[antir-heralds] Blazon help

[chrisact at qwickconnect.net]

Raoul Delaroche wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> I'm wanting to register a badge for the use of my household.  An image
> of said badge can found here:
>
> http://picasaweb.google.com/raouldelaroche/Heraldry/photo#5120518014655371986
>
> I believe the blazon for this would be:
> Paly sable and or, on a chief argent a fleur-de-lis between two rowels sable.
>
> How did I do?  Anyone see any problems with registering this?
>   

A couple of notes:

     1) When (and if) you get to conflict checking this, note the 
following precedent:
Precedent:
[/mullets/ vs /mullets pierced/] Current research seems to indicate that 
mullets and mullets pierced (or spur rowels) were used interchangeably 
in period.  As a consequence, no difference is currently granted between 
them.  (Agnes Daunce, 5/96 p. 20)
Laurel Sovereign of Arms: Da'ud ibn Auda (Tenure 2)
LoAR Date: May 1, 1996
Precedents: The 2nd Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (November 1993 - June 1996)
     Similarly, note this precedent:
Precedent:
[Returning /Or, on a fess sable between three roses azure, three spur 
rowels Or/.] Conflict with ... /Or, on a fess sable, three estoiles of 
the first/. There is a CD for the addition of the secondaries, but 
though the change in type between /spur rowels/mullets/ and /estoiles/ 
is generally worth a CD, they lack the substantial difference in type 
necessary to apply X.4.j.ii., which is needed here for the second CD. 
[2/94, p.17]
Laurel Sovereign of Arms: Da'ud ibn Auda (Tenure 2)
LoAR Date: February 1, 1994
Precedents: The 2nd Tenure of Da'ud ibn Auda (November 1993 - June 1996)

     2) Please be aware that all the precedents I found, plus mundane 
usage, is to call them spur rowels (or spur-rowels), not just simply 
"rowels."

     3) Mundanely, spur-rowels default to five points unless specified 
otherwise. However, in (partial) contradiction, consider this precedent:
Precedent:
Without a traditional default, I am reluctant to use the term 
*/spur-rowel/* except when the number of points couldn't possibly 
matter, such as in a semy or on a bordure. I have therefore blazoned the 
charges explicitly, as mullets (of six points) pierced. [BoE, 7 Jul 86, p.2]
Laurel Sovereign of Arms: Baldwin of Erebor
LoAR Date: July 7, 1986
Precedents: The Tenure of Baldwin of Erebor (August 1984 - August 1986)

     4) The drawing needs some work; specifically, the chief is not high 
enough. A chief should be roughly one fifth to one fourth of the height 
of the shield, more if necessary. Widening the chief will also allow you 
to make the spur-rowels and the fleur-de-lis larger; right now they're 
too small to be easily made out (I thought those were Mogen David's at 
first).

     5) If the number of "stripes" is important to you, specify them in 
the blazon. Otherwise, any number of "stripes" is a 'correct' depiction 
(emblazon) of the device.

Thus, I'd suggest the blazon: "Paly of eight sable and Or, on a chief 
argent a fleur-de-lis between two spur-rowels of six points sable" OTOH, 
if the last precedent I quoted (Baldwin of Erebor, July 7, 1986) is seen 
as a problem, I'd go with: "Paly of eight sable and Or, on a chief 
argent a fleur-de-lis between two mullets of six points pierced, sable"

I'm going to mail this much, then go conflict check for you. ;-)


~~Basil Dragonstrike

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