[ANSTHRLD] An introduction and question

Herndon, Darin DHerndon at bswintl.com
Mon Jan 27 14:12:35 PST 2003


William,

"Proper" coloration will not give you the ability to place something
that is properly "a color" onto a color.  Brown, where used as a proper
coloration, is a color and must be placed on a metal to match medieval
heraldic practice.  I honestly do not know how grey coloration would be
treated since I think of grey as a metal (silver).

What proper coloration gives you, when it can be used, is the ability to
use a color that is not one of the period medieval heraldic tinctures
(brown, grey, orange, etc.).  It must be stressed however that "proper"
was, when used at all, very rare for medieval heraldry.  An armiger with
a tree on their arms was more likely to make the tree blue, red, or even
white, than to make it "proper".  Green may still have been most common
in period for a tree but I haven't researched that.

You frequently have issue, depending on the charge, with what is the
actual proper coloration for the object.  Birds are the worst (is that
and African or European Swallow? OR is that a golden eagle or a bald
eagle? [Neither of which is period I think, just here for example.]).
What is the proper color of a flamingo (the pink ones or the white
ones?).

"Proper" was done, however rarely.  But the issues it raises are
frequently more trouble than they are worth.  It also is the frequent
refuge of people who want a picture instead of arms because they don't
really understand what medieval heraldry is actually about.

Hope that helps,
Seigneur Etienne
Nordsteorra Herald

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Butler [mailto:chemistbb3 at yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2003 1:50 PM
To: Heralds at ansteorra.org
Subject: [ANSTHRLD] An introduction and question

Good day to all. I am William and have the honor to
currently be the the deputy herald to Lady Medb ingen
Domnaill, Herald of Loch Soilleir.  I had a question
that I asked her and she suggested that I bring it
before those here for an answer as a way of
introducing myself.  So here it is.

I am under the impression that if you specify that an
object is blazoned as "proper", where there is a
"proper" coloration, can get around the color on color
 prohibition.

For example:  Azure,  English ivy, proper;

would allow you to put a green  plant (the ivy) on a
blue background where green  "stuff" on a blue
background would normally not be allowed (color on
color).

William




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