[ANSTHRLD] Keys and crow

[Tim McDaniel]

(When asking about a particular proposal, please put the name or
blazon, as appropriate, in the subject line.)

On Wed, 11 May 2011, Lynda Boots <primevalooze at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I have a client who would like the following device:
> Per chevron sable & argent, in chief two keys argent and in base a
> crow rising, wings addorsed and elevated, gules.

With per chev and charges two and one, you don't need "in chief
... and in base".  It's assumed that two are on the top half and one
on the bottom.

> and to be sure it get checked against the right things - Black top
> with a white chevron from the base. 2 white keys on the black

Please specify exact orientation of the keys -- horizontal, vertical,
bendwise, what?  Which end has the head/bow?  Which way is the plate
at the tip, the bit, facing?  (Wikipedia says that "wards" refers to a
lock, not to a key.  In brief searching, I haven't found a good site
to definitively define the parts of a medieval key.)

Danyll de Lincoln
-- 
Tim McDaniel, tmcd at panix.com