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Flemish Heraldry Council website

Posted: 29 Aug 2013, 16:25
by Arthur Radburn
I see that the Flemish Heraldry Council has an online presence with a searchable register of arms and blazons, and a downloadable brochure which contains the text of the heraldic law and regulations, an outline of the grant and registration process, and a full-colour example of a wapenbrief (patent).

They do some very nice artwork. According to the brochure, the applicant can choose an artist from a panel recommended by the Council. These are the arms of Christiaan de Jonge, for instance - he evidently he has some Scottish ancestry :

Image

Women are apparently not allowed shields, helmets or crests. Their arms are depicted on
ovals, which are framed in flowers or leaves. These are the arms of Angeline Bauwens :

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The blazons have some interesting features. Each stipulates the pattern of the helmet, including the colour of the lining; the colour of the strap by which the shield hangs from the helmet; and the tincture of the motto scroll and the lettering on it.

The URL of the register is https://heraldiek.onroerenderfgoed.be/lijst.
('Privepersoon' = private individual, 'instelling' = institution, 'gemeente' = local authority).

The brochure can be downloaded from https://www.onroerenderfgoed.be/aanbod/brochures
(choose 'heraldiek' from the 'Downloads' menu).

Re: Flemish Heraldry Council website

Posted: 30 Aug 2013, 16:03
by Chas Charles-Dunne
Thanks for that, Arthur - a good and useful link!

Re: Flemish Heraldry Council website

Posted: 31 Aug 2013, 18:14
by Arthur Radburn
You're most welcome, Chas.

As far as the French Community is concerned, official registration of personal arms is a very recent development. From 1974 to 2010, personal arms could be registered with an unofficial association, the Office Genealogique et Heraldique de Belgique (OGHB). Their register is online at
http://oghb.be/heraldique-en-belgique (click on 'Armorial Heraldique Viviante').

Since 2011, personal arms can be registered with the official Conseil d'heraldique et vexillologie and, it appears, arms previously registered with the OGHB will be accepted for official registration.

The Conseil has an online presence, but no searchable register as yet : http://www.patrimoineculturel.cfwb.be/index.php?id=7306 .

Re: Flemish Heraldry Council website

Posted: 01 Sep 2013, 04:54
by GJKS
Arthur Radburn wrote:
... he evidently he has some Scottish ancestry :

Image



It's a pity that the artists there don't follow international practice and place the first (dexter) twist of the Torse as being of the metal.

Re: Flemish Heraldry Council website

Posted: 01 Sep 2013, 05:46
by Chris Green
It's a pity that the artists there don't follow international practice and place the first (dexter) twist of the Torse as being of the metal.


Repent ye sinners! Perhaps in this case the artist felt that depicting the torse in the way he did worked better given the proximity of the argent wing to the first twist of the torse and the azure wing of the last twist.

More importantly we should be rejoicing that Vlaanderen and Wallonie at least have official heraldic registers, when this seems to be impossible/unthinkable in many parts of the world with equally strong heraldic traditions.

Re: Flemish Heraldry Council website

Posted: 01 Sep 2013, 12:42
by Martin Goldstraw
GJKS wrote:It's a pity that the artists there don't follow international practice and place the first (dexter) twist of the Torse as being of the metal.


I have always thought that this is is simply a convention rather than a rule and that in view of the fact that a crest is a three dimensional object it would really depend on the angle at which the helm was viewed as to which tincture appeared to be at the extereme left (or first to be seen). So, it really ought not to matter at all.

Re: Flemish Heraldry Council website

Posted: 01 Sep 2013, 15:45
by Arthur Radburn
Martin Goldstraw wrote:
GJKS wrote:It's a pity that the artists there don't follow international practice and place the first (dexter) twist of the Torse as being of the metal.
I have always thought that this is is simply a convention rather than a rule and that in view of the fact that a crest is a three dimensional object it would really depend on the angle at which the helm was viewed as to which tincture appeared to be at the extereme left (or first to be seen). So, it really ought not to matter at all.
A quick browse through some of the other personal arms on the database brought up several which also show the colour in first place, some which have only five twists, and some with a dozen or more twists, as well as some which have six twists with the metal first. In Flanders, apparently, the convention is flexible.

Re: Flemish Heraldry Council website

Posted: 12 Nov 2013, 11:50
by Kenneth Mansfield
GJKS wrote:It's a pity that the artists there don't follow international practice and place the first (dexter) twist of the Torse as being of the metal.

Chris Green wrote:...Perhaps in this case the artist felt that depicting the torse in the way he did worked better given the proximity of the argent wing to the first twist of the torse and the azure wing of the last twist.


Precisely so. Artistically, that illustrated is much better than the convention.

Re: Flemish Heraldry Council website

Posted: 12 Nov 2013, 12:48
by Ryan Shuflin
I wonder what the story is behind the Scottishness in the de Jonge arms. Also, is the inside of the nose ring voided azure, or is that the mouth?

Re: Flemish Heraldry Council website

Posted: 12 Nov 2013, 14:25
by Arthur Radburn
Ryan Shuflin wrote:I wonder what the story is behind the Scottishness in the de Jonge arms. Also, is the inside of the nose ring voided azure, or is that the mouth?

Good question. Unfortunately, the online register doesn't give any biographical or genealogical details. According to the blazon, though, it's the Highland ox's tongue that is blue ('lazuur'); the nose ring is gold.

I see that I misspelled the surname : he's actually De Jonghe, not 'De Jonge'.