Nice 13th century English name!
Blazoned on the Letter of Intent as a quill pen, quill pens are identified by a more prominent nib and few if any barbs left on the shaft of the feather. As this more closely resembles a feather than a pen, we have reblazoned it.
Under current precedent set on the May 2012 Cover Letter, a pheon and a feather do not have comparable postures/orientations, as they fall into different categories in SENA Appendix L. Therefore, they do not violate SENA A3D2c, which requires unity of posture/orientation.
His previous device, Argent, two bars gules and six martlets three two and one sable, is retained as a badge.
Nice 16th century English name!
Blazoned when registered in August 1995 as Vert, a chevron between three peacocks pavonated to base argent, the term pavonated is no longer used in SCA armory. These peacocks are in their default posture of close to dexter, with their tail downwards and closed or only slightly spread, as given on the April 2007 Cover Letter.
Submitted as Kl{o-}'{eu} of Thera, the submitter intended this as a transliteration of the name more typically transcribed as Chloe. The submitted transliteration was not documented nor does not match any transliteration system that the commenters were aware of. Therefore, we are changing this to the typical transliteration in order to register it. If the submitter can document this transliteration system as one standardly used to transliterate Greek names into English, the name could be registered as submitted.
The byname is the lingua Anglica form of a Greek locative byname.
Please advise the submitter to draw the arrowhead larger, to aid in the arrow's identification.
Please advise the submitter to draw the bull's heads larger, to fill the available space.
Submitted as Steinbjörn Gellirbjörnsson, the name has two issues. First, ö is a modern way of writing the Old Norse character {o,} (o-ogonek). This character is written in standardized Old Norse, but can be written as {o,} or simply o in documentary forms. Later on, that character falls out of use.
Second, the byname is not correctly constructed. Gellir is hypothesized as the first element in a dithemic given name Gellirbj{o,}rn, but there is no evidence that Gellir was used in that way. It is a standalone given name or byname. Additionally, the possessive form of Bj{o,}rn, required in a patronymic byname, is Bjarnar in the Old Norse period; only later does Bjorns become a possible possessive form. By that time, the character {o,} had fallen out of use. That would allow the construction of a byname like Bjarnarson gellis, which incorporates the father's given name and byname, or one like Gellisson Bjarnarsonar, where the second element becomes a grandfather's given name. Alternately, either element can be used alone to create a byname: Bjarnarson, Gellisson, or even the late period Bjornsson.
The submitter was contacted and indicated that he would prefer to dropping Gellir; we have therefore made this change in order to register the name.
As the byname is a later form that would not use {o,}, we are dropping the diacritic marks from the o in the given name as well, rather than changing them to the {o,}. Either would be correct.
(to An Tir acceptances) (to An Tir returns) (to An Tir pends)
Nice device!
There is at least a DC between a falcon in its default close posture and a pelican in its default vulning posture. Therefore, this badge does not conflict with the badges of the Order of the Pelican, (Tinctureless) A pelican in its piety and (Tinctureless) A pelican vulning itself. In both cases, there is one DC for tinctureless, and another DC for the change of primary charge.
This name mixes a Gaelic given name with an Anglicized Irish byname; this is an allowable lingual mix under Appendix C of the Standards for Evaluation.
Three given names are always rare in Italy. However, children with three given names are found in baptismal records in Pisa from the mid-15th century on (from a project Pelican is working on).
Nice device!
Please advise the submitter to draw the bordure slightly thicker, so the ermine spots can be larger and more easily identified.
Nice device!
Nice name either for 13th or 16th century England!
(to Ansteorra acceptances) (to Ansteorra returns)
Appearing on the Letter of Intent as Anya Neledina, kingdom made clear that the submitter intended to submit Anna. As Anna is a lovely Russian given name, we have made that change in order to register the name as the submitter intended.
The byname was submitted as the unmodified form of the name of a river, noting that the submitter (and kingdom) wanted assistance in constructing the correct form. As the form and commenters noted, the most likely form is Neledinskaia. We have changed the byname to that form in order to register the name.
As the body of a peacock in its pride lies primarily on the spread tail, this is not a violation of the rule of contrast, as the Or tail is on the sable cross. Please advise the submitter to add legs to the peacock.
There is a step from period practice for the use of a cross nowy.
In the previous return, Caer Mab was documented as the name of a field. While we are not sure that Tyddyn is appropriate for such a place name, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn's "Period Welsh Models for SCA Households and the Nomenclature Thereof" gives the example of Tyddyn y Felin, "Tyddyn of the Mill" and notes that some of these units became towns. This is enough to give the submitter the benefit of the doubt and register this name as submitted.
The most likely justification for this household name is as a Latinized sign name from late period England or France. Latinized forms of sign names are found in English records. We could not justify this as a Roman period group, as no evidence was found of groups that used the pattern color+item. However, it can be registered as a later name.
The submitter indicated that she understood this to mean "house of the golden scorpions." It does not. This is the genitive singular form: "house of the golden scorpion". The plural would be Domus Scorpionum Aureorum. However, it is still registerable as submitted. We are just giving this information to assist the submitter.
Her previous device, Vert, a cow statant and in chief three annulets enfiled by an arrow fesswise reversed Or, is released.
Her previous device, Per chevron gules and sable, two thistles and a lion dormant contourny argent, is retained as a badge.
