Is there any symbolic significance to the canton sinister or is it merely a design decision? I’ve consulted the heraldry books on my limited bookshelf and it doesn’t seem that there is any explicit or implied significance, such as one would find with the bend sinister.  Just wanted to query the collected wisdom of the membership and make sure that I’m not missing anything.  Any help would be appreciated.

Cordially,

David

A complete guide to heraldry by FOX-Davies discusses it…

http://books.google.com/books?id=xSeEWjQCTIAC&pg=PA136&lpg=PA136&dq=Canton+sinister+meaning+heraldry&source=bl&ots=GyyO-EASH6&sig=AL-5cnNgl5LAQQOEAQ5r0s1VUhs&hl=en&sa=X&ei=fVUgUP6JEKbO2AWyyYHIBQ&ved=0CFYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Canton sinister meaning heraldry&f=false

Kathy,

Thanks.  I hadn’t read that yet.  I guess it can be a means of signifying illegitimacy…

David

But not necessarily—see the next page, where F-D describes a sinister canton to display the red hand badge of a baronet.  I think putting the canton to sinister is often just a way to avoid obscuring some other charge in dexter chief.

Agree - I provided the lead in page… You do need to read all he says on the subject to return to the appropriate level of heraldic confusion….

Thanks.  Not necessarily (even normally?) a mark of illegitimacy, but can be.  Got it.