Heraldry
May 11, 2012 10:18 AM Subscribe
A well-illustrated guide to heraldry. Want more? There's England's College of Arms, or the heraldry of the US Army. Notre Dame has a heraldic dictionary, and the internet at large is happy to provide you with heraldry clip art from (electronic) ages past. (And then there's always wikipedia)
A field quarterly, azure and or. In quarter the first, the letters M and F, or. In quarter the second, a hare statant crowned with pancake, proper. In quarter the third, a bucket argent filled with phalluses, proper. In quarter the fourth, a tater, rampant.
posted by Rock Steady at 11:21 AM on May 11, 2012 [20 favorites]
posted by Rock Steady at 11:21 AM on May 11, 2012 [20 favorites]
I need to start wearing the 8th Psychological Operations insignia.
Also, the simple, unadorned nature of the Rangers insignia says "Caution: Contains Bad-Ass." They don't need a patch with a lightning-barfing dinosaur holding a sword to make themselves feel tough.
posted by Slap*Happy at 11:39 AM on May 11, 2012
Also, the simple, unadorned nature of the Rangers insignia says "Caution: Contains Bad-Ass." They don't need a patch with a lightning-barfing dinosaur holding a sword to make themselves feel tough.
posted by Slap*Happy at 11:39 AM on May 11, 2012
I especially liked the sections way at the bottom of the first link. The attributed coats of arms for Jesus, the Holy Trinity, and Satan are all pretty interesting, and the bit that points out why the fake coats of arms are obviously fake is also fun.
posted by Copronymus at 11:45 AM on May 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Copronymus at 11:45 AM on May 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
The US Army Veterinary Command gets a "demi-unicorn!"
The unicorn, a fabulous creature whose horn possessed the power of purification, denotes the hygienic function of the organization.
posted by lstanley at 12:07 PM on May 11, 2012
The unicorn, a fabulous creature whose horn possessed the power of purification, denotes the hygienic function of the organization.
posted by lstanley at 12:07 PM on May 11, 2012
"Always Constant", mph? Yeah, that is a pretty lousy (and nearly redundant) motto.
posted by maryr at 12:14 PM on May 11, 2012
posted by maryr at 12:14 PM on May 11, 2012
Maryland's flag is the only state flag in the United States to be based on English heraldry.
The yellow and black portion, representing a palisade, was George Calvert's reward for storming a fortification during a battle. The red and white portion was used by the family of Calvert's mother (which he was entitled to use since she was an heiress.)
The flag itself wasn't adopted until 1904, but the designs themselves were used since the earliest colonial days. Representing Maryland's division during the civil war, the yellow and black became associated with Unionist, while the cross pattern was used by Confederate sympathizers. The official flag, combining the two, was partly out the spirit of reconcilliation.
posted by spaltavian at 12:24 PM on May 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
The yellow and black portion, representing a palisade, was George Calvert's reward for storming a fortification during a battle. The red and white portion was used by the family of Calvert's mother (which he was entitled to use since she was an heiress.)
The flag itself wasn't adopted until 1904, but the designs themselves were used since the earliest colonial days. Representing Maryland's division during the civil war, the yellow and black became associated with Unionist, while the cross pattern was used by Confederate sympathizers. The official flag, combining the two, was partly out the spirit of reconcilliation.
posted by spaltavian at 12:24 PM on May 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
"For some reason tailors are particularly prone to creating bogus arms. This one is presumably a sort of joke as there cannot be a genuine intention to pass this off as a genuine acheivement of arms."
— What a killjoy!
posted by quoquo at 12:40 PM on May 11, 2012
— What a killjoy!
posted by quoquo at 12:40 PM on May 11, 2012
These heraldry sites are rampant
posted by Flashman at 12:45 PM on May 11, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Flashman at 12:45 PM on May 11, 2012 [3 favorites]
Yeah, the psyops guys definitely had the most fun coming up with their patches.
Win With Words!
posted by longdaysjourney at 12:57 PM on May 11, 2012
Win With Words!
posted by longdaysjourney at 12:57 PM on May 11, 2012
Heraldry of the world is probably the most comprehensive website for, well, heraldry. The US is a bit short on medieval logos apparently, but Greenland has an icebear.
posted by Sourisnoire at 12:59 PM on May 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Sourisnoire at 12:59 PM on May 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Hmm. The heraldic clip-art site doesn't have any raven-bears. Oh? What's that? Never heard of a raven-bear, half raven and half polar bear? Then you mustn't be familiar with the coat of arms of the Canadian Heraldic Authority.
posted by mhum at 5:52 PM on May 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by mhum at 5:52 PM on May 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
> A field quarterly, azure and or. In quarter the first, the letters M and F, or. In quarter the second, a hare statant crowned with pancake, proper. In quarter the third, a bucket argent filled with phalluses, proper. In quarter the fourth, a tater, rampant.
wait wait, where's the plate of beans?
posted by Tom-B at 5:59 PM on May 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
wait wait, where's the plate of beans?
posted by Tom-B at 5:59 PM on May 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
a red flayed man on pink de sang
posted by sonic meat machine at 6:48 PM on May 11, 2012
posted by sonic meat machine at 6:48 PM on May 11, 2012
Wait. Never mind the raven-bear. How about half Chinese dragons, half Albertasaurus? Also, footballs.
posted by mhum at 7:01 PM on May 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by mhum at 7:01 PM on May 11, 2012 [2 favorites]
I'd been wondering where Airbender/Korra got all their creatures. Answer: crazy heraldry.
posted by curious nu at 7:02 PM on May 11, 2012
posted by curious nu at 7:02 PM on May 11, 2012
rampant moron
"Lord Pickenflick, we at the College of Heralds have been meaning to speak with you regarding your family's coat of arms for some time..."
posted by leotrotsky at 7:36 PM on May 11, 2012
"Lord Pickenflick, we at the College of Heralds have been meaning to speak with you regarding your family's coat of arms for some time..."
posted by leotrotsky at 7:36 PM on May 11, 2012
I have always wondered what the coat of arms for the famous Department of Redundancy Department might look like.
My first idea is that it might involve three two-headed spokespersons supporting a shield on which is depicted a knight wielding two shields with this very coat of arms on them
posted by Anything at 10:43 PM on May 11, 2012
My first idea is that it might involve three two-headed spokespersons supporting a shield on which is depicted a knight wielding two shields with this very coat of arms on them
posted by Anything at 10:43 PM on May 11, 2012
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Nobody. Nobody at all is afraid of telephone polls.
Fortunately, the brigade had a lion shooting lightning bolts out of its mouth, and everyone's afraid of those.
posted by mph at 11:06 AM on May 11, 2012 [4 favorites]