This is the defining instance of the tress of hair in SCA heraldry. It can be seen as a badge on a standard for John Zouche de Codnore, on p. 163 of Banners, Standards and Badges from a Tudor Manuscript in the College of Arms, found at http://archive.org/details/bannersstandards00howauoft. We are not deciding at this time whether or not a tress of hair conflicts with rope in a similar arrangement. As this is not a knotted tress of hair, however, it has at least a DC from knots of rope.
In June of 2010, Michaelis Erasmus was registered. At the time, Pelican said that "Michaelis Maximus would alternately be registerable as a Byzantine name." While Michael is the more likely nominative form of the name, it is registerable as submitted.
His previous name, Michaelis Erasmus, is released.
Submitted as Thaddeus the Legless, the word "legless" was documented, but it was not shown to be suitable for use as a byname. Commenters were able to find Middle English bynames that supported the idea of missing a body part: Thumbeles (Reaney and Wilson s.n. Thum), Berdeles (Reaney and Wilson s.n. Beardless), tothelesse (Jonsjo, 1325), etc. All the examples of similar bynames that commenters could find did not include the article, so we have removed it in order to register the name. The Middle English form would be legles, but Legless is registerable as a lingua Anglica form of the byname.
(to Atenveldt acceptances) (to Atenveldt returns)
This name mixes a French or Dutch given name with an English byname; either is an allowable mix under Appendix C of the Standards for Evaluation.
Nice device!
Nice late period English name!
The submitter requested authenticity for German; this name is authentic for 15th century Germany.
Her previous device, Purpure, a unicorn rampant between three key crosses argent, is retained as a badge.
Blazoned when registered in February 2012 as (Fieldless) A unicorn gules charged on the shoulder with a coronet Or, we are specifying the tincture of the mane and hooves at the submitter's request.
The submitter requested authenticity for Italian; this is an authentic 16th century Italian name.
Submitted under the name William of Bedford.
(to Atlantia acceptances) (to Atlantia returns) (to Atlantia pends)
This device is not in conflict with the device of Petrona da Manciano, Per bend sinister argent and vert, in bend an oak leaf bendwise sinister inverted embowed and an oak leaf bendwise sinister embowed counterchanged. There is a DC for the difference between oak leaves and mint leaves, and another DC for the change in orientation of the leaves. Petrona's leaves are as close to in annulo as it is possible for two leaves to be.
Since the submitter notes that he intends his name to be suitable for 1000 AD, he may wish to know that the given name at that time would have been spelled Ardgal. The name is, however, still registerable as submitted.
Please advise the submitter to draw the closed scroll thicker to aid in its identification.
Her previous device, Or semy of strawberry plants slipped, leaved, and fructed proper, a unicornate horse couchant reguardant vert, is released.
This depiction of a unicornate horse couchant reguardant is grandfathered to the submitter.
Listed on the Letter of Intent as an augmentation change, this is not actually a change. As her previously-augmented device was changed and released, her previous augmentation was likewise released: augmentations do not have a life of their own apart from the device to which they are attached. This is therefore a new augmentation, of the same form as the previous, being applied to her new device.
The submitter requested that the augmentation be blazoned as a cross of Caid. Please see the Cover Letter discussion for the reasons why we decline to do so.
This device does not conflict with the non-SCA badge of the Teutonic Order, Argent, a cross sable. We cannot consider the quarter-piercing here to be a tertiary delf, as that would be a design with either two tertiary groups on the same charge, or a tertiary group consisting of more than two types of charge; both possibilities are not legal under our rules, and so we do not need to consider them for purposes of conflict. Therefore, we can only consider this cross quarter-pierced as a discrete type of cross, which has a DC from a plain cross. The addition of the tertiary charges provides the required second DC.
Blazoned when registered in March 1998 as Argent, in pale a crescent sable and three gouttes two and one azure, this is a primary crescent and secondary gouttes.
Nice 15th century Italian name!
(to Caid acceptances) (to Caid returns) (to Caid pends)
The byname is a Scots rendering of a Gaelic byname. The typical form of it is neyn Ane (dated to 1585 in Sharon Krossa's "Scots Language Names of Gaels in the Sixteenth Century"). However, someone familiar with the origin of the name might have rendered it as neyn Iohne; we find forms like Mac John in late period Anglicized Irish. Therefore we can give the submitter the benefit of the doubt and register the name as submitted.
Please advise the submitter that cauldrons in period heraldry have their handle raised as if hanging over a fire.
Aceline was justified as the English form represented by Latin Ascelina; the English forms at that time do not appear to end in -e. However, Diademe was able to find Acelyne as a 16th century English masculine name. This justifies the submitted form as well, as i and y are used interchangeably in late period English.
Strawberry leaves are a compound leaf with three lobes. Strawberry leaves themselves are not a reserved charge, but in any case the submitter is a duchess.
Nice 13th century English name!
Nice 16th century Scots name!
Nice Venetian name for the 14th century on!
In June 2011 we ruled the use of a standing balance to be a step from period practice. All evidence provided so far supports hanging balances, but standing balances appear to be post-period. Given that the hanging balance is an appropriate and very similar period charge that can be used instead, we will no longer register a standing balance after the May 2013 decision meeting.
The submitter requested authenticity for 12th to 14th century Germany. This name is authentic for the 14th century.
This is the defining instance of a wheel of cheese in SCA heraldry. While we do not normally show objects in trian aspect, we see no problem with depicting the default wheel of cheese in this manner, just as we do with a wedge of cheese, since it aids in identifiability. The default wedge of cheese complements the default wheel of cheese from which it is cut. By precedent, the default wedge of cheese has its point to dexter and the rounded edge to sinister, with the whole depicted more or less fesswise as if lying upon a table; the default wheel of cheese is therefore the opposite, with the opening cut out of the sinister side.
