[ANSTHRLD] A cross between two anchors and two compass stars

[Jillian Birtciel]

> "Quarterly sable and gules in bend two anchors Or, in bend sinister
> two compass stars and a cross throughout argent."
>
>
> On Thu, 2 Dec 2010, Jillian Birtciel <saintesun at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I don't like including commas in a blazon...just a nitpicky quirk of
>> mine, but without the comma I just couldn't make that blazon read
>> right in my head.
>>
>
>
>
> Still, it can be occasionally useful to include commas, though it may
> also be an indication of non-period style.
>
> By convention, the SCA puts a comma after the field, if any.  In many
> other cases, a comma can be replaced by "and" or "within" or another
> word.  As written, the original blazon's "in bend sinister two compass
> stars and a cross throughout argent" could be read as saying that
> there are three charges in bend sinister (maybe leading to a far
> offset cross, I suppose).


You're quite right, and that's where I decided to ask other eyes to check
with me.  The blazon seemed 'iffy' with what I knew he wanted drawn.


> I simply assumed that the cross is actually
> in its normal position in the center of the field -- if I'm wrong,
> please tell me, for there would be bigger problems.  Since centering
> it would normally make it the primary charge, it would be blazoned
> first.  Crosses are throughout by default.
>

I didn't realize crosses were throughout by default, I thought they were
centered; although, in hindsight, that makes more sense...I've seen several
crosses 'couped'.  If the explanation is necessary, then it must not be the
default.

>
> So I get
>
> Quarterly sable and gules, a cross argent between in bend two anchors
> Or and in bend sinister two compass stars argent.
>
> Daniel de Lindicolino
>

I think the other grammatical/stylistic issue I was up against is the
tendency to try to group same colors together rather than split them.
Another nitpicking priority I've developed over the years that sometimes is
more of a stumbling block.

To give my client further suggestions, are anchors a common charge at all
historically?  I'm not sure just how authentic/accurate he wishes to be, but
his name is c. 1300 Breton (also with a nautical theme.)

~Jillian