[ANSTHRLD] Fur or Color with a semy?

Tim McDaniel tmcd at panix.com
Mon Jan 19 10:56:42 PST 2009


On Mon, 19 Jan 2009, Mike Wyvill <wyvillmike at hotmail.com> wrote:
> Azure ermined or. A color or a fur?

Yes.

Specifically, the ermined tinctures are defined as a fur, given them
CDs for tincture versus non-ermined tinctures, but RfS VIII.2,
Armorial Contrast,
<http://heraldry.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/rfs.html#8.2>, specifically
notes that ermined furs are treated for contrast purposes as being of
the same category as the ermined fur's background tincture.

     2. Armorial Contrast. - All armory must have sufficient contrast
        to allow each element of the design to be clearly identifiable
        at a distance.

        Each tincture used in Society armory may be depicted in a
        variety of shades. Therefore, contrast is not determined by the
        lightness or darkness of the tinctures on the submitted
        emblazon, but by the traditional heraldic categorization of
        tinctures as colors and metals. The colors are azure, gules,
        purpure, sable, and vert (blue, red, purple, black, and
        green). Ermined furs or field treatments on a background of one
        of these tinctures are treated as colors for contrast in the
        Society. The metals are argent and Or (white or silver, and
        yellow or gold). Ermined furs or field treatments on a
        background of one of those tinctures are treated as metals for
        contrast in the Society. Furs equally divided of light and dark
        pieces, such as vair, are classed with other evenly divided
        elements, such as paly, per bend, or lozengy.

     a. Contrasting Tinctures - Good contrast exists between:

         i. A metal and a color;

         ii. An element equally divided of a color and a metal, and any
             other element as long as identifiability is maintained;

         iii. A color and a charge, blazoned as proper, that is
              predominantly light;

         iv. A metal and a charge, blazoned as proper, that is
             predominantly dark.

That means that azure ermined Or, being "predominantly dark", is
treated as a color for contrast purposes.

> Client wants to resubmit Azure ermined or, a lozenge gules on a stag
> trippant argent

Your blazon is confusing.  In blazoning, the field is blazoned first,
then charges on the field, then charged on charges.  But you say that
the lozenge is "on" the stag, but that's out of proper order as I
mentioned.  Is it

- field: blue with yellow ermine spots
   charge on the field: white stag
   charge on the stag: red lozenge?

   If so, there's no problem with contrast.

- field: blue with yellow ermine spots
   charge on the field: red lozenge
   charge on the lozenge: white stag?

   If so, it's treated as color-on-color -- instaboing.

> as opposed to the original Azure ermined or a stag trippant argent
> as the person with whom he conflicts is overseas.

Speaking of confusing, please explain that.  Why is it important
whether the person he conflicted with before is overseas?

Danyell de Lyncoln
-- 
Tim McDaniel, tmcd at panix.com



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