Both points are well made and well taken. 
David Pritchard;64273 wrote:
Actually all peers of the realm may use a mantling lined ermine.
The Oxford Guide to Heraldry says that the custom is otherwise.
While the use of ermine-lined mantling by peers (especially those of the higher degrees of the peerage) was frequent in 17th-early 18th century England, "In the second edition of Collins’s Peerage of England of 1741 no English peers are shown with Ermine-lined mantling, and this has remained the custom to the present day." (p. 89)
And further: "In England, the mantling of the Sovereign and Prince of Wales is of cloth of gold lined with Ermine, and that of other members of the Royal Family is of cloth of gold lined Argent. Since the end of ermine lining by English peers, all other mantling in England, unless otherwise specified, has been of the colours, and this is confirmed by a ruling entered in the Chapter Book of the College of Arms for 7 February 1957." (p.90)
Woodcock and Robinson do say that "Since 1890, peers’ mantling in Scotland is either of the principal colour of the arms lined with Ermine or of Gules doubled Ermine, and all other mantling is of the livery colours unless otherwise specified. The livery colours are interpreted as the first colour and first metal blazoned in the arms. If the arms contain a fur, the metal with which that fur is associated is used." (p. 90)
Of course, whether peers in England may use ermine lining notwithstanding that the College of Arms’s rules don’t permit it depends on how regulated one thinks English heraldic practice really is.
Michael Swanson;64285 wrote:
Instead of fur, why not a semy of some charge that reflects your heritage?
In East Tennessee, wouldn’t that be raccoon fur? (And I say that as a descendant of a one-time sheriff of Jefferson County, Tenn.)
David Pritchard;64273 wrote:
In my own opinion, it is these deferences to rank (meaningless in this country) which perpetuate the privileges of the nobility.
I would find David’s position on this issue more persuasive if we didn’t have people in this country passing themselves off as knights and nobles and using heraldry to bolster their fraudulent claims. As long as that kind of thing exists—or until people learn to dismiss the poseur chevaliers and margraves as charlatans—then I think any responsible heraldic organization has to urge its members to err on the side of avoiding anything that can plausibly be misconstrued.
When we reach that nirvana, I’ll be happy to reexamine the issue.
Stephen, I hope you don’t dismiss out of hand the use of ermine. I think it looks quite nice. I think the use of a Cross fleury gives the straight lines I find desirable with the elegance that David is looking for….
Ermine, on a Cross Azure a Cross Fleury Argent.
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9845/hickmanstephen2blj9.gif
or, building on Kenneth’s emblazonment, instead of ermine how about goutty des larmes (drops of tears)
I do like that, Kimon, though it seems a little too close to David’s original design for the Cistercian Order of the Common Observance . Here is an emblazonment of the same arms as my last post using the ermine spots as a "fill" rather simply adding a few in the afforded space.
http://img370.imageshack.us/img370/4650/hickmanstephen2b1sm8.gif
Going back to local symbolism (and hoping Stephen excuses my comment about racoon fur), how about semy of hickory nuts or "between four hickory leaves," or sprigs of hickory? A good Tennessee emblem and not one that’s been widely used in heraldry, as far as I know.
Kenneth Mansfield;64322 wrote:
I do like that, Kimon, though it seems a little too close to David’s original design for the Cistercian Order of the Common Observance .
yeah… good point
Joseph McMillan;64324 wrote:
Going back to local symbolism (and hoping Stephen excuses my comment about racoon fur), how about semy of hickory nuts or "between four hickory leaves," or sprigs of hickory?
I like the idea
Something like this:
That’s quite attractive, in my opinion.
kimon;64326 wrote:
Something like this:
From a distance the arms look like those of the Church of the Holy Ganja.
David Pritchard;64333 wrote:
From a distance the arms look like those of the Church of the Holy Ganja.
I laughed so loud my wife asked me what was so funny!
/Charles
is there anything in articular that you wish conveyed with the design, or simply looking for an attractive cross design?
Actually, Alexander, I’m glad that you asked. I’m wanting a design which boldly, yet simply, states that I am a Christian. The fact that I’m from Tennessee doesn’t matter. The fact that I served in the Navy doesn’t matter. The fact that I’m in the same political vicinity as Reagan doesn’t matter. I only want people who see my shield to have two reactions: 1.) I’m definately a Christian, and 2.) It’s a beautiful shield.
You seemed to like the cross charged with another cross. As I suggested prior, the martlet is a symbol of diligence and of pilgrimage. As the bird has no feet to land, it can never quit and rest it’s journey.
Any cross will really do, this is a clechy. Your preference. If there is a particular cross your faith uses, or one found in your particular church, I would suggest that for a more personal attachment.
All in all, it would show diligence and faithfulness towards your religion.
The balzon would be something like, Argent a cross enhanced azure charged with a Latin cross clechy Or all between six martlets gules.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c17/xanderliptak/DSC01138.jpg
