OMG!

I have a fondness for Scotland and an addiction for heraldry but this one, which arguably combines the two, just has to be the height of tourist tat.

Presently for sale on the Internet at a starting price of £3.99 (no bids at the time of writing) and described as Caledonia Heraldic Crested China Edinburgh ~ Bagpipes.



This is one that won't find its way into my collection.

You are cordially invited.

Tomorrow's meeting of the Cheshire Heraldry Society will see Mike Cresswell give his talk entitled "An elephant evolves!".  Curiosity is getting this (Cheshire Heraldry) cat!

All meetings are held at Townley Street Schoolroom, Townley Street, Macclesfield, starting at 2.30 pm, (room opens at 2.00 pm) followed by refreshments. (Pay and Display car park 100 yds.) 

You don't have to be a member of the Society to attend and guests are always made welcome (but you do risk catching the heraldry bug).

See you there.

Happy Heraldic New Year

My first post of the New Year reports two sales on eBay which may be of interest to armorists. The first is the sale of the Letters Patent of a grant from the College of Arms to Oswald Milne of Prestwich Lancashire which fell under the hammer for £335 (plus £11 post and packing) with interest from five bidders, the winner sniping a bid within the last few seconds to secure it.

Described by the seller as being a “Cased hand written and illuminated scroll, bestowing the right to bear a coat of arms. The box is embossed with Queen Victoria's initials. The scroll has two wax seals in gilt metal cases. Beautifully done, and in excellent condition, with just a little wear to the box. Included is the original receipt for £85, 18 shillings, a huge sum at the time, 1867.”

The seller included a photograph of one of the seals which appears to be that of Sir Charles George Young (1795 to 1869) who served as Garter from 1842 until his death.

The second item of interest fell had a certain familiarity with it in that I have a feeling I have seen it (or another of the same) offered for sale before but can’t be entirely sure. Described by the seller as an “Antique HERALDIC Crested Brass Cased ~ WAX SEAL ~ 1800s” with the “remains of a silk ribbon to the back” and sitting in its own brass case it is an ornate heraldic crest believed to be c1800. The item was stated as having a discreet crack to it, but otherwise very good order.  The seller professed to have no idea as to provenance but welcomed any input and felt that it must have value to have been cased and saved.

Two bidders fought hard over the period of the auction with the winner securing it for £29.99 (with £2.95 delivery).

Have a Happy Heraldic New Year.

A Pursuivant for Father Christmas?

My wife, Sandy, has just broken up from school and, as always for the Christmas season, she brings home with her copious amounts of Christmas cards and presents from both colleagues and pupils. One Christmas card in particular caught my eye this year and I reproduce it below for your (heraldic) enjoyment. To my eye (though not shared by Sandy!) here we have a reindeer wearing the tabard of a pursuivant. Clearly his master bears the arms Or, a mullet Gules.



Merry Christmas ;-)

Great Minds Think Alike ?

I was talking to a friend on the telephone this morning and the subject of the arms and badge of the new Cheshire East Council cropped up. I have always maintained that the simple design of a garb encircled by an eastern crown for the badge was inspirational and I was saying so to my friend this morning. I was also musing that when I first saw the design I thought that it was somewhat familiar but couldn't put my finger on it when he reminded me about the very early logo I used for the Cheshire Heraldry web site way back in 2004. The design I used back then had totally slipped my mind (it's an age thing!) but, having been reminded, I checked (the image can still be seen by using the internet's way back machine provided by web.archive.org - click here to see it) and now remember choosing a simple garb encircled by a crest coronet and choosing to break the tincture rules and thus claim it as a logo and avoid it being thought of as an unauthorised badge. If my reader will allow, I will indulge my pride (just this once) by proclaiming that not only do great minds think alike but perhaps on this occasion at least I can also claim to have got there first.  

Cholmondeley Hatchment

In the previous post to this I reported the completion of the image for Cholmondeley of Cholmondeley in the visitations of 1663 and by happy coincidence almost at the same time I received permission from David Truzzi-Franconi to use the image of a Cholmondeley hatchment he completed some time ago. I was going to post the image David provided but then I realised that I actually had a photograph of the hatchment is situ at Cholmondeley Castle so decided to use that one instead.



The hatchment illustrates the arms of Hugh Cholmondeley, 6th Marquess of Cholmondeley and his wife, Lavinia Margaret Leslie. The dexter portion, with the arms of Cholmondeley, is shown with a black background to indicate that the 6th Marquess is deceased.

David, who is well known to the English Officers of Arms,  is an experienced and accomplished artist.

His website can be viewed at http://www.heraldryandcalligraphy.com and http://www.truzzi.co.uk

Latest update: Cholmondeley of Cholmondeley

Cholmondeley of Cholmondeley  Arms: Quarterly
1. Gules, in chief two esquires helmets Argent and in base a garb Or.
2. Lozengy Argent and Azure, a bend Gules, fretty Or. [Cheney]
3. Argent three capons Sable. [Capenhurst]
4. Quarterly Argent and Gules, in the second and third quarters a fret Or. [Dutton]
5. Argent, on a bend Gules three escarbuncles Or. [Thornton]
6. Vert a cross engrailed Ermine. [Kingsley]
7. Or, a saltire Sable. [Helsby]
8. Azure, on a chevron between three garbs Or, a crescent for cadency. [Hatton]
9. Azure, an estoile within the horns of a crescent Argent. [Minshull]

Crest: A demi-griffin segreant Sable, holding in the claws a helmet as in the arms Argent.                                       

Hugh, born 1661, created baron Cholmondeley of Witch Malbank 10th April 1689.