Submissions heralds are reminded that the image on the Letter of Intent in OSCAR must match the image on the submission form. Mismatched images are grounds for administrative return. As the correct image from the submission form was posted in commentary within a reasonable amount of time, and there was no blazonable difference, we are choosing to not administratively return this submission.
Nice device!
Submitted under the name Konrad Sturmere.
This does not conflict with the registered Ragnar Einarsson. The first syllables of the patronymic byname are substantially different in sound (\BYARN\ vs. \INE\) and appearance.
Blazoned on the Letter of Intent as ravens displayed, these birds more closely resemble the expected eagles. Submitters are reminded that eagles are so commonly found in the displayed posture, while other birds are not, that any bird other than an eagle in the displayed posture will be more difficult to identify as a non-eagle, and will be considered a step from period practice.
Nice 14th century Venetian name!
(to Calontir acceptances) (to Calontir returns)
Thamesreach is the registered name of an SCA branch; it was added at kingdom to clear the conflict with the registered Katharine Weaver.
Please advise the submitter to draw the ermine spots larger, so they are more easily identified. While it is unusual to suggest drawing a primary charge smaller, the dance will look more like a dance if it is drawn slightly skinnier.
Nice device!
Nice 15th century Swedish name!
Nice device!
(to Drachenwald acceptances) (to Drachenwald returns)
This does not conflict with the registered Alric Berard; changes to the sound and appearance of the name affect two syllables (the addition of de and the change to the last syllable).
Nice cant!
The submitter allows the registration of any name that is not identical to her registered name.
Dalla grants permission to conflict for all armory which is one countable step (DC) from her device.
The accents in this name are not found in the standard spellings of either element, but are supported as alternative spellings by dated forms of these names from the Annals of Loch Cé.
This does not conflict with the registered Éadaoin ní Fhaoláin. The given names and patronyms are the same names written in Middle Gaelic and Early Modern Gaelic, so are only minimally different in sound. However, changes in sound and appearance between the relationship terms ingen and ní affect two syllables, which is enough to make these names clear of conflict.
The submitter's previous name, Irayari Vairavi, is retained as an alternate name.
Nice 16th century English name!
This badge is not currently considered marshalling by impaling under SENA, although it would have been under the old Rules for Submissions. Under the Rules for Submissions, "No section of the field may contain...more than one charge unless those charges are part of a group...." SENA A6F is much more detailed. Section A6F2 states "n general, when any section of the field can only be understood as an independent piece of armory, it creates the unmistakable appearance of marshalling," and then goes on to enumerate ways in which this can happen, none of which apply to this design. Section A6F2c concerns multiple types of primary charges; here we have only one primary charge. Section A6F2d concerns multiple charges in a section, but specifies only multiple charges of the same type, not multiple charge groups. We must conclude that under SENA, the azure section of the field here cannot be only understood as an independent piece of armory. The argent section of the field does not appear to be an independent piece of armory, by section A6F3a, which repeats the older precedent regarding not protecting plain tinctures except for Brittany's ermine. Therefore, this badge is registerable under SENA. More discussion about marshalling under SENA is on this month's Cover Letter.
Her previous device, Per bend gules and vert, a bend between a thistle and a dragon argent, is released.
This device does not violate SENA A3D2c, which requires charges in a group to be in identical postures/orientations or in an arrangement that includes posture/orientation. Current precedent says:
In short, if the charges in a single charge group do not have comparable postures, they are not in violation of the "identical postures/orientations" part of the rule. The charge group as a whole must still be in a standard arrangement. [May 2012 Cover Letter]
The charges here do not have comparable postures/orientations, and they are in a standard two-and-one arrangement. Therefore, this device may be registered.
Nice 16th century English name!
Shelby was documented as the submitter's legal given name. It is also registerable as a late period English given name derived from a family name. The byname is the lingua Anglica form of the documented English byname de Sarke.
Please advise the submitter to draw the charges larger to better fill the available space.
(to East acceptances) (to East returns)
Submitted as Bridok O Sullevan, the submitter indicated that she preferred a name that sounded like \Bride-ee\. She was contacted and approved the change to Bride, which is found as a late period English given name in the IGI Parish Record extracts. We have made that change in order to meet her request.
The submitter requested authenticity for 14th to 16th century Ireland. As modified, the name no longer meets that request. However, the submitter made it clear she preferred this form of the name.
Paul Wickenden of Thanet's Dictionary of Period Russian Names lists only the first citation of a name, so as documented there is a gap between the elements of over 500 years. However, variant spellings of the given name make it clear that the name continued in use. Therefore we can give the submitter the benefit of the doubt and allow this combination.
We note that our Russian sources, once superb, no longer completely meet our needs for documentation. This means that we need more research to establish that names documented only as early names continued in use through our period.
While all the period citations of the byname Mondragon omit the preposition de, Mondragon is a place name (for example in a list of cities c. 1350 in CORDE (Corpus diacrónico del español, http://corpus.rae.es/cordenet.html). Thus this can be registered as submitted.
His previous device, Gyronny Or and sable, eight Tyr runes bases to center and a bordure counterchanged, is retained as a badge.
(to Gleann Abhann acceptances) (to Gleann Abhann returns)
Submitted as hostario del Gatti, a timely correction changed the submission to casa de li Gatti. This is registerable with one change; we require household names to follow standard modern capitalization, so that Casa needs to be capitalized. We have made this change in order to register the name.
