Middle Kingdom Pursuivants Handbook 2nd Edition - Midrealm ...

Reference BooksThe Basic HeraldBronwyn ferch Gwyn ap RhysLet’s face it: practically all SCAdians are bibliophiles. And if, good gentle, you are anything like me, youwill want to own a copy of every book available on every subject in which you are interested. Unfortunately,most of the subjects in which SCAdians are interested are esoteric (at the very least), and therefore books onthose subjects are expensive and (sometimes) hard-to-find.Heraldry, of course, is no exception to that rule. Furthermore, it would be unreasonable to expect any localherald to own more than a handful of books; and it would be unkind to expect a small group to pick up the tabfor hundreds of dollars worth of books, even if those books would continue to be an asset to the group for yearsto come.Therefore, here is a list of what the Middle Kingdom College of Heralds consider to be the most importantbooks to which the local herald should have access.SCA HeraldryThe Middle Kingdom Pursuivants’ Handbook: Hopefully, if you are reading someone else’s copy of thisbook, you will either rush right out and buy your own or persuade your local Exchequer to part with enoughmoney to purchase a copy for the group. This book is not only recommended, but should be consideredmandatory.An Armorial of Arms Registered by the College of Arms of the SCA and An Ordinary of Arms Registeredby the College of Arms of the SCA. Normal, IL, Free Trumpet Press West, 2002. As Master Allyn says in hisHeraldic Bibliography, “This is the fundamental research tool of the SCA herald. There should be a copy inevery branch. Updates are published on a regular basis.”Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme and Akagawa Yoshio. A Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry as Used in theSCA. Private printing, 1988. Second Edition, 1992. Before I obtained a copy of this book, I wondered what allthe shouting was about. Now, however, I regularly wonder how I managed without it. While this is not an“official SCA publication,” it is invaluable to all levels (both hierarchical and skill) of heralds since it lists theSCA defaults for charges as well as illustrates almost every type of charge known in SCA armory.Names and Naming ConventionsWithycombe, E. G. A Dictionary of English Christian Names. New York: Oxford University Press. SecondEdition, 1977; Third Edition, 1988.HeraldryEither of the following two:Brooke-Little, J. P. Boutell’s Heraldry. London: Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., 1970. One of the standard,basic books on heraldry. Frequent new editions and reprintings.ORFox-Davies, A. C. A Complete Guide to Heraldry. New York: Dodge Publishing Co., 1909; Reprinted—New York: Bonanza Books, 1985.Friar, Stephen, ed. A Dictionary of Heraldry. New York: Harmony Books, 1987. I refer to Friar twentytimes more frequently than any other book in my collection (except the Pictorial Dictionary). Because there hasbeen a trend to return to a more medieval style of drawing heraldic devices in the British Society of HeraldicArts, this book is an essential reference to the practicing herald and heraldic artist.Middle Kingdom Pursuivants Handbook 1112nd Edition - 2002