First, my thanks to Kenneth Mansfield for his advice and guidance in helping mold my original concept into something at least approaching accepted heraldic practice.
I have Photoshopped a rough sketch, seen in my avatar. The current blazon is:
Argent an American Brown Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) passant reguardant proper, on a chief engrailed Azure seven novae Argent.
Motto: “In vis gnaritas libertas” meaning (intended) "In the strength of knowledge, freedom".
It has been several decades since I last studied Latin, and my grammar and conjugation are rusted well beyond any practical use. From reading through threads, I understand that there is at least one "Latin authority" present, and I would appreciate any applicable correction.
I have scrapped my original idea for a crest. I would like to find something symbolizing my Scottish, Irish and Welsh ancestry without being cookie-cutter cliche about it.
Any and all constructive criticism is welcomed.
This is a nice design David. Is there a reason for the invected chief?
Building on the overall design, I’m wondering if a fir twigged chief http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Havukoro.svg and/or the bear gorged would add some chutzpa. I’m thinking here of a design or a portion of a design that could be repeated in the crest.
The first use of the term nova to describe a charge that I’m aware of occurs on my dad’s arms… a star of eight points with cardinal rays extended (in the same appearance as a compass rose of eight points). Is that how you also intend to use the term for your arms David?
Richard G.;96871 wrote:
This is a nice design David. Is there a reason for the invected chief?
Building on the overall design, I’m wondering if a fir twigged chief http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Havukoro.svg and/or the bear gorged would add some chutzpa. I’m thinking here of a design or a portion of a design that could be repeated in the crest.
Thank you, Richard.
Yes, the engrailled chief comes from, and is an element of, the ancient arms of my Clan MacTavish Chief’s arms. My Chief’s arms use it in the first and fourth quarters, with a crosslet fitchee between two mullets.
I rejected the original idea of a bear’s head erased for the crest, not wanting to repeat that element of the design.
Thank you again for your input.
Jeffrey Boyd Garrison;96875 wrote:
The first use of the term nova to describe a charge that I’m aware of occurs on my dad’s arms… a star of eight points with cardinal rays extended (in the same appearance as a compass rose of eight points). Is that how you also intend to use the term for your arms David?
Yes, Jeffrey. The eight-pointed star has very special personal meanings to me. It may be from reading your blazon that I picked up the term for the charge. If I am out of line using the term, I can find another to indicate the same figure. I certainly mean no disrespect to you or your father.
David_T;96868 wrote:
an American Brown Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) passant reguardant proper
I believe that Ursus arctos horribilis is most generally called a grizzly bear, rather than an "American Brown Bear".
Harold,
You’ve got a chief invected confused for a chief engrailed.
I would simply blazon these as eight-pointed stars (or, for the pompously inclined, stars of eight points).
Nice design, but I’d urge you to call a bear a bear (and just a bear). Heraldically, any temperate zone bear blazoned "proper" is going to look pretty much like any other.
“In Vis Gnaritas Libertas” – “In the strength of knowledge, freedom”
Grammatically, Vis would need to be in the ablative – which would give you “In Vi”. Gnaritas would also need to be in the genitive – which would give you “Gnaritatis”. All told: "In Vi Gnaritatis Libertas".
I will say that Gnaritas is an uncommon word for knowledge, not necessarily incorrect, just not commonly used. Scientia is more-common and of classical origin, whereas Gnaritas is medieval Latin.
There is a whole batch of mottos formed by “Ex Scientia ______” or “Ex ______ Scientia”:
Ex Scientia Tridens
from knowledge, sea power
motto of the United States Naval Academy
Ex Luna Scientia
from the moon, knowledge
motto of the Apollo XIII moon mission
Ex Scientia Vera
from knowledge, truth
motto of Middle Tennessee State University, College of Graduate Studies
Ex Astris Scientia
from the stars, knowledge
motto of Starfleet Academy (from Star Trek)
Ex Vulgus Scientia
from crowd, knowledge
from James Surowiecki’s 2004 book “The Wisdom of Crowds”
there is also the related:
In Scientia Opportunitas
in knowledge, there is opportunity
motto of Edge Hill University
Using such a construct would give you “Ex Scientia Libertas” as “from knowledge, freedom”; or “In Scientia Libertas” as “in knowledge, there is freedom”.
In 1597, the English philosopher Sir Francis Bacon famously wrote “Ipsa Scientia Potentia Est” meaning “knowledge itself is power”. You could paraphrase that as “Ipsa Scientia Libertas Est” as “knowledge itself is freedom” – or just “Scientia Libertas Est” as “knowledge is freedom.
Kenneth, I had thought that but I did my rendering based on the sketch that David had origionally in his avatar.
So I guess the question is, was the image of the blazon wrong or was I wrong? LOL
An idea for my creat…
On a wreath of the liveries, a Celtic knot argent between two branchlets of Eastern Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) proper.
David,
I assume you want the chief portion of your arms like that of MacTavish. I will adjust the design this evening and send it to you.
harold cannon;96885 wrote:
Kenneth, I had thought that but I did my rendering based on the sketch that David had origionally in his avatar.
So I guess the question is, was the image of the blazon wrong?
My wording in the blazon and my sketch were both based on the table appearing on Page 3 of the AHS Heraldic Primer. To wit:
http://www.americanheraldry.org/pages/uploads/Primer/3a.gif
Ahh.. Interesting. My Chief’s blazon in the Lyon Court Matriculation reads engrailed, but shows points down and rounds up (invected, according to the AHS table) in the depiction in the same document. Confusing. I will bring this to his attention.
Back to the fridge for mine until I can determine which is correct for a MacTavish reference.
harold cannon;96885 wrote:
Kenneth, I had thought that but I did my rendering based on the sketch that David had origionally in his avatar.
So I guess the question is, was the image of the blazon wrong?
The image is wrong. If that were a field divided per fess it would be correct. But the "engrailing" is of the chief, so the sharp points need to be going away from it.
See the arms of David’s clan chief:
<div class=“bbcode_center” >
http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/m/images/Image148.jpg
</div>
Got it!
I will fix it this evening.
