Assorted Lessons in SCA Heraldry

Edited By Jaelle of Armida. (mka Judy Gerjuoy)


Slot machine Heraldry

Slot machine heraldry gets returned without fail, so it is to your benefit to be able to identify it and advise your submitter how to correct the problem.

The term "slot machine" describes heraldry that contains a charge group with more than two types of charges, for example, "...on a fess a lozenge between a roundel and an annulet...". Note the resemblance between this arrangement and a slot machine. This is not period style; there is no coherence in the group. Make it "a lozenge between an increscent and a decrescent" and you have something that is legal. The two crescents are in different positions, but at least they are crescents. 

"Sable, on a pale between an axe and a sword argent a tower gules." is not slot machine because the axe and sword form one charge group (secondary) while the tower is on the pale. Even though this is legal, it is still poor style (the secondary group should be one type of charge).

Now for some more examples:

"Per pall gules, argent, and sable, a bell Or, a book gules, and a candle argent." is slot machine; the primary charge group is the bell, the book, and the candle, and it contains more than two types of charge. The first time I consulted, I came up with a design much like this; I learned about slot machine very quickly.

"Gules, a fess argent between two lozenges Or and a fleam argent. " is not slot machine heraldry. The fess is the primary charge (group), and the lozenges and fleam are the secondary charge group. 

"Or, a sword, a bell, and an axe conjoined in pall argent. " is slot machine; the primary charge group is composed of three different charges. 

"Argent, a saltire gules between a lymphad, two mullets, and a cross crosslet azure. " is slot machine because the secondary group consists of three different types of charges. 

"Azure, on a bend sinister argent between three roundels Or and three bells argent three oranges proper. " looks like slot machine heraldry, especially when displayed on a lozenge; however, it is a legal design. The style is not very medieval.

If I sound like a broken record regarding style, I apologize. In order to construct examples that are legal, barely, I must generally resort to poor style. 


Quiz: 

Which of the following are slot machine? Also note any other technical or stylistic problems. 
1. Gules, on a cross argent a mullet, three billets, and a mullet gules. 
2. Quarterly purpure and argent, a fess Or between two swans naiant respectant and a mullet counterchanged. 
3. Per fess gules and vert, a chevron Or between three annulets argent. 
4. Azure, on a pall indented argent, a sword, a dagger, and an axe in pall gules. 
5. Argent, two mullets and an eagle displayed sable, on a canton gules a sun Or. 
6. Or, an eagle displayed vert, on a chief nebuly gules, two lions combattant between a stag’s head cabossed and a bear Or. 
7. Sable mullety argent, a sun between four crescents Or, overall in saltire a spear, a staff, and a sword argent. 
8. Quarterly vert and Or, two tau crosses in bend and an arch inverted and a pale couped in bend sinister all counterchanged. 
9. Vert, an oak leaf, two acorns, and a squirrel sejant erect argent. 
10. Argent, on a bend engrailed between two mullets azure a lozenge between an arrow and an arrow inverted argent. 

Examples:

Argent, on a fess sable a lozenge between a roundel and an annulet Or.

Argent, on a fess sable a lozenge between an increscent and a decrescent Or.

Sable, on a pale between an axe and a sword argent a tower gules.

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Credits:
Armory content written by Herveus d'Ormonde (mka Michael Houghton)
Name content written by Jaelle of Armida (mka Judy Gerjuoy)
Web layout, design, and additional editing by Frederic Badger (mka Brander Roullett)