Mathghamhain – Page 9 – Techniques of Digital Heraldry

Armorial Displays from the Album Amicorum of Jean le Clercq

As described in Wikipedia, an “album amicorum” was a sixteenth-century “book of friendship” with blank pages on which people collected signatures and messages from people they knew, much as modern students might sign each others yearbooks or fans might collect autographs of famous stars.

Many of these include armorial illustrations, some quite elaborate, giving us a glimpse of another way in which heraldic symbols were used during the Renaissance.

The Album Amicorum of Jean le Clercq, a Belgian university student, dates from the tail end of the sixteenth century, combining pages printed in 1564 containing engraved scenes and stanzas of Ovid translated into French, with other pages hand-painted two decades later showing displays of armory. Continue reading “Armorial Displays from the Album Amicorum of Jean le Clercq”

Traceable Art for December

With the end of the year approaching, I figured it was time for a summary of the hundred-plus illustrations added to the Traceable Heraldic Art collection since last month’s update.

I’m pleased to welcome first-time contributor Ajir Tsagaan, who sent in more than a dozen original illustrations, including some lovely birds and a beautiful Corinthian helm. Thanks also to Jessimond of Emerickeskepe, Vémundr Syvursson, Elspeth Farre, Elionora inghen Ui Cheallaigh, and Iago ab Adam, who all continue to create new art on an ongoing basis.

This update features a bunch of new charges found in period armorials including the yarn swift, royne, winde, chamber, and scourge. Using a rare or not-yet-registered charge like these is a great way to stand out with unique armory and simple designs facilitated by the limited number of potential conflicts! Continue reading “Traceable Art for December”

An Updated Catalog of IAP Submissions

Back in 2017, I dug through a decade’s worth of LoARs and posted a set of examples of Individually Attested Pattern submissions.

I’ve updated that listing a handful of additional times over the subsequent years, but when I was gathering additional items for this update I realized I wanted to make a few changes to the way the information was organized and figured that was a good opportunity to create a new document, which I have now posted as “A Catalog of Individually Attested Pattern Submissions.”

Memories of Hal Ravn, Former Morsulus Herald

[I recently got in touch with Hal Ravn, who first transferred the Ordinary of the Society into electronic format, and asked him about that experience. Following a few rounds of correspondence, he granted permission for me to post an excerpted version of his recollections here, for which I am extremely grateful. I have attempted to place the narrative into chronological order below, eliding mundane names and non-heraldic elements. Points where I’ve stitched material together out of the order in which it was written are marked with […] and editorial interjections are marked with square brackets. — Mathghamhain]

Continue reading “Memories of Hal Ravn, Former Morsulus Herald”

The Strange Case of the Codex Herald Advocate

In today’s College of Arms of the Society for Creative Anachronism, the title of Codex Herald is given to the member of Laurel’s staff responsible for maintaining the College’s web site.

But it turns out that there was an earlier office, the “Codex Herald Advocate,” which existed for a couple of years in the late nineteen-seventies, and I found the story of its creation and abolition peculiar enough to share.

Continue reading “The Strange Case of the Codex Herald Advocate”

Memories of Iathus of Scara, Former Morsulus Herald

[This autumn, I contacted Iathus of Scara, who served as the Morsulus Herald of the SCA from 1989 through 1992, and asked him some questions about that experience. He graciously wrote up two lengthy documents narrating that history, which I have integrated below in what I believe is chronological order. The spots where I’ve stitched material from those two documents together are marked with “[…]”. I’ve also added a few missing words or bits of context in square brackets, redacted a few mundane names, and tweaked the punctuation and formatting for ease of reading. I am so grateful to Iathus for writing up this history and giving me permission to share it here. — Mathghamhain] Continue reading “Memories of Iathus of Scara, Former Morsulus Herald”

Heraldic Authority In the Earliest Bylaws of the SCA

The Society for Creative Anachronism started as a party in 1966 and was named as a joke, but over the subsequent years elaborated a set of governing policies which today control an international not-for-profit organization with over a hundred thousand participants.

It’s interesting to look back at the early practices of the organization to see the seeds that grew into the structure we know today, and so I was pleased to discover a copy of the earliest bylaws archived on the web site of Master Justin du Coeur, a former historian of the East Kingdom. Continue reading “Heraldic Authority In the Earliest Bylaws of the SCA”

Traceable Art for November

More than a hundred new illustrations have been added to the Traceable Heraldic Art collection over the last two months.

Welcome to newcomers Elspeth Farre, who submitted more than a dozen illustrations of diverse subjects, and Maryan Hoskyns, who sent in an alternate style of chain. Thanks to Grimwulf Harland, who granted permission to share a number of charges from his Sledgehamster collection. And my continuing apprecation to returning contributors Vémundr Syvursson, Iago ab Adam, Jessimond of Emerickeskepe, and Elionora inghen Ui Cheallaigh. Continue reading “Traceable Art for November”

Downloading “Scottish Nobility E2”

The same collection at the National Library of Ireland that holds “Irish Nobility E1” also includes a related volume indexed as “Scottish Nobility E2.”

This text was also in the collection of the Ulster King of Arms, despite the fact that Scotland was the domain of the Lord Lyon King of Arms — perhaps this was a local reference work for Ulster’s office containing the arms of their neighbors, whom might visit Ireland or be met while traveling elsewhere in the British Isles? Continue reading “Downloading “Scottish Nobility E2””

Achievements with Heraldic Tabards from “Irish Nobility E1”

The National Library of Ireland’s “Irish Nobility E1” manuscript was produced by and for the office of the Ulster King of Arms, the principal heraldic authority for all of Ireland under English rule, and records the armorial achievements of various barons and viscounts of Ireland.

The first section of the book seems to date from around 1585 or so, and contains a number of armorial achievements featuring a heraldic tabard as the central element rather than a shield.

This form of display is unusual enough that I thought it was worth posting these for easy reference. Reenactors seeking a less-martial form of armorial display might consider using these as inspiration. Continue reading “Achievements with Heraldic Tabards from “Irish Nobility E1””