Devices - was - Re: Heraldre idea, cont...

[James Crouchet]

On Tue, 8 Aug 1995, Mordraut Freyulf wrote:

> >OTOH, it might also be nice if there were more heraldic artists (not to
> >say there aren't) drawing up the devices before they are turned in.  I
> >have a theory that, regardless of what you want your device to look like
> >when in use, if it were drawn up heraldically for submission, it would
> >have a much better chance of passing.
> 
>         It would also help if the COH would use a little common sense at
> times, take a look at this months returns listed in the Blackstar.  For the
> first return the blazon describes the wyvern as azure, but the person drew
> it with two colors, which could not be described heraldically.  To me this
> would be a case of artistic license, to them it is a return.  Instead of
> registering it as the blazon describes, they returned it, which means that
> he will now have to wait another 6-8 months:-(

The problem here is that arms are submitted with two parts, the words and
the picture. So what if they do not agree (they usually do not)? The
College of Arms has decided, back in the mists of antiquity for a host of
reasons, that they register the picture, not the words. So if the words
don't make sense they will look at the picture and fix those words. If the
picture doesn't make sense (not heraldic, etc.) you get it back. 

And if you think people who get their submissions back get angry, you 
should see someone who's device gets registered differently from what 
they had in mind! 

Savian

> Mordraut (Whose badge just passed Laurel:-)