[MR] RE: heraldry

[Alan MacNeill]

Well, actually, Laurel registers the picture, not the words (or, in 
Heraldese, the emblazon, not the Blazon).

In fact, submissions can be, and are regularly, returned for looking too 
much like an existing registered device, even though the proposed language 
of the Blazon is unequivicably different.

This makes sense to a degree, considering that Heraldry is a visual art, 
where the purpose is to unambiguously identify someone from across a field 
in the heat of battle.

You are correct that for 99% of the populace, their interactions with 'what 
is actually registered' is through the written blazon not the emblazon. 
However, the true definitive answer to "Okay, so what does Duke X have 
registered" can only be completely provided by diving into the Laurel 
filecabinets and looking at the form.

This is especially true when considering registrations from "Ye Olden Days", 
when the SCA's knowledge of Heraldry was significantly less advanced than it 
is today.

So, given that this happens, you can understand the concern about reds 
fading into blacks, or yellows becoming reddish orange.  I wish (and 
frequently state, loudly at times) that this was not the case, but it is, so 
that's how it goes.

There was once a project to scan all of the forms and press a CD, for some 
undetermined distribution, however any thoughts of a wide distribution ran 
aground on a legal advice that there could be copyright issues.  I believe 
the scanning is still ongoing, but the resultant CD is only planned for a 
very small audience, for a limited purpose (like, the Kingdom Submission 
Heralds for conflict checking).

These issues are the cause of regular dissention (politely transacted for 
the most part, of course) on the various herald's lists, but as of now, no 
one has come up with a better solution that is enactable.

I hope this sheds a bit of light on things.

In Service,

Lord Gorm of Berra
Pursivant Extraordinary, in and for the Barony of Caer Mear


>From: "Towey, Brian" <cbt4489 at glaxowellcome.com>
>This puzzles me.   (Of course, much of what heralds do puzzles me.)
>
>When we mere mortals submit a device, we are asking for letters patent on
>the blazon text, not a particular emblazon or graphical rendering.

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