The submitter requested authenticity for Italian; this name is authentic for Renaissance Italy as corrected.
His previous device, Bendy azure and Or, three reremice gules, is retained as a badge.
Nice device!
(to Lochac acceptances) (to Lochac returns)
Submitted as Tanguistl an Lannachebran, the particle an is not justified here. First, we have no evidence that an was used in Cornish locative bynames. Period Welsh locative bynames do not use an, and it seems likely that Cornish, a closely related language, followed the same pattern. Second, this is an Anglicized spelling of the placename, as it is found in the Domesday Book. Thus, it is not suitable for use with Cornish an. Using Anglicized forms of unmarked locative bynames follows a pattern found in Welsh and thus seems suitable for a Cornish context as well.
Commenters questioned whether or not this device uses a standard arrangement as given in SENA Appendix K. The arrangements listed therein are typical standard period arrangements for various numbers of charges, and the appendix is primarily intended for determining if there is a difference of arrangement when comparing charge groups in two different designs. When considering style, however, as long as the arrangement is one that could be found in period armory, it is allowable. In this case, we have a divided field, and the three gouttes on one side of the field are arranged two-and-one. This is within the normal range of variability in period armory: three charges in one section of a per bend field are often found two-and-one, or in bend, or in a two-and-one arrangement where the bottommost one is directly beneath one of the top two charges. In general, period charges are drawn in whatever way allows them to fit and take up the most space. Therefore, charges drawn to best fill the space available to them are considered to be in a default arrangement and need not be explicitly blazoned. Please see this month's Cover Letter for further discussion of this issue.
(to Meridies acceptances) (to Meridies returns)
Appearing on the Letter of Intent as Anastasie Tesserande, the name was originally submitted as Anastasia Tesserande de Perle and was changed to match her authenticity request for France.
Sans Repose was able to justify a byname like the one dropped, saying:
the French byname du Perlé or Perle (the former in my "French Names from Paris 1421, 1423 & 1438" http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/french/paris1423.html, the latter in my "Names Found in Commercial Documents from Bordeaux, 1470-1520" http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/french/bordeaux.html).
The submitter indicated that she preferred the first byname, so we have added it in order to get closer to what the submitter intended, while remaining authentic.
Submitted as Annora of the Trinity House, the college from which the name is derived is simply Trinity House. In period names referring to colleges, the article is not used; we have therefore dropped it in order to register the name.
Please advise the submitter to draw the charges larger to fill the available space. The salt from the saltcellar would be more identifiable if it were depicted in white, instead of as black dots.
Appearing on the Letter of Intent as Order of the Scorpius of Aryeton, we have corrected the barony name to the submitted form Ayreton. Scorpius is an alternate form of the more typical scorpio, a Latin word meaning "scorpion." Some commenters questioned whether it was a poetic usage only (which we do not allow). While Lewis and Short say that scorpius and scorpios are poetic forms, scorpius is found in an Anglo-Saxon version of Augustine's De Virginitate and in a letter of Saint Jerome. Therefore, it is an allowable spelling variant. We have a long history of registering the nominative form of Latin word when used with the lingua Anglica Order of the, instead of the genitive form, which incorporates grammatically of (the). We have done so here as well.
Appearing on the Letter of Intent as Order of the Leo of Aryeton, we have corrected the barony name to the submitted form Ayreton. We have a long history of registering the nominative form of Latin word when used with the lingua Anglica Order of the, instead of the genitive form, which incorporates grammatically of (the). We have done so here as well.
Appearing on the Letter of Intent as Order of the Ursus of Aryeton, we have corrected the barony name to the submitted form Ayreton. We have a long history of registering the nominative form of Latin word when used with the lingua Anglica Order of the, instead of the genitive form, which incorporates grammatically of (the). We have done so here as well.
While Cellarer was ruled a generic descriptor, this badge is intended for use with an order name. As Cellarer was ruled to not be suitable for an order name, we are declining to associate this badge with the generic identifier Cellarer of Ayreton.
Submitted as Maison de Marius, the examples that commenters could find of household names in French derived from the owner's family name do not use the preposition de. We have therefore dropped de in order to register the name.
Nice 14th century English name!
There is a step from period practice for the use of a triskelion of spirals.
The submitter indicated interest in an 11th to 13th century name. He may want to know that the byname spelling Freeman is not found before the 15th century; the earlier spelling is Freman. But the name is registerable as submitted.
Please advise the submitter to draw the cross larger as befits a primary charge.
Nice 15th century Russian name!
Nice 13th century Welsh name!
The submitter's previous name, Elena Dolpadarn, is retained as an alternate name.
Submitted as Shire of Akum Shield, the submitters indicated they preferred Oaken, if it could be justified. While commenters could not find oaken in a period place name, Oken is dated to 1327 as a place name in Watts (s.n. Oaken). The submitters indicated that they preferred Oken, so we have changed the name to that form.
Submitted as Sibilla Mireille de Beynac, the byname Mireille was documented from a 1641 book. Examination of the book suggests that this is a misreading for Marcille. However, the byname Miriell appears in the 1292 Paris census; we have changed it to that form in order to register it.
Appearing on the Letter of Intent as Sidoney Elizabeth Morgan, the forms have Sidony as the given name. Sidony is a plausible late period English form; Sedony, Sydona and Syndony are all found as grey-period English forms in the IGI Parish Records extracts. The submitted spelling (with ey) is not supported by these forms. We have therefore restored the submitted form.
