Seriously dealing with heraldry, some day the moment comes when every heraldist discovers the incomparable universe of Japanese "Mon":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mon_%28badge)
Predominantly (but by no means exclusively) floral badges, they are exquisite pieces of an extremely elaborate - if exotic - type of heraldry.
Tried myself to adapt my own charge; on a roundle nebuly a carnation blossom:
http://www.ursiversum.eu/yohyen-biruke-no-o-mon.jpg
Thank you for bring up this most interesting topic. Hassan Kelisli and I were discussing good publications available on Japanese mons or ka-mons just a few days ago. See these links:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Garage/4464/Kamon1.html
The badge that I sometimes use might almost qualify as a mon… although I think that they were traditionally monochromatic…
I think it would !
Monochromasy is just an option, not a prerequisite….
Kind regards
Jochen
P.S.: Here is another approach to mon-ify my charge….:
David Pritchard;45339 wrote:
Thank you for bring up this most interesting topic. Hassan Kelisli and I were discussing good publications available on Japanese mons or ka-mons just a few days ago. See these links:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Garage/4464/Kamon1.html
Thanks for the interesting links, David.
Here is another interesting site. It is in Japanese of course but it displays a very nice flash presentation of the ka-mon. After the program loads, click on the two characters in the center of the flash screen to start the presentation. http://offsite.hp.infoseek.co.jp/flash/kamon.htm
On a side note, I came upon a Japanese gift shop in California that had this to say about the ka-mon: In Japan the use of mon is not a privilege confined to persons of quality, anyone may have one. Somehow I suspect that their sales line is having the opposite effect on their customers than it was intended.
Jochen,
I must say, very nicely done. I like your renditions of the carnation flower in Mon fashion. Since you started this thread, here are some Mons that I have been meaning to share with everyone:
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mons.jpg
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_Tokugawa_Mon.jpg
Tokugawa Family Mon
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_of_third_Lord_of_Matsu.jpg
Mon of the Third Lord of Matsu
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_Mori.jpg
Mon of the Mori Family
Here are some more:
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_Radish.jpg
A radish in a Japanese mon
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_Okubo_family_crest.jpg
The Okubo family mon
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Kawanaka_kamon.jpg
The Kawanaka family mon
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_Nanbu_mon.jpg
The Nanbu family mon
I have a lot more, but I don’t want to overwhelm the site if people are not interested. Just let me know and I will be happy to post more.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_Banner.jpg
Japanese mon on a banner
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_27.jpg
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_25.jpg
Mon on a lantern
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_22.jpg
Kelisi,
Thanks for posting those images. My wife’s father uses #24 and her mother #45
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mons.jpg
Note: although we mostly see kamon emblazoned Sable with charges Or ... they just as well can be "reversed" to Argent with charges Sable when wearing white.
I’ve often toyed with marshalling "her arms" as per pale Sable four mascles 1, 2, and 1 a bordure Or (for Funaya); and Argent two hawks feathers crossed in saltire a bordure Sable (for Iwasaki). Of course, it goes without saying that she thinks I’m acting silly.
#24: sumi tate yotsu-me (standing on corner, 4-eyes)
#45: chigai taka no hane (counter hawk feathers)
The above definitions actually refer to the charge without a circle. When the circle is added (for not all kamon are within a circle) the "blazon" is preceded with: marui no….—"of [within] a circle".
Cheers,
—Guy
Guy,
If I understand it corrently, here is the Iwasaki family mon:
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_14.jpg
Cheers,
Hassan
Kelisli;45366 wrote:
Guy,
If I understand it corrently, here is the Iwasaki family mon:
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Japanese_Mon_14.jpg
Cheers,
Hassan
Correct. And, not only the Iwasaki, but other families (i.e., Kubo) use it .
As for the "yotsumei", it is also used more famously by other families—Sasaki and the Kyougoku clan.
"Funaya" is an extremely rare Japanese name; a couple-hundred years ago they were Shoya (village headmen)—a translation which really underplays the actual position as they were literally authorized to bear arms: two swords [possibly that connection to a feudal superior is why they use the "Yotsumei" kamon]. Though not of the samurai class, a shoya might be more equivalent to a Scottish "feudal baron" (not an aristocratic baron)—they were appointed by the higher feudal authority to control the peasants, manage the harvest yield, and deploy the goshi (lower hierarchy samurai) in a particular village boundary (like marshals of Tombstone?? :D
—Guy
Thank you all for your contributions.
Particularly I like the cool presentation 
Yes, Hassan…You’re pictures and information have been a real treat. Both in this thread and in the one on Egyptian heraldry. Thanks for sharing.
Ka-mon as illustrated in a Japanese language book on that subject.
http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/9832/nkbfefesl6.jpg
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/3909/nkcfhgdz7.jpg
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/9210/nkdewrer4twd1.jpg
