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

Bruce Draconarius of Mistholme and Akagawa Yoshio. A Pictorial Dictionary of Heraldry as Used in theSociety for Creative Anachronism. Private printing, 1988; 2nd edition, 1992. This is probably the most usefulgeneral-purpose book to come out of the various heraldic presses of the SCA. A thoroughly illustratedcompendium of charges used in SCA heraldry that should be in every local herald’s library. Can be obtainedthrough Free Trumpet Press West.Alfgar the Sententious. Fabulous Heraldry. Societa Illuminata: Somerville MA, 1976. An ordinary of over900 entries from the realms of the fabulous and just plain strange. Interesting for its examples of pre-heraldicattributions by period heralds and for the view it gives of what modern fantasy writers think makes goodheraldry. It may still be available from the author.Eney, Richard. A Military Ordinary. Private printing, 1983. An ordinary of over 1300 military insignia inmodern usage. Of interest to the martial, as well as heraldic, members of the Society. Available from the author.Migel Gneuyle de Normandie. An Ordinary to Wooodward’s Treatise on Heraldry. Free Trumpet Press,1985. An exhaustive index to all charges in the examples used in Woodward’s Treatise. Useful for conflictresearch. May still be available from Free Trumpet Press.“Letters of Acceptance and Return”. Various authors and dates. These are the official pronouncements ofthe Office of the Laurel Sovereign of Arms. They can generally be obtained by subscription; write to the LaurelSovereign of Arms for current prices. There is no single source of back issues. Kingdom Principal Heraldsshould have copies of all such letters in their files.Precedents. Various publishers and dates. Each Laurel Sovereign of Arms has made explicit statementsabout the direction of SCA heraldry, as well as implicit ones in the various rulings each has made. Redactorshave come along after and have prepared indexed synopsis of these rulings to produce the various volumes ofPrecedents. The early ones are interesting for the view they provide of the beginnings of SCA heraldry. Thecurrent ones can provide necessary guidance, although not absolute certainty, about submissions you may bepreparing.Proceedings Various publishers and dates. Since the First Ysgithrian Symposium on Heraldry in 1973, therehave been a great many other SCA-wide heraldic symposia across the face of the Known World. Most havepublished Proceedings of some sort and the best way to obtain them, if they are still in print, is to contact thePrincipal Heralds of the various Kingdoms. These may be republished by Free Trumpet Press; look forannouncements in The Pale. My favorite quote, from the first symposium proceedings, reads: “In principle, youshould know, if not the registered devices of everyone in the Known World (an impossible task now that thenumber has grown upward of 400), at least the registered Arms of the Knights, Masters and Laureates, theLadies of the Rose, the Great Officers of State, and the holders of Awards of Arms within your own Kingdom.”Originally published in The Atlantian Herald’s Handbook.Addendum: More Name & Heraldry BooksThe Middle Kingdom College of Heralds would like to mention the following books which were notincluded in the preceding articles.Éowyn Amberdrake. A Lymner’s Roll II. Private printing, 1991. Contains drawings of the arms of all thekingdoms, principalities, baronies, and provinces of the Society, as of 1991. Available from the author.The Compleat Anachronist. Various authors and editors, published quarterly. Subscription available as anoption with your SCA membership. Each issue is devoted to a single topic, such as music, calligraphy andillumination, armor, herbs, or a specific culture. Contact the SCA Office of the Stock Clerk for a complete listof titles. Some issues which may be of interest to heralds are:#22: Heraldry—a good basic introduction to heraldry.#36: Early Scandinavian Culture—discussion of Viking and Scandinavian cultures, including names.#50: Armorial Display—discusses some of the ways to display or use your device.#51: The Islamic World—a brief discussion of the Islamic culture, including names and Muslim heraldry.#57: A Viking Miscellanea—discussion of Viking culture; no discussion of names, but the bibliographymay point to other sources.Middle Kingdom Pursuivants Handbook 1212nd Edition - 2002