Heraldry Vision

The Heraldry Department of The Augustan Society, Inc., would engage in the following activities:

 

Arms Design Consultation

Previously, consultation on the design (and matriculation) of arms was done by the Heraldry Committee. Now that the Arms Registration Committee has been spun off from this, the question of consultation has not been resolved, save that the current Justiciar General has declared that his Committee will not perform this service.

Proposal: The Society should clearly identify the Committee responsible for consultation on arms design and matriculation. While the Heraldry and Arms Registration Committees are likely candidates, the inclusion of Vice-Justiciars for various jurisdictions suggests the latter could be more appropriate.

Society Departmental Arms and Logo Design and Registration

The Heraldry Committee will design arms or logos for all Society sub-groups, committees, and offices. There will be no fee involved unless there is an expense for the emblazonment of same.

Proposal: The Society should direct the Heraldry Committee to develop and publish a system of arms and logos for Society sub-groups, indicating which are entitled to full achievements, which shields, and which logos which are not intrinsically heraldic.

That said, the beginnings of such a system already exist in the form of previously assigned or assumed designs. A system based on that presently existing would require a minimum of change, and such a policy would likely be as follows:

Proposal: The Society should consider a policy that senior Sub-Groups are entitled to shield, helmet, mantling, crest and badge; that Lineage Groups are entitled to a shield only; that standing Committees are entitled to a logo upon a circle; and that Study Groups are entitled to a logo upon a square or rectangle.

Reviews of Books and other Publications on Heraldry

Given that the Library is staffed by librarians who may not have a great knowledge of heraldry, it is necessary that they be advised on what books and other items to acquire (and discard).

Proposal: The Society should generate reviews of heraldic books, magazines, websites, and programs in consultation with the Librarian and Reviews Editor utilizing Heraldry Department staff.

Arms Registration Committee

Responsibility for the Registration of Arms has been delegated to the Arms Registration Committee, which is attached to the Heraldry Committee. The Justiciar General, who heads the Arms Registration Committee, has disavowed responsibility for any other activity.

Library Support

The Library may or may not have staff knowledgeable about heraldry, and will need the support of the Heraldry Department in this, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer.

Proposal: The Society should require the Heraldry Department to advise the Library on the accession, deaccession, and classification of books and other materials related to heraldry.

Online Armorial

Index and Ordinary to Arms Registered or Published by the Society

This index and ordinary will provide two means of access to the blazons and emblazonments.

Index and Ordinary of Arms Registered by Cooperating US Registries

This project, already well begun, is an attempt to create a union catalog of all arms registries in the United States (worthy of recognition).

An early goal would be to identify all such registries, and publish the list here.

At present, three agencies are represented in the Index, though the quality of data varies somewhat.

Publication should be delayed until the Society's Roll of Arms series has caught up with registrations.

Augustan Society Roll of Arms

As one of the six primary activities of the Society, publication of Rolls of Arms should receive high priority.

Proposal: The Society should publish additional volumes of The Augustan Society Roll of Arms in hardcover as registrations (including artwork and English blazons) are available.

The challenge at present is that the Society has no volunteer heraldic artist, and the Heraldry Department has not identified an acceptable commercial source.

Proposal: The Society should identify and maintain a list of qualified and affordable commercial heraldic artists to be employed at need when volunteers are unavailable.

Proposal: The Society should reprint Volumes I through III of The Augustan Society Roll of Arms in color.

This project does not require a heraldic artist (colorizing the old arms does not require great skill), but it does require substantial support in translating blazons into English.

Rose Role of Arms

It has been proposed that we publish a Roll of Arms of current members of the Noble Company of the Rose. This done today will be excellent preparation for the Society Roll of Arms, and may produce some revenue of its own.

Proposal: The Society should periodicaly publish a Rose Roll of Arms in softcover both now, and as the Noble Company of the Rose requests.

Little Manual of Heraldry

The Little Manual of Heraldry was published by the Society in 1996, and reprinted in 1973 and 1995. A substantial backstock exists, and is being sold at trivial prices to clear.

As this publication was based on a series of independent articles in various Society publications, it is somewhat disjointed, and has proven insufficiently comprehensive to address even routine questions. Add to this that it was published in black & white and the need for a new and expanded edition seems clear.

Proposal: The Society should publish a new edition of a Manual of Heraldry to address the deficiencies of the current edition.

Article Solicitation

The Department, either through the main Committee, a sub-committee, or a designated officer, will solicit articles on this subject for the Augustan Omnibus, in cooperation with the Omnibus Editor.

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