Nice Norse name!
His previous name, Thorfinn Davidsson, is released.
(to Middle acceptances) (to Middle returns)
Nice late period English name!
This name mixes a German given name and a Dutch byname; this is an allowable mix under Appendix C of the Standards for Evaluation.
This device is not in conflict with the device of Thomas of Iorvik, Sable, two dog's heads addorsed erased conjoined at the neck to a third affronty, in chief three saltorels couped argent. There is a substantial change of arrangement of the primary charge group, from essentially in fess to two and one.
(to Northshield acceptances) (to Northshield returns)
Nice late period Spanish name!
Commenters inquired about -es and -ez spellings in Spanish patronymic bynames. While -ez is always more typical, spellings with -es are not uncommon until well after 1600.
Emily was documented as the submitter's legal given name; it is also a 16th century English feminine given name.
The documentation did not show that the accent was used before 1600, as it cited modern encyclopedias. However, CORDE (the Corpus diacrónico del español) has many pre-1600 examples with the accent, so it can be registered as submitted.
Blazoned on the Letter of Intent as a cauldron, much discussion was had about the proper depiction of such a charge, which led to a Cover Letter item this month concerning cauldrons, flesh-pots, and three-legged pots. As this pot does not have a bail handle, but does have legs, we are blazoning it as a three-legged pot.
Blazoned when registered in June 2012 as Per fess vert and argent, a loaf of bread bendwise sinister Or and a cauldron sable, this is a three-legged pot.
(to Outlands acceptances) (to Outlands returns)
Nice 15th century Swedish name!
Submitted as House_Teuthis, Teuthis was documented as the name of an ancient Greek town. The evidence we have for household names in ancient Greek is somewhat limited, and for designators even more so. There are various kinds of small regionally-based groups of people who might be described using a name derived from the name of a town or city. We are willing to allow the submitter to use House as a somewhat generic household designator for the lingua Anglica form of such a group. Thus, this name can be registered with one change; English grammar requires that the preposition of be added, making the name House ofTeuthis. We have made this change in order to register the name.
Nice 15th century Low German name!
Darkwater is the registered name of an SCA branch.
His previous device, Azure, a griffin crowned of a pearled coronet and on a chief embattled Or three crescents azure, is released.
Nice device!
Submitted as Gui de Bourge-en-Bresse, the submitter asked for help dating the byname. Brunissende Dragonette was able to date it as Bourg en Bresse to 1423 in Cartulaire de Bourg-en-Bresse, a book which contains period documents preserved in the town. We have dropped the hyphens in order to register it in a documented form.
This device violates SENA A3D2c, unity of posture and orientation, which states "The charges within a charge group should be in either identical postures/orientations or an arrangement that includes posture/orientation." Current precedent states:
In short, if the charges in a single charge group do not have comparable postures, they are not in violation of the "identical postures/orientations" part of the rule. The charge group as a whole must still be in a standard arrangement. [May 2012 Cover Letter]
The charges here do not have comparable postures/orientations, but they are also not in a standard arrangement, as the swords in saltire must be blazoned separately in order to adequately describe their positioning. This leads to the appearance of two groups of charges, not a single unified group.
This device is not registerable under SENA. However, this item was originally scheduled to be considered on the October LoAR, which would have allowed it to be considered under the Rules for Submissions. Due to a late payment of submissions fees by kingdom, the Trimaran letter was pushed back to November. As this is in no way the submitter's fault, we are granting the submitter the benefit of the hardship clause, and are considering his device under the Rules for Submissions. This is a valid arrangement under the Rules for Submissions, and so may be registered.
Blazoned on the Letter of Intent as a quill pen, quill pens are identified by a more prominent nib and few if any barbs left on the shaft of the feather. As this more closely resembles a feather than a pen, we have reblazoned it.
Under current precedent set on the May 2012 Cover Letter regarding how to interpret SENA A3D2c, regarding unity of posture/orientation with groups of dissimilar charges, feathers and gouttes do not have comparable postures/orientations, as they fall into different categories in SENA Appendix L. This is important because, by SENA Appendix I, the gouttes and feathers are all part of the primary charge group.
Her previous name, Ghita Amati, is released.
Commenters discussed whether or not the Arabic lamp is in fact a period artifact, and should remain registerable. The vast majority of period lamps are hanging lamps of one kind or another. Oil lamps with a side handle are vanishingly rare. Metron Ariston did find one terra cotta Anglo-Norman lamp from the 11th century in Sicily which does have a long spout and curved handle like our stereotypical Arabic lamp. It does not appear to have a lid, but it is impossible to tell if the lamp is not meant to have a lid, or if it is merely missing. Based on this evidence, even if rare, we will continue to register Arabic lamps as a period artifact.
Submitted under the name Isabella Sigilli di Lucca.
There is a step from period practice for the use of raccoons, a New World animal.
A variety of spellings are found for the byname, including de Vreese, de Vriese, and de Vrieze (all from Aryanhwy merch Catmael and Kymma Godric, "Names from Antwerp, 1443-1561"). In the January 2011 registration of Barbara de Vries, the East Kingdom provided examples of Vries and Vriese used in given name spellings; these given names seem likely to share an origin with the byname (which means "Frisian"). This is sufficient to give the submitter benefit of the doubt that Vries is a plausible period spelling.
