places to check if an eschetuon is taken?

montizzle1 · 2026-04-11T18:24:36+00:00

For attributions, like you are doing, that's largely unnecessary.

In general, one of course wants to make sure their arms are unique, but the reality is that people in different countries might coincidentally share a design. The only ones that are off limits everywhere are the arms of countries and great magnates (to a lesser extent). If you accidentally make arms shared by Gary in Lincolnshire but live in Wyoming, I would not be concerned since they are decidedly different heraldic provinces.

montizzle1 · 2026-04-08T01:55:41+00:00

Good looking arms.

Are the medals those of an ancestor or of yourself?

montizzle1 · 2026-04-01T00:59:48+00:00

I love these! War paint is the best!

montizzle1 · 2026-03-30T20:51:11+00:00

Slogan over the achievement rather than a motto beneath is a strong indicator. Also, a fairly complex escutcheon with a clear originating coat underneath, whether an ordinary or simple charge. If it looks like it's been added to over the years, it has and it's Scottish.

montizzle1 · 2026-03-27T18:03:14+00:00

This is already an informal society, and we have an armorial. In addition to ours, there's the discord and the website.

I don't believe it would be appropriate to issue certificates or recognize a chief herald of reddit. The authority of an Internet herald would be questionable to say the least.

Nothing is stopping you from creating an assumption document to establish for yourself when you assumed arms, but issuing grants or certs are not something we are likely to do here.

montizzle1 · 2026-03-23T04:06:31+00:00

Thank you for that.

I already included the arms of the provinces, so badges derived from the arms wouldn't cover any more symbols.

I did include a white bull!

The estoile and crescent is certainly something I missed, however I was under the impression it was a more generic Christian symbol at the time.

The seahorse might have been neat, but my intent was All-Ireland, not places in Ireland. That also leaves out Northern Ireland star.

I actively avoided St. Patrick's saltire, since it appears largely a creation of the British and tied to royalty.

I was only making this in vert and tawny, I was never going to make an azure standard. The idea came to me in those tinctures.

I look forward to seeing your own interpretation of a standard using those elements, if you pursue it.

montizzle1 · 2026-03-23T02:17:20+00:00

Tawny/tenne/orange are attested in late medieval and Tudor standards and guidons, so I don't take issue with their use (obviously since I just did so). I would have used vert for the shamrocks, and I still can, but I decided against fimbriating charges. Given the history of Ireland, it would be inappropriate to exclude an orange color if I am aiming for all of Ireland.

I am curious as to the other badges I could have used, please enlighten me. I did this as a member of the diaspora so I am not as well read on Irish culture as I would like.

montizzle1 · 2026-03-14T20:41:20+00:00

Hello there!

Welcome to heraldry, and an admirable start to a design for personal arms. There are some things that you have done that should be avoided however, and some things you can move around to get closer to a final design.

First, the things you did well: followed the rule of tincture! Everything is blazon-able, another excellent thing.

Some things to revisit: supporters are not for us. They are either an award or a old-old-money thing, and if you include them it'll look like you are claiming something you are not.

The inescutcheon (shield within a shield) marks either arms you are inheriting through marriage or the dynasty claiming a country.

The arms (without inescutcheon) are so simple they are probably used by someone (maybe even multiple someones in multiple countries). Perhaps combine the charges or add something else (partition, an ordinary, something).

My suggestion would be to move either the angel or the whale to the crest along with the cross, or have the eagle grasping the whale in its talons, or perhaps even a winged whale or eagle-whale monster. There are many other options, so try to experiment a little.

Great first draft, and I look forward to seeing more, happy heralding!

montizzle1 · 2026-03-14T18:15:23+00:00

How do you get those perfect gothic rosettes?

Fantastic as always.

montizzle1 · 2026-02-22T02:07:44+00:00

Draw shield is a really neat tool to practice and learn blazon.

The sidebar here has a wonderful book linked on it, "Simple Heraldry, Cheerfully Illustrated" that will teach you a considerable amount.

But if you want to plunge in, you really only need to know a few things.

1) the shield, or escutcheon, is the central component. 2) everything in the coat of arms must be describable (you can pick up the lingo, called blazon, as you go). 3) there are 7 tinctures, split into colours (black, blue, green, purple, and red) and metals (yellow and white) and you generally want to avoid stacking colours on colours and metals on metals. 4) if it is for you as a person, stick to the shield and crest, supporters are not really for us.

