Can a shield that is distinct from the CoA be used as a badge?
Do the colors of a badge have to match the colors of the CoA?
Can one have more than one badge?
Can one have both a badge and impresa?
Can a shield that is distinct from the CoA be used as a badge?
I don’t know. I don’t think it would, as a design on the shield is a coat of arms, and it would be strange to use two arms, unless you were a monarch using different arms of dominion.
Do the colors of a badge have to match the colors of the CoA?
From my readings, I would say not at all.
Can one have more than one badge?
From what I gather from Neubecker, I don’t see why not.
Can one have both a badge and impresa?
I think so, but don’t quote me on it, since the two are seperate things. The impresa being a pictorial allegory combined with a motto or saying. Also from reading Neubecker. That book is like the heraldry enthusiast’s text book!
Cheers,
Mohamed,
I guess I’m going to have to get that book. I didn’t know it covered so much.
You can get a decent copy for around 40 I think. I’m not getting it. Since I have a copy machine (well, actually a Dell 4-in-1 Print Center, but I digress) I just check out heraldry books from various libraries and photocopy all that I need or care to want to read. Right now actually, I am organizing my collection of papers that I’ve copied on various subjects (heraldry, noble titles, uniforms, medals, coins). I can honestly say I have enough to make like 15 Harry-Potter-thick books.
Cheers,
Q. Can a shield that is distinct from the CoA be used as a badge?
A badge should never be illustrated on an escutcheon of any form. Generally it is felt that a badge should not have a field at all. However Scottish tradition tends to illustrate the badge on the liveries, Tudor heralds illustrated the badge on a roundel of the liveries, a tradition that the College of Arms has from time to time continued. Spanish and French badges never have fields.
Q. Do the colors of a badge have to match the colors of the CoA?
No.
Q. Can one have more than one badge?
Yes. But multiple badges have tended to represent inherited estates or properties. Some badges can be derived from crests that one has inherited.
Q. Can one have both a badge and impresa?
I do not see why one could not have both. They really are simply variations of the same thing, a cognisance in non-armorial form, one originating in the Medieval period and one in the Renaissance period. There seems to be a general belief that imprese are peculiar to Italy but this is not fact. During the English Civil War impresse were quite commonly used in the British Isles. It is in Italy that the tradition of the imprese was preserved into modern times.
For more information, I strongly recommend a series of books published by the University of Toronto, entitled The English Emblem Tradition. At least five volumes have been published as of 1998.
Some examples of historical badges used by English monarchs:
Edward I
A rose Or, stalked Proper.
Edward II
A hexagonal castle with a tower thereon Or.
Edward III
A falcon close belled and jessed Proper.
An ostrich feather Proper.
Edward IV
A genet passant Proper.
A bull Sable.
A falcon displayed Argent, within a closed fetterlock Or.
Elizabeth I
A Tudor rose Proper, with the motto "rosa sine spina."
Henry IV
An eagle displayed Or.
Henry V
A beacon Or, inflamed Proper.
An heraldic antelope Argent, armed, crined, unguled, ducally gorged, and chained Or.
Henry VI
An eagle displayed Or.
Henry VII
A hawthorn tree Proper, crowned Or, between the letters "HR" Or.
A portcullis Or, crowned Proper.
A dragon passant Gules.
A rose Gules, dimidiating a rose Argent, both barbed and seeded Proper.
Henry VIII
A greyhound courant Argent.
A (Tudor) rose gules charged with another argent, barbed and seeded proper.
Mary I
A Tudor rose dimidiating a pomegranate, Proper.
Richard I
A star issuing from between the horns of a crescent Or.
A dexter arm embowed and armored holding a shivered lance Proper.
Richard III
A boar passant Argent.
A rose Argent, within the sun Proper.
David,
I should have been clearer about the first point. Can a shield be used as a badge, a shield that is distinct from the CoA?
Do you mean like, if my arms are as you see per pale vert and argent three crescents countercharged, on a shield, and if I use as a badge, like vert, a crescent argent and three stars. Like having another shield so to speak to use as a shield?
Yes, Mohamed. That’s what I mean. Both of your examples get at what I’m trying to say, which is can I have two shields, one as a CoA and another distinct one as a badge.
Trent wrote:
I should have been clearer about the first point. Can a shield be used as a badge, a shield that is distinct from the CoA?
I thought that my response was quite very clear when I wrote: "A badge should never be illustrated on an escutcheon of any form." I shall try to be clearer though and leave no loopholes whatsoever.