This device violates SENA A3D2c, unity of posture and orientation, which states "The charges within a charge group should be in either identical postures/orientations or an arrangement that includes posture/orientation." Current precedent states:
In short, if the charges in a single charge group do not have comparable postures, they are not in violation of the "identical postures/orientations" part of the rule. The charge group as a whole must still be in a standard arrangement. [May 2012 Cover Letter]
The charges here do not have comparable postures/orientations, but they are also not in a standard arrangement, as the needles in saltire must be blazoned separately in order to adequately describe their positioning. This leads to the appearance of two groups of charges, not a single unified group.
This device is not registerable under SENA. However, this item was originally scheduled to be considered on the October LoAR, which would have allowed it to be considered under the Rules for Submissions. Due to a late payment of submissions fees by kingdom, the Trimaran letter was pushed back to November. As this is in no way the submitter's fault, we are granting the submitter the benefit of the hardship clause, and are considering her device under the Rules for Submissions. This is a valid arrangement under the Rules for Submissions, and so may be registered.
Nice device!
Submitted as Miracla de' Medici, the submitter indicated that she preferred the name Mira if it could be documented. It is found as a Jewish woman's name in "Names of Jews in Rome In the 1550's" by Yehoshua ben Haim haYerushalmi. We have made that change in order to meet the submitter's request. Miracla is registerable as well.
The preposition de' is a scribal abbreviation for the form dei or degli. We do not allow scribal abbreviations, but require the name to be written out completely. As the former is closer in spelling to the submitted form, we have changed it to that form in order to register it.
Submitted as umm Ya'qub Yamina bint lbrahim al-Zahra_, the name needs minor changes. First, we register names with the standard modern capitalization, so that Umm must be capitalized. Second, we require that a submission use a single transliteration system. If a submission uses the hamza in Ya'qub, you must also use it in al-Zahra'. Finally, there was a typo in the Letter of Intent, so that the first letter in Ibrahim was a lowercase l, which looks like a capital i. We have made these changes in order to register the name.
(to Trimaris acceptances) (to Trimaris returns)
Nice English name for around 1300!
Please advise the submitter to draw the ermine spots larger to aid in their identification.
Blazoned when registered in November 1985 as Azure, a pale argent, in fess three trefoils slipped counterchanged, we are clarifying that this is a charged pale between two trefoils.
Blazoned when registered in July 1979 as Sable, on a plate a hound crouching to sinister upon a pile inverted sable, the hound is actually crouching on a point pointed. The point is substantial enough that it and the hound are effectively co-tertiary charges.
Nice late period Scots name!
(to West acceptances) (to West returns)
- Explicit littera accipiendorum -
This device is returned for violating the ban on so-called "slot-machine heraldry", SENA A3D2a, for having more than two types of charges in the same group. While we consider a bow with an arrow nocked to be a single charge, we consider a bow and an arrow in saltire to be two charges; here, we have a bow and a sheaf of arrows in some arrangement that is difficult to describe, but which is clearly two types of charges. The addition of the wolf creates a single charge group with three types of charges, which is not registerable.
If we considered this to be a primary charge group consisting of the bow and wolf plus an overall charge group consisting of the sheaf of arrows plus a secondary group consisting of a peripheral ordinary, this arrangement of charge groups would need to be documented, as it is not listed in SENA Appendix J.
(to An Tir acceptances) (to An Tir returns) (to An Tir pends)
None.
(to Ansteorra acceptances) (to Ansteorra returns)
This badge is returned for violating SENA A3D1, which states "Depictions of charges that blur the distinction between charge groups will not be allowed." Here, the scorpions are nearly as large as the helmet, making this appear to some commenters as a single groups of five charges.
This badge is also returned for redraw, as commenters had a difficult time identifying the scorpions and their tincture pattern. SENA A3B4b, when talking about contrast requirements and identifiability, states "Any depiction that creates a situation in which predominantly low contrast sections of a multiply divided field and charge(s) are adjacent is likely to have identifiability issues." In this case, had the scorpions been simply per pale sable and Or or more simply Or, they likely would have been far more identifiable. Instead, as each one is sliced into five parts, with the identifying claws and tail tip largely sable against a gules field, identifiability is difficult to maintain.
This device is returned for having two steps from period practice. SENA A2B4 states "Some elements are allowed but are considered a step from period practice. An armorial design may have no more than one such step." In this design, there is one step from period practice for the use of a natural tiger's head. There at least another step from period practice for the use of tant{o-}, which are non-European artifacts. If they were known to period Europeans, they would be a step from period practice; without such documentation, they may be unregisterable.
(to Atenveldt acceptances) (to Atenveldt returns)
This badge is returned for redraw, for having a "barely overall" charge. SENA Appendix I defines overall charges, and states "An overall charge must have a significant portion on the field; a design with a charge that has only a little bit sticking over the edges of an underlying charge is known as "barely overall" and is not registerable." This is a fieldless badge, but the definition still holds: the caltrop here is largely on the billet, not on the field, and only sticks out a bit on two sides. Given that both charges are fairly compact, it may not be possible to have a depiction in which the caltrop is truly an overall charge.
This name conflicts with the registered William of Thetford. The changes affect only one syllable, and as they do not affect the vowel sound, the change to that syllable is not substantial as defined by the Standards for Evaluation.
His device has been registered under the holding name William of Windmasters Hill.
(to Atlantia acceptances) (to Atlantia returns) (to Atlantia pends)
This device is returned for conflict with the device of Tigernán Fíal, Argent, a chevron ployé and in base a cross of Toulouse gules. There is a DC for the change in type of secondary charge from a cross of Toulouse to a chief, but nothing for the change in placement on the field. There is no difference between a chevron ployé and a plain chevron.