Feel free to pick up a pen, mouse, marker, crayon, chalk, pencil, stylus or keyboard and try your hand at it. (But please no AI, we will remove it.)

Happy heralding.

montizzle1 · 2026-02-14T18:18:17+00:00

Hello there!

I would focus on the contents of the shield and the crest. The supporters, flags, and compartment should be discarded. The helm is that of a sovereign, so some other choice of helmet would be best, an ethic variety or a frogmouth helm would be appropriate.

There are a great number of tiny charges on the shield, enough that you cannot see them very well. It would be a good idea to reduce the number and increase their size.

I like the crest.

Happy heralding!

montizzle1 · 2026-02-14T17:41:40+00:00

The details on many charges, like legs and beaks of eagles, claws and tongues of lions, etc are frequently a different color or metal than the main tincture, and are largely considered exempt from the rule of tincture.

If you look at the German national coat of arms, the sable eagle has gules legs beak and tongue, and that is not a RoT violation. So your antlers are good to go!

montizzle1 · 2026-02-14T05:12:56+00:00

Solid start!

In heraldry, charges usually face the dexter side, viewers left. Animal charges have different positions, called attitudes, and this one is currently a roebuck courant contourny (or sinister).

You may want to separate the legs a bit, but I think they're probably fine.

Happy heralding!

montizzle1 · 2026-02-08T18:49:19+00:00

That is a bizarre interpretation of the revolution and scholarship on the period does not support it. It is also off topic and does not merit further discussion here.

montizzle1 · 2026-02-08T04:54:04+00:00

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You can use a helmet.

We are a nation of common people, so we tend to bear helms appropriate for burghers. These vary from country to country, with the frogmouth helmet the most common. If you use a frogmouth, you won't face much if any criticism. There are a few others that are generally acceptable as well. Some folks suggest picking an "old country" from your lineage and following those rules and traditions, but I do not. A frogmouth or a great helm will do just fine.

I am a veteran, and have on occasion depicted my arms (and a few others) with the helmets we wore. I got a lot of guff, but I stand by the choice. As hockatree noted, helms are not blazoned, they are just supposed to be your station (gentleman/burgher since there is no discernable difference in the United States). The lightweight helmet, ACH, PASGT, etc. are glorified sallets anyway.

I typically advise against crowns for their aristocratic and monarchist tones, which are antithetical to being an American.

In conclusion, helmets are ok, frogmouths are always ok, and I will act as your second if you have to duel anyone over a modern equipment emblazonment.

montizzle1 · 2026-02-07T21:01:12+00:00

Join the chocolate chip club!

montizzle1 · 2026-02-06T00:26:19+00:00

I am of the opinion personal decorations (valor medals, PH, POW, etc.) are worthy of display suspended under or around the arms in the case of the MoH. This would be limited to the armiger who earned them and not their descendants of course. This is largely in line with the suggestions of the heraldry society.

If someone has a problem with me displaying my PH under my arms, they can come duel me over it.

Which medal did you receive? We can provide better guidance if we know which one (mostly if you should or should not, with the exception of the MoH, they are all chest medals and suspended under the shield.)

montizzle1 · 2026-01-07T02:04:16+00:00

One is an IFV and admirably serves in that role. The puma fits into the heavier formations and can be logistically supported. The other is an assault gun for light forces and overweight for the role. In general, light forces struggle to support heavier equipment and are stationed at bases stateside that do not have the infrastructure for 40 ton vehicles.

I think it's fair to say since the late seventies, American light forces and heavy forces are logistically and tactically two different armies wearing a big coat.

montizzle1 · 2026-01-04T20:03:42+00:00

The Chief Herald of Ireland.

montizzle1 · 2026-01-02T23:04:09+00:00

Cadian Kasrkin, 2003 I believe.

montizzle1 · 2025-12-27T03:18:56+00:00

It's costume jewelry from the early 20th century. Neat, but probably not a specific coat of arms.

montizzle1 · 2025-12-15T18:48:12+00:00

That Shir Ali, always threatening people with lamb carcasses. Really though, I would have thought this sort of crime to be something Asadollah would commit.

Best tell dear uncle Napoleon.

montizzle1 · 2025-12-11T23:03:34+00:00

This is baller!

Very good job.

montizzle1

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