[antir-heralds] style & conflict check - Sable, a katana fesswise argent and overall an open scroll palewise O

[Britt]

A = Alicia
V = Valentino

A> "I'm not sure if this blazon is totally correct so I
A> will describe it in English as well.  Sable, a katana
A> fesswise argent and overall an open scroll palewise
A> Or.
A>
A> Sable field.
A> A katana (japanese sword) fesswise, hilt to dexter,
A> arc upwards, argent.  On top of the sword, forming a +
A> is an open scroll palewise Or.  The way he drew the
A> scroll was a rectangle straight up and down with the
A> scroll knobs on either side of the top and bottom
A> (kind of like a very fat I).  I don't know if this is
A> an acceptable way to draw a scroll."

If the blade 'arcs' (a katana has little arc overall) to chief it's
'fesswise inverted'.  Hmmm, and if the hilt is to dexter...  Yes,
that's default for fesswise. (Teceangl just went through some
'heraldic aerobics' with her arms making sure everything was rotated
correctly.) A scroll is one of the few heraldic charges that needs a
bit of trian aspect to be identifiable.  The scroll in Katin inghean
Neachtain's device at
http://badger.cx/heraldry/roll/display.php?id=1711 is correctly
depicted - the rods may be shown or omitted at the artist's whim.
Scrolls do not default to open or closed, so the blazon must specify,
so you got that right.

Sable, a katana fesswise inverted and overall an open scroll Or.

My brain just said 'Lists'.

An Tir, Kingdom of - August of 1987 (via An Tir): Sable, a scroll
unrolled bendwise argent, overall a sword Or.   for Lists Office

Technically, it's clear, with one CD for changing the tincture of the
scroll, one CD for changing the tincture of the sword, one CD for the
orientation of the sword, one CD for the orientation of the sword (two
different charge groups - primary and overall - so you can get a CD
for each under X.4.d. and X.4.h.).
In practice, it'll cause confusion. Depending on who's around, he
might be accused of presumption (though again, there is no technical
presumption). If the client is unaware of this, it would be nice to
inform him.  If he is aware...  If you can diplomatically, tell him
that this herald doesn't think this is a good idea.

> One other note:  I think saying "samurai sword" as
> opposed to "katana" might be better.  In all of my
> studies of medieval Japan and the history of the
> samurai, never once did any scholars ever refer to the
> samurai sword as a "katana."  It seems to be much more
> of a modern pop-culture usage than anything else.  But
> don't take my word on it.  Dr. Sato, an Eastern Asian
> History professor I had who was Japanese, said she'd
> never used the word "katana," except when referring to
> Western images and ideas of the samurai and ninja when
> brought up by college freshmen.  ;oP

But the SCA uses katana.  All 5 registrations of a Japanese sword are
blazoned as katanas. The only excuse for blazon pattern search forms.
:)

I actually find no conflicts but it's a near-miss on every Lists badge
with a scroll registered. I think a scroll over a katana or vice-versa
is registerable, if drawn right.  I personally think it's not a good
design idea, but it's legal and without conflict I can find.

- Teceangl