This device is in conflict with the device of Magnus von Lübeck, Argent, on a chevron gules three mortars and pestles Or, a chief gules. However, Magnus grants permission to conflict for any armory that has one DC from his device; in this case, there is one DC for removing the tertiary charges.
This device has been withdrawn by the submitter.
This device is returned for violating the so-called "sword-and-dagger" rule. SENA A3D1, Clarity of Charge Groups, states "Having two close variants of a charge in a design is confusing and makes the charge groups difficult to identify. Thus, two charges or depictions of charges that are artistic variants of one another or that otherwise are considered to have less than a distinct change (DC) between them in [sic] are not allowed in a single armorial design." Precedent says:
Batonvert has demonstrated, through multiple examples, that escallops and whelks were interchangeable in period armory. Therefore, unless future evidence to the contrary is presented, all shells will be considered to conflict with all other shells. [Theodosia Ouranos of Constantinople, R-Meridies, May 2010]
Whelks are a type of snail. As no evidence has been presented that shells of any type, including snail shells, were considered different from each other, we must consider this device to be using two charges that are artistic variants of each other, and thus not registerable.
This device is also in conflict with the device of Vladimir Vasil'ev Krasnogo, Quarterly gules and argent, four escallops inverted counterchanged. There is one DC for the change in field, but no DC for changing the type of the "lesser" half of the primary group, as snail shells are not granted difference from escallops.
(to Caid acceptances) (to Caid returns) (to Caid pends)
Unfortunately, this name conflicts with the registered Conrad Sturmere. The names are identical in pronunciation.
His device has been registered under the holding name Konrad of Calanais Nuadh.
This badge is returned for not being reliably blazonable, which is a violation of SENA A1C which requires an emblazon to be describable in heraldic terms. The blazon as given on the Letter of Intent describes a primary annulet surrounded by six secondary annulets, rather than a single group of seven annulets as we have in this depiction. While seven annulets could be described as arranged one, two, one, two, and one, they cannot be described as interlaced, as only the center annulet is interlaced; the outer annulets are overlapping each other in a way that is difficult to describe. The overall effect is a patch of 6-in-1 mail. This is mail, not heraldry.
(to Calontir acceptances) (to Calontir returns)
This submission was documented on the basis of the registered Orden des Lindquistringes. While the nominative is the form we would expect for a heraldic title (instead of the genitive that the grammar of the order name requires), grandfathering applies only to the exact registered form, not modified versions of it. We pended this item to discuss whether we should extend the grandfather clause to allow this sort of grammatical change.
After considerable discussion and consideration, we have decided that this proposal creates more problems than it solves. We will continue to require that only the exact registered form of the element can be used for the grandfather clause. For an element like this, it is relatively easy to make the grammatical transformation. However, there are other grandfathered elements that would be difficult or impossible to grammatically transform. Additionally, this would require that we be able to assign all grandfathered elements to a language such that we could make grammatical changes to them as required. As we cannot do that, this extension would benefit some but not grandfathered elements. This would replace a situation that penalizes one kind of grandfathered element with a situation that penalizes a different kind of grandfathered element. Moreover, the new rule would be harder for a typical herald to apply than the current situation, as it would require extensive linguistic knowledge. Thus, it is not an improvement to the current situation.
Aldyrne was able to provide a few examples of period heraldic titles that use a form like des Lindquistringes (Roy d'armes des Clarenceux 1420 and erhallt des haus zu Osterich 15th c., both from Juliana de Luna's "Heraldic Titles from the Middle Ages and Renaissance"). This would allow Herold des Lindquistringes. However, the submitter allows no changes. Therefore, this must be returned.
This item was pended from the June 2012 Letter of Acceptances and Returns.
(to Drachenwald acceptances) (to Drachenwald returns)
This device is returned for redraw, for violating SENA A2C2 which states "Elements must be drawn to be identifiable." Commenters could not reliably identify this as a bear; the pointed ears led many to identify it as a wolf or other canine. As bears are substantially different from dogs, we opted to return this for redraw instead of reblazoning it as a wolf's head.
(to East acceptances) (to East returns)
None.
(to Gleann Abhann acceptances) (to Gleann Abhann returns)
None.
(to Lochac acceptances) (to Lochac returns)
This device is returned for redraw, for violating SENA A2C2 which states "Elements must be drawn to be identifiable." Commenters were unable to reliably identify this as a whelk. All depictions of whelk shells in period armory that commenters found show the opening of the shell and have a smooth spiral shell. Without the opening shown, and by using a more naturalistic depiction of a specific species of whelk, the submitted charge is difficult to identify.
(to Meridies acceptances) (to Meridies returns)
This order name does not match a pattern for creating order names. The submission was justified with a late period English meaning "One who supports or sustains a great burden; a chief supporter, a mainstay." However no evidence was presented that this follows a pattern for order names. Likewise, there is a pattern of naming orders after saints, from which we allow orders to be named after pagan gods. However, no evidence was presented that Atlas was worshipped. Barring some evidence that this follows a pattern for order names, this name cannot be registered.
This order name has not been shown to follow a pattern for period order names. There is no pattern of order names derived from offices or jobs. Additionally, commenters worried that this would be too generic to register, because some groups (including the kingdom of Caid) already use Cellarer as an office.
