House of Dracula

 
arriano
 
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arriano
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21 November 2013 17:09
 

I watched the rather dumb "House of Dracula" last night. In one scene, the neck-biter’s coffin is shown with a coat of arms on the side that are described as "Dracula’s crest." Tried to find a shot from the film online that showed it. While I haven’t been able to, I did find the very same coat of arms being sold online as signet rings, wall plaques, etc. Here it is (for what it’s worth):

http://www.headlesshearseman.com/HHnameplatepagesimages/dracula/DC.jpg

 

http://ii-prod-rw.marketlive.com/DesignToscano/images/products/en_us/detail/CL6100.jpg

 
Guy Power
 
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Guy Power
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21 November 2013 19:58
 

Vlad Tepes III; Arms of the Volvod:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gTQCiRKlM-U/SNApfKsluoI/AAAAAAAAD_g/j34v7q4wamA/s400/vladtepesstema+m.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gTQCiRKlM-U/SNApfYiGkjI/AAAAAAAAD_o/4cnoYvhMjfs/s400/dracul.JPG

 

source

 

Note the Order of the Dragon ["Dracul"] below the shield.

 

The artist made his emblazons from a coin of the realm:

 

http://romaniancoins.org/alte/vladducat.jpg

 

—Guy

 
Guy Power
 
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Guy Power
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15 December 2013 20:43
 

While playing around, I found a fan site where they were researching the Count’s neck order .... they now offer copies of the order and his ring.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/stlse.vzhek/v/vspfiles/photos/408177-2-7T.jpg?1376498666

 

About the ring’s provenance they write:
Quote:

Cast from an original prop ring with exacting attention to detail, this stunning Elite Edition replica is crafted from sterling silver and inset with a genuine semi-precious Carnelian ‘blood’ stone.

The original prop has an unmatched provenance to the most famous on screen vampire.  Since its first appearance in ‘The House of Frankenstein’ in 1944, the Dracula ring , or a copy of it, has adorned the fingers of some of the most admired actors to have portrayed Dracula, including John Carradine, Bela Lugosi and Sir Christopher Lee. For several decades the ring was also one of the prized possessions of the late writer, publisher and fan extraordinaire, Forrest J. Ackerman.  This replica was cast from the prop in Mr. Ackerman’s collection.


So, although the "House of Dracula" Coat of Arms is bogus, it has been around since 1944!
<hr class=“bbcode_rule” >
The "neck order" is an amalgam of a Turkish/Ottoman Order that was modified for the 1931 movie.  In my looks on the internet, the neck Order’s centerpiece (in the photo of Dracula) looks very like an Ottoman coin. An on-line response to my query states that the original prop centerpiece actually was a sun-moon motif taken from a pocket watch lid.  I have my doubts.

 

Cheers!

—Guy

 
arriano
 
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arriano
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16 December 2013 16:42
 

Guy Power;101159 wrote:

While playing around, I found a fan site where they were researching the Count’s neck order .... they now offer copies of the order and his ring.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/origin-cdn.volusion.com/stlse.vzhek/v/vspfiles/photos/408177-2-7T.jpg?1376498666

 

About the ring’s provenance they write:

 

 

So, although the "House of Dracula" Coat of Arms is bogus, it has been around since 1944!
<hr class=“bbcode_rule” >
The "neck order" is an amalgam of a Turkish/Ottoman Order that was modified for the 1931 movie.  In my looks on the internet, the neck Order’s centerpiece (in the photo of Dracula) looks very like an Ottoman coin. An on-line response to my query states that the original prop centerpiece actually was a sun-moon motif taken from a pocket watch lid.  I have my doubts.

 

Cheers!

—Guy


Interesting. My guess is the design is straight from the prop art office at Universal.

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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Michael F. McCartney
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23 December 2013 22:38
 

Ah, Prop Art Pursuivant strikes again!

 
Guy Power
 
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Guy Power
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24 December 2013 11:44
 

Michael F. McCartney;101178 wrote:

Ah, Prop Art Pursuivant strikes again!


Hey!  That’s catchy.

 

Howzabout: Hollywood Pursuivant of Arms  aka Prop Master.

 

—Guy

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
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Michael F. McCartney
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26 December 2013 15:25
 

More precise but loses the alliteration—maybe Hollywood Herald? (or is that a newspaper?)

Mike~~

aka Paste Pot Pursuivant

(more precisely but less poetically Glue Stick)