Daniel C. Boyer wrote:
This is a stunning crest, though I’d be at a loss to identify what it is.
looks like two cardinals galero’s without the proper number of tassels
looks like a covered cup
Daniel C. Boyer wrote:
How does one blazon the or parts of the antlers here?
I shall attempt to blazon this interesting shield: Azure, a pair of antlers Argent, socketed Or, saltireways. Feel free to offer your own blazons if mine is not correct or if it can be improved.
Andrew J Vidal wrote:
looks like a covered cup
Compare the similarity of heraldic covered cup in the arms with an historical example in the collection of the Getty Museum: http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=1187
Daniel C. Boyer wrote:
The identity of this charge is also mysterious to me. Any ideas?
A most interesting charge indeed. I suspect that it may be part of an ancient agricultural implement. Could it be an axle that fit between two wheels and did something either to a crop or the earth?
How about a very elaborate mace head? The plume on top is what’s leading me to that conclusion
Andrew J Vidal wrote:
How about a very elaborate mace head? The plume on top is what’s leading me to that conclusion
I had considered a mace head but with the blades being in the center of the shaft, I dismissed that idea. Mace heads are traditionally at the end of the shaft as they work better this way. I purchased an officer’s steel mace head a decade or more ago in Latvia, the mace head was dated 1623 and it consisted of about ten rounded blades, rather like this 16th or 17th century Polish mace:
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http://oldarsenal.com/web/tn_AM 014a.jpg
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If this charge is actually a mace, then it would seem to be short a few blades to properly fill out the head. I did however find one example with fewer blades, this being an all steel Polish mace, 3rd weapon from the top:
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http://www.preferredarms.com/Images/Maces, etc..JPG
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David Pritchard wrote:
Compare the similarity of heraldic covered cup in the arms with an historical example in the collection of the Getty Museum: http://www.getty.edu/art/gettyguide/artObjectDetails?artobj=1187
O.k., this might be what it is, but the reason I didn’t think so was that it looked very much different to 99%+ of the "covered cups" in heraldry…
The backbone or spine, for lack of better words, of this boar is Or; I’m thinking that this is not a mere artistic detail but if not how is it to be blazoned?
There is a colour-on-colour violation here as regards the crest, but interestingly not the arms on which the design of the crest is based.
Daniel C. Boyer wrote:
O.k., this might be what it is, but the reason I didn’t think so was that it looked very much different to 99%+ of the "covered cups" in heraldry…
That is because your mental reference is to covered cups in British and French heraldry which not surprisingly look much like historical British and French covered cups in reality. Who is to say that heraldic German and Central European covered cups did not reflect their regional design differences?
Daniel C. Boyer wrote:
There is a colour-on-colour violation here as regards the crest, but interestingly not the arms on which the design of the crest is based.
Great crest! Using colour on colour is one way to create a unique demi-lion rampant crest. In all seriousness, do the colour on colour rules actually apply to crests or are they limited to the escutcheon?
The curious Or spot on this eagle’s head is really interesting. Is he to be "eared Or" but the problem is eagles don’t really have ears?
David Pritchard wrote:
Great crest! Using colour on colour is one way to create a unique demi-lion rampant crest. In all seriousness, do the colour on colour rules actually apply to crests or are they limited to the escutcheon?
To the best of my knowledge they do apply to crests; I’ve only seen them relaxed as applies to supporters, though this might be a de facto area even here. I’m sorry that I can’t give you a more precise answer than this, which is based to some extent on mere impression, so don’t quote me.