[ANSTHRLD] simple armory

Jennifer Smith jds at randomgang.com
Fri Aug 11 09:43:42 PDT 2006


Hedwig wrote:
> Now, for kicks...is there a default position for dolphins?  

See the Glossary, Table 4 (Default Postures).
(http://sca.org/heraldry/coagloss.html)

> Also, is there a
> difference for heraldic dolphins vs natural dolphins?  I'm 
> saying no...

A little trickier to find. Searching the precedents, in Francois's tenure I
find:

[Per fess engrailed azure and vert, in chief a natural dolphin argent] ...
this conflicts with Anton de Winton, Per chevron azure, and Or scaly sable,
in chief a herring naiant embowed argent. There is one CD for changing the
field. There is no difference for changing the type of fish. A natural
dolphin is not apparently a period heraldic charge, and thus its difference
from other charges must be determined on visual grounds under RfS X.4.e.
Comparing this dolphin with Anton's herring, the outlines of the two charges
are very similar. They both have slightly forked tails (it is impossible to
tell whether the tail is supposed to have horizontal or vertical flukes
without resorting to internal details, and Anton's dolphin lacks these).
Both creatures have a dorsal fin and a forefin. The "beak" or "bottle-nose"
on a natural dolphin helps identify it as a natural dolphin, but is not a
sufficient outline difference to give a CD from a herring.

Note that this ruling does not revoke the many rulings that grant no
difference between a heraldic and a natural dolphin. Given the well
established trends towards naturalism in Renaissance art and Renaissance
heraldic art, it is possible that a natural dolphin might have been used as
an artist's variant of a heraldic dolphin. Without evidence for natural
dolphins in period heraldry, the natural dolphin will conflict both with
heraldic dolphins and with standard-outlined fish, like herring. [Helga Iden
dohtir, 04/02, R-Caid]

-Emma




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