[ANSTHRLD] Gurges

[Doug Bell]

The actual precendent is
[July 1997 LoAR LOCHAC-R] Tomas de Valle de Bravo. Device.
"Per saltire vert and argent, a gurges counterchanged a bordure Or.
This is being returned for excessive counterchanging and
unidentifiability. The counterchanging removes the identifiability
(such as it is in the first place) of the gurges. Furthermore this
submission runs afoul of RfS VIII.4.d, Modern Style, since it
resembles an op­art designs. Please instruct the submitter
when resubmitting to draw any future bordures wider."

The issues the new device faces:

1. Excessive counterchanging
There was a 4 division field involved in the excessive
counterchanging.
A 2 division field per chevron was registered.
Aodhnait ni Amhlaoibh December of 1987 (via Atlantia):
"Per chevron engrailed azure and argent,
three escallops in chevron and a gurges counterchanged."
However a ruling that old is a rotten board to stand on.
I suspect this item wouldn't be registered today.
Fields of 2 divisions and gurges counterchanged would
need a ruling to settle it.  That is why you
send it up.

2. Unidentifiability
Is this two toned gurges still recognizable as
a gurges form 10 feet away?

3. Modern style - op art
This device acts like an optical illusion to distort
perspective and drive the eyes bonkers.  That
is the definition of op art.

Other curious things about gurges
  It is a charge in SCA heraldry
  Though it is also rendered as concentric annulets
  I couldn't find any SCA armory with concentric
  annulets registered.  Please let me know if you
  find such an item.  I would like to keep track.
Things that have been returned
-an overall charge (owl) over a gurges
   of the same tincture
   (both shared argent as a tincture)
-a gurges on a roundel (lollipop)
    yes, someone tried it.
-putting a tertiary charge on a gurges
-gurges couped - spiral
-gurges on a fieldless badge

Schnecke gets a CD from a gurges
but not substantial difference.
Since both charges usually appear
by themselves on armory this becomes
a major issue.

just a few items for your entertainment
Magnus