This device is returned for redraw for violating SENA A2C1 which states "Depictions that are excessively modern may be returned. This includes, but is not limited to: depictions from comic books..." This is not to say that this design is not registerable for its similarity to the Blackhawk comic book emblem, but that this depiction itself is too modern. The eagle's head is highly stylized, and the couping of the neck, drawn to follow the line of the annulet, is more convex than is seen in period armory. Drawn in period style, this would likely be registerable.
This device is returned for not being reliably blazonable, which is a violation of SENA A1C which requires an emblazon to be describable in heraldic terms. The precise placement of the fleurs-de-lys here cannot be adequately described. When dealing with multiple charges on a divided field, typically it is obvious where the charges will go. In this case, we have a field divided into four pieces, but we have five charges; an arrangement of three and two, or in saltire, or in any of the other standard arrangements listed for a group of four or more charges in SENA Appendix K would be simple to deal with. With this arrangement, however, it is difficult to tell from the blazon if two of the fleurs-de-lys are counterchanged across the per chevron line or not (they are not). The charges are also not evenly spaced as one might expect.
(to Middle acceptances) (to Middle returns)
None.
(to Northshield acceptances) (to Northshield returns)
None.
(to Outlands acceptances) (to Outlands returns)
The byname Sigilli was documented as the submitter's legal surname, but no documentation of this fact was included. Commenters could not find this element in period. Without an official document showing this as her legal surname, this element cannot be registered. As the submitter allows no changes, this name must be returned.
Her device has been registered under the holding name Isabella of Seamarch.
This device is returned for violating the ban on so-called "slot-machine heraldry", SENA A3D2a, for having more than two types of charges in the same group. Here, the crescent, fleur-de-lys, and mullets are all secondary charges in the same group. Simply drawing the mullets smaller does not make them a separate secondary group.
This device was also considered under the Rules for Submissions, as this itemw as originally scheduled to be considered on the October LoAR when those rules were still in effect. However, as the ban on "slot-machine heraldry" also existed under the Rules for Submission, this device is not registerable.
(to Trimaris acceptances) (to Trimaris returns)
This device is returned for offensive vulgarity, as a violation of SENA A7B1 which states "Depictions of monsters and human beings who are partially nude or the depiction of the genitals on beasts will not generally be considered vulgar....Certain depictions may be considered pornographic...even if a standard depiction would not be. This is true even if the design or element can be attested in period armory." In this case, the woman in this device is fully nude, not partially nude. Commenters found a good number of examples of nude women in period armory, some as charges and some as supporters. In the vast majority, however, all were "figleafed" in some manner: by figleaves or other vegetation, hands, upraised legs, (head) hair, scarf, or other strategically-placed objects such as babies, shield corners, unicorns, and even a giant crown. In the two exceptions turned up, one is a lightly-sketched woman whose pubic area is not bare, and the other appears to be a rough woodcut of what we might consider a Barbie doll. While the charge itself is attested in period heraldry, this particular depiction is not. We invite the submitter to resubmit with the woman figleafed in some period manner.
This design has no problem of unity of posture/orientation under SENA A3D2c. Per precedent set on the May 2012 Cover Letter, the cat and the woman do not have comparable postures/orientations.
There is a step from period practice for the use of pawprints.
(to West acceptances) (to West returns)
- Explicit littera renuntiationum -
This is pended to discuss whether the Carthusian order (in French, Ordre des Chartreux) is important enough to protect. This is a Roman Catholic order of monks and nuns, founded in the Middle Ages. They are perhaps best known today for Chartreuse, the liquor they produce. The order still exists today, though only a few hundred monks remain.
The household name is not correctly constructed. Maison needs the feminine form of the adjective, which is Chartreuse. If this name is registered, it will be corrected to Maison Chartreuse.
This was item 7 on the An Tir letter of August 31, 2012.
(to An Tir acceptances) (to An Tir returns) (to An Tir pends)
This is pended to discuss whether the historic Duchy of Bar is important enough to protect. Their arms are currently protected as "Counts of Bar." The Duchy of Bar was part of the Holy Roman Empire, though with traditional ties to France. It was united with Lorraine in the 1480s; as the history of Lorraine is complicated, let's just say that today it is part of France.
This was item 6 on the Atlantia letter of August 29, 2012.
(to Atlantia acceptances) (to Atlantia returns) (to Atlantia pends)
This is pended to allow commentary on a group of issues. The Letter of Intent asserted that a pattern of "group of angels" is grandfathered to the submitter. It is not, as there is only a single example of a plural form, Order of the Cherubim. The pattern grandfathered to the submitter could be characterized as "type of angel," but in fact all of the types of angels registered to the submitter are also documented heraldic charges. Thus, it is not clear if that pattern should be extended to types of angels that were not used as charges, including Throne, Domination, and Power. We would like commentary on whether we should allow the pattern to be extended: should we allow the submitter to register the names of other types of angels? Should we allow plural forms as well as singular?
If this name is not registerable as a type of angel, it may be allowable as an order name following the pattern of "abstract quality" on the basis of medieval orders like Hope and Old Love. The Middle English Dictionary gives as the first definition of the word "Physical strength, power; force, energy; also, vigor; also, stamina." It is ultimately derived from a Latin world virtus "manliness." So, we would like commentary on whether Virtue or Virtues is a plausible order name under this justification.
This was item 2 on the Caid letter of August 28, 2012.
(to Caid acceptances) (to Caid returns) (to Caid pends)
- Explicit -
Created at 2012-12-31T12:45:49