A badge should never be an actual escutcheon, lozenge, shield or cartouche, no matter how the field is divided, charged, or otherwise made distinguishable from any other escutcheon, lozenge, shield or cartouche serving in the traditional capacity of a coat-of-arms nor should a badge should ever be placed upon an escutcheon, lozenge, shield or cartouche even if the field of that shield consists solely of the liveries.
A badge should be freestanding.
See the historical examples posted above and look at my badge:http://img467.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rsabadgeregistrationnq4.gif
David Pritchard wrote:
A badge should be freestanding.
for instance… the Zebra at the base of Sir George Martin’s (Kt., C.B.E.) achievement is his badge…
ESmith wrote:
for instance… the Zebra at the base of Sir George Martin’s (Kt., C.B.E.) achievement is his badge…
Exactly!
Here is a period manuscript with many examples of historical badges: http://img168.imageshack.us/my.php?image=256562bs9.jpg
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http://www.allaboutweybridge.co.uk/aaw/websites/theprinceofwales/images/prince_of_wales_crest_logo_transp110.gif
The badge of the Prince of Wales
http://www.city.burnaby.bc.ca/__shared/assets/Crests_-_Badge3202.gif
The badge of the City of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
http://www.canterbury.nsw.gov.au/resources/images/badge.jpg
The badge of the City of Canterbury, New South Wales, Australia
http://www.theheraldrysociety.com/mainimages/davidhubber_badge.gif
The badge of David Hubber
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I fiddled with badges a while ago… here’s what I came up with for my Grandfather, my Father, my Mother, Me and my Girlfriend (from dexter to sinister).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/Horatio86/Evereyone.jpg
David and Everett,
Thank you both for some wonderful examples of badges. A picture is truly worth a thousand words, as they say.
I think that the confusion around badges may have stemmed from examples such as The Stafford Badges on page 354 of Fox-Davies’ “Complete Guide to Heraldry.” Now I don’t know that for a fact, so correct me if I am wrong, Trent. Some of the Stafford badges displayed are crests on torse in circles that are divided vertically and colored with the liveries. Other crests are “free standing” charges, but again, displayed on a circlet of the liveries. This is where some of the confusion on what a badge is stems from, I think. There is also the way badges were displayed in ancient times (on livery colors), then there is the current way, which consists of strictly free standing charges like the examples provided above to be used on stationary or signet rings, cuff links…etc. A good example of that would be the Prince of Wales’s signet ring below:
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Signet_Ring_Prince_Charles.jpg
Prince Charles’ signet ring engraved with his Prince of Wales badge
MohamedHossam wrote:
Do you mean like, if my arms are as you see per pale vert and argent three crescents countercharged, on a shield, and if I use as a badge, like vert, a crescent argent and three stars. Like having another shield so to speak to use as a shield?
Mohamed,
I am afraid that your use of a shield or circelt, that is: Vert, a crescent and three five pointed starts Argent would not be advised. That would be the pre-revolution Egyptian flag and that would be claiming that you are the monarchist Egyptian government (pre-1952).
It is also not advised that you use any form of crescent (or decrescent) with three five pointed stars as your badge. That was the badge and later the State arms of the Khedivial and Royal House of Egypt. Of course there are no rules currently against that, but that would be similar to your using the three lions of England, the three fleur de lis of France, or the bald eagle. Basically using national and royal family emblems as your own badge or arms would be practically you claiming to be a member of that family or representing that state. In my opinion, that would not be in good heraldic taste. In the end, you can do what you wish. I would just be careful using the charges used by other families or states as your own.
The two portraits below clearly display the crescent and three stars as a badge and on the state coat of arms of Egypt.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Islamic_Heraldry/Mohamed_Said_Pacha.jpg
Viceroy Mohamed Sa’id Pasha of Egypt with two badges, one of the Vice-regal house and an unknown badge below it.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Islamic_Heraldry/Khedive_Ismail_Pasha_w_arms.jpg
Khedive Ismail Pasha of Egypt, with Egypt’s minor state arms
It is interesting to note that the Lyon Court does grant free standing badges that are always depicted in the Letters Patent upon the liveries in the manner in which they would be used.
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http://www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk/images/flying/standard.jpg
Note the two depictions of the freestanding badge.
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It should be noted that the Scottish clan badge, of more recent origin, should not be confused with the historical heraldic badge.
