as cited in the LOI. The submitter's appeal was based on the first-draft wording of Rule X.2, which called armories clear if there was "significant change" in their primary charges -- the same wording that granted a CVD under X.4.e. This amibiguity is exactly why Rule X.2 was reworded to require "substantial change", on the LoAR cover letter of 16 Oct 90: "A chevron vs. a chevron embattled is not a substantial change (both are, after all, the same type of charge, a chevron) for the purposes of this Rule." The same argument applies here.
This also conflicts with the device of Robyn Akre, registered Nov 91: Per pale counter-ermine and azure, a chevron rompu argent. There's a single CD, for the field. (Kudos to Lord Hund, who found this c