Shouldn’t you be making your own pickles?
3 Likes
Fine! I guess I’ll go to one of the million farmers markets around here and get some sustainably raised organic gherkins and just do it myself!
I hope you’re happy.
6 Likes
A coat of arms is personal, not familial, isn’t it? Usually the crest is borne by the arms of every family member.
1 Like
Ecstatic!
1 Like
Excretus Ex Fortuna would have worked well for the generation or two immediately preceding mine.
1 Like
Apparently we’ve already got a crest, and it’s kind of boring. Just stars and moons and such.
We don’t have a motto, so I’m choosing “Numquam filios tuos in plastic saccis”.
I’m definitely going to make my own coat of arms, even if I have to change my name to do so. I’m thinking a dragon riding a kitten on the left and a mimic octopus on the right.
2 Likes
The 719 quarterings of George, Marquess of Buckingham
Note that women don’t inherit arms on equal terms, so most bearers aren’t entitled to quite so many quarterings, and even if they are, good taste often imposes a limit.
7 Likes
Properly speaking, the "Crest’ is the papier mache bit that tops the helm (which itself denotes rank). “Arms”, or "Armorial Bearings’ is the entire thing including Crest, Supporters, Wreath, Mantle, Escutcheon (or Shield), compartment,and motto. Using Crest in such a generic manner makes you sound like an American Bumpkin.
8 Likes
Do I have to choose between that and pedantry though?
11 Likes
Oswalt Family Crest:
2 Likes
Heraldry is like a postdoctoral course in pedantry. Here’s an interesting writeup on the basics:
7 Likes
It was actually a trick question. We’re talking about something old and kind of silly, I have no difficulties being silly in response. 
1 Like
Agreed. My surname is obscure and hopelessly plebeian, but years ago my family, for fun, found someone at a mall who was happy to cobble together a coat of arms for us for a very reasonable fee.
1 Like
This would be my best guess. The key above the ‘pimp hat’ is relevant to being a keeper. I can check my better books a bit later, have to go dig those out, but that’s all the right information for me to work with.
3 Likes
Ouch!!
I did some searching, and my maternal grandfather (Welsh) and paternal grandmother (English), completely unconnected, had the same family motto: “I neither fear nor despise”. I may adopt this.
For something to scream while charging at the foe, I’ll stick with our traditional battle cry, “It’s not too late to rethink this!”.
7 Likes
My, that’s quite lovely! And my favorite color, too, as it turns out. That was awfully swell of you. Thanks!
2 Likes
From your link:
Strictly defined, heraldry denotes that which pertains to the office and duty of a herald; that part of his work dealing with armorial bearings is properly termed armory
Love it!
6 Likes
My new motto: Armory Vincit Omnia.
2 Likes
