Today I came across an interesting passage in the book "A History of California and An Extended History of Los Angeles and Its Environs" by J.M. Guinn (1915). In it he describes actions in 1821 by a disputacion (the group that made laws for the then-Mexican territory). The actions included a plan to change the name of Alta California to Montezuma, changing the name of Los Angeles and making it the capital, and also designing a new coat of arms.
Quote:
"A coat of arms was adopted for the territory. It consisted of an oval with the figure of an oak tree on one side, an olive tree on the other and a plumed Indian in the center with his bow and quiver, just in the act of stepping across the mythical straits of Anian. The memorial was sent to Mexico, but the supreme government paid no attention to it."
hmm. doesn’t sound better than the one they have now. one would hope with it being older it would. oh well.
Well the 19th Century is not considered as one of the more prominent periods in the heraldic history.
true enough…but i was hoping that it was a carry over from an older one…one with more…traditional Spanish style. maybe i’m wrong. oh well.
Well one can only hope, but this time your hope was unfortunately in vain.
Donnchadh;67267 wrote:
hmm. doesn’t sound better than the one they have now. one would hope with it being older it would. oh well.
Agreed. It’s basically the same in a long line of state "coats of arms" that use a pretty picture rather than a heraldic design. Pity.
Quote:
disputacion
Sorry… diputacion?
Donnchadh;67267 wrote:
hmm. doesn’t sound better than the one they have now. one would hope with it being older it would. oh well.
It seems fine from the description so long as the strait is represented in a more traditional way. Trees and human figures are common elements. Massachusetts uses such a figure with bow as well.
The seal that California uses is not a heraldic device at all, yet was not intended to be. The state’s flag, however, could easily be made heraldic.
Michael Y. Medvedev;67298 wrote:
Sorry… diputacion?
Yes, your correct. My typo.